10/20/2014

World Universities Rankings trivialise Research Excellence



Bogus World Universities Rankings promote Mediocrity and Worthless Value as Excellence

True research excellence is the product of passion and genuine scientific investigative efforts directed at purposeful outcomes in the form of “discoveries that will benefit Singaporeans and humankind globally” (Dr Tony Tan, 29 Jul 2006).   The desired goal of NTU research is “the harnessing and capturing of value (Dr Tony Tan, 29 Mar 2007). This is our Definition of “Research Excellence”.

Singapore Universities NUS and NTU were recently ranked among the Top by THE (Times Higher Education) World University Rankings. The London-based Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) ranked NTU as the World’s Youngest Best University.

For QS Rankers, Research “Excellence” is measured by a questionable proxy measure called “Citations per faculty (20%)”.

Their “Citations” indicator aims to assess Universities’ Research Output. A ‘citation’ means a piece of research being cited (referred to) within another piece of research. Generally, the more often a piece of research is cited by others, the more influential it is. A rather simple but nonetheless naïve and invalid construct of “Research Excellence”, revealing QS’ ignorance and lack of understanding regarding Universities Research Excellence.  

Popular facts mentioned that Albert Einstein only published 3 papers.   Many NTU and NUS professors however, like many of their counterparts elsewhere, actually publish more journal papers than Nobel Prize potentials and winners!  

For QS Rankers, the winning Soccer Team is determined by counting the number of passes and ball possessions instead of the overall goals score impact!  Seriously, how VALID or Significant would this be?

There should be clear, ample proof that “new” knowledge contained and “cited” in these journal and conference papers is in fact of some degree of significance public value.

QS Rankers failed to evaluate the extent to which NTU had attained its Goal directive to harness and capture value (Dr Tony Tan, 29 Mar 2007).

Such glaringly blatant and obvious defects should NOT have escaped the penetrative professional scrutiny of NTU Senior Management and Administrators, many of whom eminent Professors and Researchers themselves, who had pronounced and unashamedly embraced the spurious and bogus QS Rankings to position our University in spite of its lack of validity and reliability of their Criterion measures.

In doing so, irreparable damage was done to the great authentic reputation of Singapore. Singapore universities should no longer participate in any Global Universities Ranking scams, no matter what other “famous” Universities had been included.  All Marketing collaterals making references to the bogus University Rankings should also be cleansed of the lie and return our Institution to Authentic levels of transparency and integrity. 

Kopi Level- Yellow 

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9 comments:

Veritas said...

The fastest (may not be the best) way to promote NTU/NUS academic reputation is to hire 1-2 Nobel laureate as faculties, as what Ivy league guys are doing.

I realize NUS/NTU are not hiring top scholars. I suspect a ulterior motive of PAP.

All top intellects are loose cannons and many have academic conscience. They will fire at PAP make PAP lose credibility.

What if Paul Krugman is hired?

These top intellects also influence and attract many devoted students, and these "poisonous seed students" are going to challenge the authority.

Anonymous said...

'Singapore universities should no longer participate in any Global Universities Ranking scams,'

You mean our professors in the universities and those in MOE did not know that the two ranking systems are scams?

The way they went over their tops in the ST reports clearly showed that they believed the rankings were real and very highly rated.

How many millions did they pay for the top rankings?

Anonymous said...

No wonder 100's of millions of $$$ spent on NTU Research but have very, very few patents, fewer innovations but plentiful useless journal papaers. Now, even Provost Office (himself a foreigner who also hired a bunch of other foreigner cronies) also instructed that 10% (TEN PERCENT!) of ALL RESEARCH FUNDS should be parked in the Provost's Budget. This, after 10% has already been provided and deducted for "NTU Overhead". Is not "Provost Office" part of "NTU Overhead" or is the Provost Office simply creating a nice, neat Foreigner Retirement Fund? Stupid Singaporeans again being made use by foreigners to suck up our MONEY...!


Anonymous said...

Soon they will be building a mausoleum to store all the useless papers and expecting the daft to read them.

Anonymous said...

They are so backward. RB is storing his articles in the cloud, free some more. At least go so many here reading them.

Why keep publishing papers that no one wants to read or worthy to be read?

Anonymous said...

Anyone heard abt current investigations into financial irregularities and improper conduct by senior NTU management by big 6 firm Ernst Young? What's the result? Like NKF? Dunno if results made public? Must check our money in NTU Provost Office also.

b said...

This is a ranking to convey the message to naive students that ranking can be worthless, baseless and valueless.

Anonymous said...

Would the investigation lead to the plunging of the useless ranking? Are those under investigation foreigners?

Anonymous said...

why NTU hire Foreigners to manage NTU? we stupid sinkies dun know how to run universities? beijing university got a gweilo to help manage beidao? time to believe in our own people, min of edu! NTU Provost Anderson also got wife a job in NTU ... and a Professorship! where got the wife of big boss working for a subordinate's subordinate's subordinate. only reason id MONEY. both husband and wife get a lot more of OUR money, lah! WHO's the Stupid IDIOT who hired BOTH of them?