QS World University Rankings 2008 Released

Times Higher Education-QS World University Rankings 2008
For immediate release: 15th October 2008

New world university rankings show regional discrepancies by subject area

The THE-QS World University Rankings, the definitive review of the top universities around the globe, show major differences by region in the five key subject areas. The rankings, which focus heavily on the opinions of thousands of international academics and recruiters, have become the most relied-upon university grading system in the world, used by governments, academic institutions, journalists and students in every corner of the globe.

Key findings
-Technology focused institutions have thrived due largely to profound improvements in employer evaluation (examples: Caltech, MIT, ETH Zurich, Georgia Tech, KAIST)
-Asia’s weakness in the Arts & Social Sciences is profoundly demonstrated with no schools in the top 20, compared with three in Engineering / IT
-Europe edges out North America in Arts & Humanities – expectations were that the English language factor would stand strongly in North America’s favour -North America’s primary dominance seems to lie in the Life Sciences, with 72 of the Top 200
-Australasia’s greatest strengths lie in the Arts & Humanities and Social Sciences
-Europe makes its presence most felt in Engineering & IT and Natural Sciences, fuelled by strong performances from more specialist institutions like ETH Zurich, TU Delft and ENS-Paris who all fall in the top 20 in one or the other of these disciplines
(The full results can be seen on www.topuniversities.com/worlduniversityrankings)

The rankings feature the opinions of over 6,000 academics and employers worldwide. According to Ann Mroz, editor of THE:, “These rankings use an unprecedented amount of data to deliver the most accurate measure available of the world’s best universities, and of the strength of different nations’ university systems. The rankings are important for governments worldwide wanting to gauge the progress of their education systems, and are used in planning by universities across the world.”

Nunzio Quacquarelli, founder and Managing Director of QS, says: “In just five years, the THE-QS World University Rankings have become the primary benchmark for comparing universities across borders – recognised for their accuracy and insight. The rankings allow prospective students, parents, academics, journalists and editors to gain an insight into international university education, helping them to make the right choices, whether it is in selecting a university for study or for partnership.”

Number of schools per region in each subject area:

1. Source: QS Quacquarelli Symonds (www.topuniversities.com) QS Quacquarelli Symonds Ltd 2008

3. THE-QS World University Rankings Indicators
The calculations leading to the THE-QS World University Rankings are based on data gathered in the following categories:
-Peer Academic Review
-Recruiter Review
-International Faculty Ratio International Student Ratio
-Student Faculty Ratio Citations per Faculty (citation data supplied by Scopus)

7. THE-QS World University Rankings Methodology 2008
For a detailed review of the research methodology and changes and updates in data gathering and computation in 2008, please visit the QS website www.topuniversities.com

9.The Times Higher Education - was founded in 1971 and is the weekly magazine of universities across the world. It is no longer affiliated to The Times [of London].

11.QS Quacquarelli Symonds QS provides guidance for higher education and career choices, enabling high achievers to progress towards their leadership goals. Through our exclusive events, publications, research and interactive web tools, we link undergraduate, graduate, MBA and executive communities around the world with recruiters and education providers. Our communities include: QS TopUniversities.com, QS TopGradSchool.com, QS TopMBA.com, QS Global Workplace.com. The QS team of over 100 individuals from the four corners of the world represent the experience and goals of the achievers we aim to assist. They include internationally recognized experts in the higher and business education arena. QS operates globally from offices in London

12.Top Universities Guide - The Official Guide to the THE-QS World University Rankings contains advice on selecting, applying and financing your university experience. Co-edited by Nunzio Quacquarelli, Martin Ince and John O’Leary, the 500 page Guide contains detailed profiles on all top ranked universities around the world.

13.Martin Ince - is contributing editor of the THE and co- edits the THE-QS World University Rankings. He is a science and education journalist and media adviser based in London and welcomes inquiries on +44 771 939 0958, martin@martinince.com

15.Nunzio Quacquarelli - Nunzio Quacquarelli is founder and managing director of QS Quacquarelli Symonds Ltd and architect of the THE-QS World University Rankings. Nunzio took his MBA at The Wharton School in the USA, where he won the Glockner Prize, after gaining an MA at the University of Cambridge. A respected journalist on management education and careers, Nunzio has written regularly for The Times of London and numerous other international leading media for the past sixteen years.

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