The much hyped western university ranking systems, apart from being very subjective and western biased, are in many ways similar to the 'DEI' distribution system, based on feel good factors and not meritocracy. DEI stands for Diversity, Equity and Inclusivity. DEI is a spin off from Wokism in practice. And the forces behind this movement are so powerful that American culture and life, embracing every entity, every aspect of life, the economy, administration, the military, universities etc etc are invaded and compromised, with rainbow warriors everywhere, with people of colours, women, LGBTQ given priority and special considerations for employment and advancement.
This DEI stuff maybe why America is in rapid decline, when people are hired, promoted, placed in high positions, not on merits but to meet the quota of DEI and to be politically correct. Theoretically it is a feel good phenomenon for equality of colour, sexes, age and whatever. It is meant to be a happy combination, a happy formula for all. The western university ranking system has a lot in common with the DEI thinking. Universities must have this and that to be ranked highly, academic excellence is only one of many factors.
Trump and Musk are on a crusade to dismantle this DEI thing and many top dogs in the administration, in the military perceived to be where they are because of DEI are being chopped, sacked on the spot. Top on the list are the black and women generals.
Under the DEI western university system, and coupled with the huge western biased, practically all the top universities are American or western universities. The top Chinese or Asian universities barely qualified ot be in the elite list. And all the top universities either were living on their past glories, with little academic excellence to prove, or those that knew how to game the system, by adding all the 'DEI' factors to score and to stay in the top of the ladder.
There are now alternative university ranking that used hard data, like academic excellence, top quality research papers in science and engineering, not masak masak field of studies, and Chinese universities are now ranked in the top ten, sweeping away all the American or British Ivy League universities. The Chinese universities are now the top producers of high quality academic and scientific papers, not degree mill toilet papers. When real substance counts, when STEM disciplines are what that matters, the Chinese universities ranked right at the top.
Trump and Musk are doing the right thing if they want America to be great again by removing the not so great but looking pretty people, picked under DEI criteria and put the real talents in the jobs. If this trend holds, the feel good 'DEI' university ranking system would also go the way of the dodo birds.
Below is a table from Wikipedia on the ranking of universities in Engineering alone. The world in the future depends on hard sciences, engineering, maths and high tech. To be good in AI, quantum physics, rocket science, being good in talking cock, in smooth talkings, twist and turns with words, hair splitting, would only win an argument in Congress or in the Senate as a pyrrhic victory at most. No amount of lies, misinformation, fake information can make a country great. High ranking universities based on DEI criteria are as good as Hollywood stuff, fiction with little substance.
Engineering
Source Wikipedia
