11/01/2014

NTU’s Journey from Greatness to the TOP of a Bogus World Universities Ranking Standard.



One Summer day in 1987, I hired a fresh Engineering graduate (called him “James” here) from the Nanyang Technological University (NTU). James had graduated from NTU with a First-Class Honours Degree, which was truly outstanding during the 1980s. I vaguely remembered that he said he had actually topped his cohort. “James” was just one of several truly remarkable engineering graduates continuously molded and refined by NTU Engineering Schools. 

NTU began as Nanyang Technological Institute (NTI) in 1981 before becoming a full-fledged University in 1991 with the vision “To Be The University of Business and Industry”.  By April 2001, NTU's research has resulted in 20 spin-off companies with many funded by venture firms, 150 disclosures, 76 patents filed and 30 patents granted. The research papers of its staff and students in refereed international journals had also won numerous awards in international competitions and conferences. 

NTU’s Journey from Greatness began with the advent of “World” Universities Ranking, an essentially commercial profit-making venture by a British organisation.   

In 2008, NTU’s “World” Ranking plunged 16 places from 61 in 2006 to 77 in 2008, or 29 places from 48 in 2003, to join the ranks of relative unknown and undistinguished Universities. The subsequent shake-up of NTU appeared to be the inevitable effect resulting from these “world rankings”, which look at factors such as international outlook and how often other academics cite a faculty’s research.

So, what exactly did NTU do wrong?   Here’s a brief list of NTU’s “wrongdoings in the early 2000s to be relegated:

  1. NOT ENOUGH FOREIGN Students - NTU had mostly (more than 94%) Singaporean Students.
  2. NOT ENOUGH FOREIGN Professors – NTU had NOT hired more Foreign Professors.
  3. TOO MANY STUDENTS – NTU had High Students-Staff Ratio.
  4. TOO MUCH EMPHASIS ON INVENTIONS AND SPIN-OFF COMPANIES – NTU had too many Research Papers with Low Citations.
  5. REPUTATIONAL SURVEY – NTU was Unknown to Many Academics Worldwide.

In the years that followed, so seduced were we by the New Clothes of “Global” Universities Rankings, a series of measures were embarked on to increase the number of foreign students (at the expense of local Singaporeans?), break various laws so as to reduce the number of Singaporean Professors, to hire even more Foreign Staff.  

Finally, by 2014, NTU was ranked as the Top Youngest University in the World by QS Ranker, and ranking just 39th Worldwide.  Indeed, what a “climb” from 77th in 2008!  

NTU’s Journey from Greatness to the “bogus” Top of World Universities Rankings has been remarkably as relentless as her early rise from NTI into a NTU as a Great University in just 20 years. In her pursuit of the “bogus” world Universities ranking standards, we are reminded the Moral of Hans Christian Andersen’s story “Emperor’s New Clothes”.

Every child knows the Moral of the story is that one should not believe in every authority. The important thing is to let other people think whatever they want, and not to lose one’s self-esteem by letting others diminish the accolades of our genuine acclaims and true achievements, so that we can lend them our excellent reputation of authenticity and honesty to cover up their lack of credibility, validity and reliability.  

Kopi Level - Green

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8 comments:

Anonymous said...

"NTU’s Journey from Greatness to the “bogus” Top of World Universities Rankings has been remarkably as relentless as her early rise from NTI into a NTU as a Great University in just 20 years."

But what has this got to do with the state of Sinkie opposition, which matters much more for Sinkieland and Sinkies than NTU being great or bogus, tio bo?

Is the Sinkie opposition ready to be govt?

If not, will majority (aka 60%) Sinkies want to vote PAP out, despite PAP, just like NTU, being also from greatness to u know what lah?

Anonymous said...

The thing is, NTU in the early 2000s cannot rely as much on the numbers of Sinkie students and professors, unlike in the 1980s.

Simply because by then, even ordinary Sinkies, let alone talented ones, are pathetically no enough!

So NTU need to boost its rankings mah, whether bogus or not is beside the point, to attract many foreign talents lah, as students on scholarships and professors.

Therein lies the rationale of PAP policy, and in the process screwing daft Sinkies lah, and this being further facilitated of course by a Sinkie opposition not ready to be govt.

That's why the low Sinkie fertiltiy rate and Sinkie opposition not being ready to be govt is the root cause of all daft Sinkie sufferings, not just on NTU.

Mikospace said...

Anon 9.55am: Simply because by then (2000s), even ordinary Sinkies, let alone talented ones, are pathetically no enough!

NTU had increased foreign students, giving them free scholarships with Singaporean money, from 5% to 28% over the past decade, depriving nearly 1,300 qualified Singaporeans PER YEAR from admission becos of arbitrary higher cut-off points.

Many who were denied admission into NTU and NUS actually were accepted by top overseas Universities!

Perhaps, any Singaporeans who gained admissions to the Top universities ranking ahead of NTU and NUS should also get AUTOMATIC places here.

The key point is we had deprived many Singaporeans of University places for the WRONG reasons! Simply to satisfy a spurious criteria of a bogus University excellence standards.





Anonymous said...

...becos of arbitrary higher cut-off points."
Michael Heng PBM 10:35 am

Why arbitrary? Higher means better mah. Are u questioning our A level standard?

Overall the student quality stock is better mah because although there may be less and better Sinkies, but this is offset by having more and also better foreign talents lah.

So although nearly 1,300 qualified Singaporeans are deprived of admission, but as Anon 9:38 am said, this is not an issue for PAP if the Sinkie opposition is not ready to be govt.

Anonymous said...

NTU had increased foreign students, giving them free scholarships with Singaporean money, from 5% to 28% over the past decade, depriving nearly 1,300 qualified Singaporeans PER YEAR from admission becos of arbitrary higher cut-off points.
Michael Heng PBM 10:35 am

28% only what. Even if it becomes 60%, I don't think the Sinkie opposition will be ready to be govt. And PAP will never be voted out if the opposition is not ready.

So Sinkies should count themselves lucky that it is only 28% and not more.

What do u think?

Anonymous said...

Hello ... i m back

Breaking news, lost footage of india on the moon found! Now on youtube

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=TnD_9RT7_0U

Red tou, u gave our IP adressess to mata mata anot?

Now i cunt sleep at night u know?

Limpeh ,. Scared knocks at my front door at one o'clock... hehe .. as if my bird house have back door.

Veritas said...

Basically NTU academics are full of fuck and their head are fuck shit. They produce fuck up papers. The teachers stab their PHD students hard.

One professors who is well known for not able to read his PHD students paper is now a high flyer. In NTU professors thrive by sucking cock and drinking sperm, and not on merit.

All PHD students of this professor hate him. His name is so stench that on and off I came across NTU post graduate, even not this guy's students curse him.

When I was in NTU, there is another fuck professor who fail his students because his students are so good that this student receive a lot of commendation on his paper.

This professor want his students to work for him, and put his big name on his students' paper while sit back doing no contribution.

His students want to go USA and far far away from these leaches. This professor fume and fail his student PHD.

There is no where in this earth you can find so many mother fuckers, so stupid people, like NTU professors. NTU professors produce such garbage work that all academic would rather use their papers to wipe backside.

Anonymous said...

Please do not be cynical or suspicious.
Sin is World Renowned for Cleanest, Safest Country. It is manage by a Corrupt Free Regime comprised of the Most Talented Elites available from Sin and many born elsewhere. The Civil Services are also make up of Similar Calibres.

In fact, Sinkies will come up Top if there are rating and ranking for honesty and integrity. It shall be as good for Law compliance. There are no mass open demonstration, protest and dissent.

Sin is indeed the Best Country any being can wish for.

Cometo Sin to shop, eat and drink, itis a perfectly safe place to enjoy.

Sin is PARADISE .