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  • © 2012

Multidimensional Ranking

The Design and Development of U-Multirank

  • First international book on multidimensional ranking in higher education
  • Analyses a new and far more extensive alternative to existing rankings
  • Of high interest to international leaders in higher education and to national and international policy makers ?

Part of the book series: Higher Education Dynamics (HEDY, volume 37)

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Table of contents (11 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-xii
  2. Introduction: Towards a New Ranking Approach in Higher Education and Research

    • Frans A. van Vught, Don F. Westerheijden, Frank Ziegele
    Pages 1-7
  3. Multidimensional Ranking

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 9-9
    2. Transparency, Quality and Accountability

      • Frans A. van Vught, Don F. Westerheijden
      Pages 11-23
    3. Classifications and Rankings

      • Gero Federkeil, Frans A. van Vught, Don F. Westerheijden
      Pages 25-37
    4. An Evaluation and Critique of Current Rankings

      • Gero Federkeil, Frans A. van Vught, Don F. Westerheijden
      Pages 39-70
    5. Impact of Rankings

      • Frans A. van Vught, Don F. Westerheijden
      Pages 71-81
  4. U-Multirank

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 83-83
    2. Background and Design

      • Gero Federkeil, Frans Kaiser, Frans A. van Vught, Don F. Westerheijden
      Pages 85-96
    3. Dimensions and Indicators

      • Gero Federkeil, Ben Jongbloed, Frans Kaiser, Don F. Westerheijden
      Pages 97-124
    4. Data Collection

      • Julie Callaert, Elisabeth Epping, Gero Federkeil, Ben Jongbloed, Frans Kaiser, Robert Tijssen
      Pages 125-133
    5. The Pilot Test and Its Outcomes

      • Julie Callaert, Elisabeth Epping, Gero Federkeil, Jon File, Ben Jongbloed, Frans Kaiser et al.
      Pages 135-166
    6. An Interactive Multidimensional Ranking Web Tool

      • Gero Federkeil, Jon File, Frans Kaiser, Frans A. van Vught, Frank Ziegele
      Pages 167-177
    7. Concluding Remarks

      • Frans A. van Vught, Frank Ziegele
      Pages 179-189
  5. Back Matter

    Pages 191-194

About this book

During the last decades ranking has become one of the most controversial issues in higher education and research. It is widely recognized now that, although some of the current rankings can be severely criticized, they seem to be here to stay. In addition, rankings appear to have a great impact on decision-makers at all levels of higher education and research systems worldwide, including in universities. Rankings reflect a growing international competition among universities for talent and resources; at the same time they reinforce competition by their very results.  Yet major concerns remain as to the rankings' methodological underpinnings and to their various impacts.

This new book presents a comprehensive overview of the current ‘state of the art’ of ranking in higher education and research, and introduces a completely new approach called ‘multidimensional ranking’. In part 1 rankings are discussed in the broader context of quality assurance and transparency in higher education and research. In addition the many current ranking methodologies are analyzed and critized, and their impacts are explored. In part 2 a new approach to ranking is introduced, based on the basic idea that higher education and research institutions have different profiles and missions and that the performances of these institutions should reflect these differences. This multidimensional approach is operationalized in a new multidimensional and user-driven ranking tool, called U-Multirank. U-Multirank is the outcome of a pilot  project, sponsored by the European Commission, in which the new ranking instrument was designed and tested at a global scale.

Editors and Affiliations

  • Enschede, Netherlands

    Frans A. van Vught

  • Osnabrück, Germany

    Frank Ziegele

Bibliographic Information

  • Book Title: Multidimensional Ranking

  • Book Subtitle: The Design and Development of U-Multirank

  • Editors: Frans A. van Vught, Frank Ziegele

  • Series Title: Higher Education Dynamics

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-3005-2

  • Publisher: Springer Dordrecht

  • eBook Packages: Humanities, Social Sciences and Law, Education (R0)

  • Copyright Information: Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2012

  • Hardcover ISBN: 978-94-007-3004-5Published: 22 February 2012

  • Softcover ISBN: 978-94-017-8093-3Published: 13 April 2014

  • eBook ISBN: 978-94-007-3005-2Published: 21 February 2012

  • Series ISSN: 1571-0378

  • Series E-ISSN: 2215-1923

  • Edition Number: 1

  • Number of Pages: XII, 196

  • Topics: Higher Education, Educational Policy and Politics

Buy it now

Buying options

eBook USD 84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Other ways to access