Framework for ranking higher institutions in nigeria

A Framework

for Ranking Higher

Institutions in Nigeria

StatiSense

The Higher Education System in Nigeria is regulated by three Agencies

under the Ministry of Education. These Agencies are saddled with

regulatory oversight such as:

Granting approval for the establishment of institutions

Granting approval for all academic programmes

Establishing minimum standards for academic programmes

Accrediting programmes offered by institutions

Ensuring quality assurance of all academic programmes

Channel for external support to institutions

Beside these functions, these Agencies should be able to provide to the

general public a measure that shows the performance of our higher

institutions against set criteria.

As of today, Nigerian Students and their Parents/Sponsors depend on

some external rankings of Nigerian Institutions in order to make decision

as regard which institution is the Best.

IntroductionThis presentation looks at the methodologies of five international bodies

that rates higher institutions across the world with the aim of providing a

guiding framework for ranking Nigerian institutions.

National Universities Commission (NUC) | National Board For Technical Education (NBTE) | National Commission For

College Education (NCCE) | Innovation Enterprise Institutions | Vocational Enterprise Institutions

NUC NBTE NCCE

Universities Colleges ofEducation

PolytechnicsMonotechnics

Health Technology

IEIVEI

Technical Colleges

Ministry of Education

Nigerian Higher Institutions & Their Regulators

Five International Rating OrganizationsThe five organizations whose rating methodologies are being

used are:

1. Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU)

2. Center for World University Rankings (CWUR)

3. Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings

4. Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings

5. Webometrics Ranking of World Universities (Webometrics)

ARWU MethodologyThe Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU) is conducted byresearchers at the Center for World-Class Universities of Shanghai Jiao

Tong University (CWCU).

RANKING METHODOLOGY

CRITERIA INDICATOR CODE WEIGHT

Quality of EducationAlumni of an institution winning Nobel Prizes and

Fields MedalsAlumni 10%

Quality of Faculty

Staff of an institution winning Nobel Prizes and Fields

MedalsAward 20%

Highly cited researchers in 21 broad subject

categoriesHiCi 20%

Research Output

Papers published in Nature and Science* N&S 20%

Papers indexed in Science Citation Index-expanded

and Social Science Citation IndexPUB 20%

Per Capita Performance Per capita academic performance of an institution PCP 10%

* For institutions specialized in humanities and social sciences such as London School of Economics, N&S is not

considered, and the weight of N&S is relocated to other indicators.

ARWU: Definition of IndicatorsINDICATOR DEFINITION

Alumni

The total number of the alumni of an institution winning Nobel Prizes and Fields

Medals. Alumni are defined as those who obtain bachelor, Master's or doctoral

degrees from the institution.

AwardThe total number of the staff of an institution winning Nobel Prizes in Physics,

Chemistry, Medicine and Economics and Fields Medal in Mathematics.

HiCi The number of Highly Cited Researchers selected by Thomson Reuters.

N&S The number of papers published in Nature and Science between 2009 and 2013.

PUBTotal number of papers indexed in Science Citation Index-Expanded and Social

Science Citation Index in 2013.

PCPThe weighted scores of the above five indicators divided by the number of full-time

equivalent academic staff.

Data Sources –

Source

http://nobelprize.org/ http://www.webofknowledge.com/

http://www.mathunion.org/ http://www.webofknowledge.com/

http://www.highlycited.com/

CWRU MethodologyThe Center for World University Rankings (CWUR) publishes the onlyglobal university ranking that measures the quality of education and

training of students as well as the prestige of the faculty members and

the quality of their research without relying on surveys and university

data submissions.

RANKING METHODOLOGY

INDICATOR DEFINITION WEIGHT

Quality of EducationMeasured by the number of a university's alumni who have won major

international awards, prizes, and medals relative to the university's size25%

Alumni EmploymentMeasured by the number of a university's alumni who have held CEO

positions at the world's top companies relative to the university's size25%

Quality of FacultyMeasured by the number of academics who have won major

international awards, prizes, and medals.25%

PublicationsMeasured by the number of research papers appearing in reputable

journals5%

InfluenceMeasured by the number of research papers appearing in highly-

influential journals5%

Citations Measured by the number of highly-cited research papers 5%

Broad Impact Measured by the university's h-index 5%

Patents Measured by the number of international patent filings 5%

Quacquarelli Symonds MethodologyThe primary aim of the QS World University Rankings is to help studentsmake informed comparisons of leading universities around the world.

Based on six performance indicators, the rankings are designed to

assess universities in four areas: research, teaching, employability and

internationalization.

RANKING METHODOLOGY


Academic

reputation

Academic reputation is measured using a global survey, in which

academics are asked to identify the institutions where they believe the

best work is currently taking place within their own field of expertise.

40%

Employer reputationThe survey asks employers to identify the universities they perceive to be

producing the best graduates.10%

Student-to-faculty

ratio

Measure of the number of academic staff employed relative to the

number of students enrolled.20%

Citations per faculty

This indicator aims to assess universities’ research impact. A ‘citation’

means a piece of research being cited (referred to) within another piece

of research.

20%

International faculty

ratio Aim to assess how successful a university has been in attracting students

and academics from other nations.

5%

international student

ratio5%

QS: Assessment AreasRESEARCH

Indicators considered

here include assessments of

research quality amongst

academics, and awards

TEACHING

A key role of a university is

the nurture of tomorrow's

finest minds, inspiring the

next generation of

potential research

academics.

EMPLOYABILITY

Graduate employability

encompasses more than

academic strength,

focusing on ‘work-

readiness’

INTERNATIONALIZATION

proportion of international

students and staff, nos. of

exchange students arriving

and departing, no. of

nationalities represented in

the student body, etc.

FacilitiesUniversity infrastructure is an indicator which enables students to know what to

expect from their university experience.

Online/Distance learningstudent services and technology, track record, student faculty engagement,

student interaction, commitment to online and reputation of the university.

Social ResponsibilityEngagement measures how seriously a university takes its obligations to society

by investing in the local community as well as in charity work and disaster relief.

InnovationInnovation, the output of the universities activities and findings to economy,

society and culture, has become increasingly relevant for universities.

Arts & CultureEffective indicators are the number of concerts and exhibitions organized by the

institution, the number of credits and cultural awards and cultural investment.

InclusivenessThe accessibility of the university to students, particularly at scholarships and

bursaries, disability access, gender balance and low-income outreach.

Specialist Criteria This category looks at accreditations and discipline rankings.

THE MethodologyThe Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings are the onlyglobal performance tables that judge research-intensive universities

across all their core missions: teaching, research, knowledge transfer

and international outlook.

RANKING METHODOLOGY


Teaching The learning environment 30%

Research Volume, income and reputation 30%

Citation Research influence 30%

International Outlook Staff, students and research 7.5%

Industry Income Knowledge transfer 2.5%

THE use 13 carefully calibrated performance indicators to provide the

most comprehensive and balanced comparisons, trusted by students,

academics, university leaders, industry and even governments.

THE Methodology

CRITERIA INDICATOR WEIGHT

Teaching (the learning

environment)

Reputation survey 15%

Staff-to-student ratio 4.5%

Doctorate-to-bachelor’s ratio 2.25%

Doctorates awarded-to-academic staff ratio 6%

Institutional income 2.25%

Research (volume,

income and reputation)

Reputation survey 18%

Research Income 6%

Research productivity 6%

Citation Research influence 30%

International Outlook

((staff, students,

research)

International-to-domestic-student ratio 2.5%

International-to-domestic-staff ratio 2.5%

International collaboration 2.5%

Industry Income Knowledge transfer 2.5%

Webometrics MethodologyWebometrics is the largest academic ranking of Higher EducationInstitutions. Since 2004 and every six months an independent, objective,

free, open scientific exercise is performed by the Cybermetrics Lab

(Spanish National Research Council, CSIC) for the providing reliable,

multidimensional, updated and useful information about the

performance of universities from all over the world based on their web

presence and impact.

RANKING METHODOLOGY

CRITERIA INDICATOR WEIGHT

Visibility Impact 50%

Activity

Presence (1/3)

50%Openness (1/3)

Excellence (1/3)

Webometrics Methodology

INDICATOR DEFINITION

Impact

The quality of the contents is evaluated through a "virtual referendum",

counting all the external inlinks that the University webdomain receives

from third parties. Those links are recognizing the institutional prestige,

the academic performance, the value of the information, and the

usefulness of the services as introduced in the webpages according to

the criteria of millions of web editors from all over the world.

Presence (1/3)

The total number of webpages hosted in the main webdomain

(including all the subdomains and directories) of the university as

indexed by the largest commercial search engine (Google).

Openness (1/3)

The global effort to set up institutional research repositories is explicitly

recognized in this indicator that takes into account the number of rich

files (pdf, doc, docx, ppt) published in dedicated websites according to

the academic search engine Google Scholar.

Excellence (1/3)The academic papers published in high impact international journals

are playing a very important role in the ranking of Universities.

ARWU CWUR QS THE Webometrics

Alumni Quality of Education Academic reputation Reputation survey Impact

Award Alumni Employment Employer reputation Staff-to-student ratio Presence (1/3)

HiCi Quality of Faculty Student-to-faculty ratio Doctorate-to-bachelor’s ratio Openness (1/3)

N&S Publications Citations per facultyDoctorates awarded-to-

academic staff ratioExcellence (1/3)

PUB Influence International faculty ratio Institutional income

PCP Citations International student ratio Reputation survey

Broad Impact Research Income

Patents Research productivity

Research influence

International-to-domestic-student

ratio

International-to-domestic-staff

ratio

International collaboration

Knowledge transfer

Summary of Methodologies

These are the Indicators by which World Universities are being ranked.

There are some similarities in Indicators across different ranking

institutions; however, there are some common indicators among them.

The Nigerian University DilemmaMajority, if not all, of Nigerian Universities would not appear on theradar if measured on these Indicators, particularly on those Indicators

that looks at Publications in world journals, Alumni winning a Nobel

laureate, Patents, International Students and Faculties, etc.

This is evidenced through The Higher Education (THE) ranking of

Universities. THE started ranking Universities in 2011, not until this year

(2015) that a Nigerian University made the top 800 universities list. That

University is the University of Ibadan, Ibadan. Precisely, the University of

Ibadan showed up at the 680th position.

In addition to this, Webometric, approaches university ranking in an

unconventional but 21st Century manner, using web presence and

impact as a major approach to ranking. In reality, most Nigerian

Universities would not be able to compete with the rest of the world on

these Indicators. Some do not have a website and those that manage

to register their presence online are packed with dead links andoutdated information.

Therefore, how can Nigerian Universities compete with the rest of the

World if the ranking Indicators are skewed in some unfavourabledirections? How can these Indicators be grouped better for ALL?

Grouping the IndicatorsThese ranking indicators can be grouped into some distinct factors thatcharacterizes top institutions:

Quality of Instruction

Quality of Faculty

Infrastructure

Publication

Alumni Award & Recognition

Employers Perspective

This therefore would allow institutions to be more creative in identifying

Indicators in each category that they can use to measure how wellthey perform and equally compete with other institutions.

Ranking Nigerian UniversitiesThe last rating of Nigerian Universities locally that I am aware of was in2002. Since then, the Nigerian populace have depended on foreign

ratings, especially the five organizations considered in this presentation.

Who Should

Rate Nigerian

Universities?

National Universities

Commission (NUC)

Concerned

Professionals(Just like THE, ARWU, QS, etc.)

For the peculiar challenge of

access to Data in Nigeria, NUC is

the best bet

Personally, I do not think the inability of NUCto provide this service to Nigerian Studentsand other Stakeholders is about lack ofcapacity or competence, it is that they havenot seen the need for such service.

18

National Universities Commissions

To lay down Minimum Academic Standards in the Federal Republic of

Nigeria and to accredit their degrees and other academic awards;

To ensure that quality is maintained within the academic programmes

of the Nigerian University System;

…to investigate and study the financial needs of university research and

to ensure that adequate provision is made for this in the universities;

To undertake periodic reviews of the terms and conditions of service of

personnel engaged in the universities and to make recommendations

thereon to the Federal Government where appropriate;

To act as the agency for channelling all external aid to the universities in

Nigeria;

The Functions of the

Commission are:

Let’s take a look at the NUC Operating Structure

National

Universities Commission

Inspection & Monitoring

Executive Secretary’s Office

Quality Assurance

Research & InnovationOpen & Distance

Education

Protocol & Special Duties

Physical Planning

Finance & AccountsInformation &

Communication Tech.

Student Support Services

Management Support Services

Academic Standards

Lagos Office

NUC Operating Structure

Outcome of activities from Divisions such as Inspection & Monitoring, Quality Assurance,

Academic Standards, etc., could serve as data that would assist in rating Nigerian Universities.


Commission


Quality Assurance

Research & InnovationOpen & Distance

Education


Academic Standards

Selected Divisions for Rating Universities


Commission

Selected Activities of Some DivisionsInspection & Monitoring

Monitors and evaluates all universities with focus on such areas as academic briefs and master plan implementation, institutional management and governance, student and staff numbers, staff quality and mix, teaching and research quality; infrastructural input and other issues pertinent to quality assurance (quarterly).

Monitors and inspects, from time to time, the certificates awarded to approved programmes in order to maintain quality and standards (quarterly).

Inspects facilities in the universities to determine their currency, the use of up-to-date ICT facilities and the quality of the staff manning them (quarterly).

Quality Assurance

Obtaining annually, the list of approved Full-Time/Part-Time Undergraduate, Postgraduate and Distance Learning academic programmes from the Department of Academic Standards to

determine programmes that are mature for accreditation;

Open & Distance Education

Promote, popularize and coordinate, the deployment

of E-learning tools in the delivery of university education in Nigeria

Research & Innovation

Collection and collation of timely and up-to-date data on

Nigerian Universities for dissemination to the general

public.

Student Support Services Encouraging universities to develop and deploy career development and

management initiatives that will help students develop critical lifelong learning skills that will enable them make wise and intelligent decisions and choices of careers.

Facilitating and coordinating the emergence of Counselling and Human Development Centres with well-developed resources in all Nigerian Universities.

Academic Standards Accreditation of degree programmes in Nigerian Universities; Ensuring compliance by universities with Postgraduate BMAS for the

various disciplines; Ensuring compliance by universities with the BMAS for the various

programmes; Conducting periodic Needs Assessment of Nigerian graduates at both local

and international markets; Monitoring the state and development of universities libraries;

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Quality of Instruction

Quality of Faculty

Infrastructure

Publication

Alumni Award & Recognition

Employers Perspective




Quality Assurance


Academic Standards

Mapping NUC Divisions to Rating Indicators Clearly, the NUC can create a Ranking Methodology leveraging on the outcomes of the

activities of its different Divisions. This methodology would take into consideration our

environment as well as adapt other international indicators, where possible.




Quality Assurance


Academic Standards

Proposed Ranking MethodologyA proposed Ranking Methodology for Nigerian Universities

Nigerian Universities

Ranking Methodology

Student Survey UTME PerformanceEmployers’

Perspectives

Online Visibility

Reference –National Universities Commissionshttp://www.nuc.edu.ng/ 1

The Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU) http://www.shanghairanking.com/2

The Center for World University Rankings (CWUR)http://www.cwur.org/3

Quacquarelli Symonds World University Rankingshttp://www.topuniversities.com/4

The Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings https://www.timeshighereducation.com5

The "Webometrics Ranking of World Universities“http://www.webometrics.info/6

Analysis by: Wale Micaiah

e: [email protected]

m: 08078001800

w: www.statisense.com

Freely share, freely use and freely

acknowledge the source – © Wale Micaiah