Explains QS Subject Rankings in simple language. Recommends steps to be taken by universities and departments to include their names in the ranking list.
2. • Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) – a British
company founded in 1990
• The world’s most popular source of
comparative data about university
performance
• Subject ranking is one of its ranking
products – started in 2011
• Annual list to help prospective students
identify the world’s leading universities in
51 individual subject areas
4. Arts & Humanities
• Archaeology
• Architecture
• Art & Design
• Classics & Ancient History
• English Language & Literature
• History
• Linguistics
• Modern Languages
• Performing Arts
• Philosophy
• Theology, Divinity & Religious
Studies
5. Engineering & Technology
• Computer Science & Information Systems
• Chemical Engineering
• Civil & Structural Engineering
• Electrical & Electronic Engineering
• Mechanical, Aeronautical & Manufacturing Engineering
• Mineral & Mining Engineering
• Petroleum Engineering
11. Academic Reputation
• Global survey of academics
• Respondents are asked to list up to 10 national
and 30 international best universities in their
subject
• Not able to select their own institution
• 100,000+ votes from academics in 5 years
12. Employer Reputation
• Global survey of employers
• Employers are asked to identify up to 10 national
and 30 international institutions they consider
excellent for the recruitment of graduates
• Also asked to identify the disciplines from which
they prefer to recruit
• 50,000+ votes from employers in 5 years
13. Citations Per Paper
• Citations data from SCOPUS database spanning a
5-year period
• A minimum publication threshold for each subject
• Self-citations are excluded
14. H-index
• A way of measuring both the productivity and
impact of the published work of a scholar
• ‘N’ number of publications having ‘N’ number of
citations
15. Institution Prerequisites
• Minimum required score for the academic and/or
employer reputation indicators – 150 academic
responses, 300 employer responses
• Five-year threshold for number of papers
published in the given discipline – 80 for
Pharmacy, 30 for Education, etc.
• Offer undergraduate or taught postgraduate
programs in the given discipline
17. Things to Do at University Level
• Focus on university ranking
• University ranking committee/directorate
• Contact with QS staff
• Timely preparation and submission of data
• Focus on research productivity
• Infrastructure, funds, incentives, culture, etc.
• Focus on reputation
• Image of teaching and research in media (print, electronic, and social)
• University website
• Support from alumni and employers
• Word of mouth
18. Things to Do at Department Level
• Publish papers in SCOPUS indexed, relevant, and high-quality journals
• Maintain author profile in SCOPUS database
• Clearly mention affiliation information in papers
• Collaborate in research with national and international authors
• Timely submit the list of academics and employers with relevant and
correct information
• Activate alumni associations, media campaign, etc. to create a better
image
• Keep an eye on QS subject scoring for your university