The Times Higher Education (THE) rankings for 2023 have recently been released, shedding light on the performance of higher education institutions across the globe. This follows the release of the QS World University Rankings for the same year. For context, THE, originally known as The Times Higher Education Supplement (THES), is a trusted magazine providing news and insight into higher education. The importance of these rankings stems from their breadth of coverage, the diverse parameters they measure, and their global acceptance among students, educational professionals, governments, and industry experts.
About Times Higher Education
THE’s World University Rankings are comprehensive, including 1,799 universities spanning 104 countries and regions. They thereby make the largest and most diverse listings till date. Evaluation is based on 13 performance indicators that assess a university’s performance in teaching, research, knowledge transfer, and its international outlook.
Ranking Parameters
The rankings are determined based on several factors. These include teaching, research, citations, international outlook, and outcomes in the industry, with weightages of 30%, 30%, 30%, 7.5%, and 2.5%, respectively. While assessing teaching and research aspects, 15% weightage is allotted to reputational surveys.
Key Highlights of THE Rankings 2023
The 2023 rankings saw the University of Oxford secure the top position among all participating universities. Indian institutions also featured prominently, with India being the sixth most represented country, boasting 75 ranked universities. The Indian Institute of Science (IISc) led the pack of Indian universities owing to its high performance in teaching and research, fitting into the global rank band of 251-300.
Performance of Other Indian Institutions
Following IISc, Shoolini University of Biotechnology and Management Sciences in Himachal Pradesh secured the second spot among Indian institutions in its debut appearance. Contrastingly, IIT Ropar slipped to the sixth position after being the second-highest ranking Indian institute in 2022. Tamil Nadu’s Algappa University claimed the third position.
Response from Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs)
Most IITs boycotted the rankings for the third year running over concerns of transparency. The last major participation from IITs was recorded in 2019 when IIT Bombay and IIT Delhi were ranked in the 401-500 overall band.
Indian Initiatives in Higher Education
Several initiatives have been undertaken by India to strengthen its higher education sector. The Institutions of Eminence (IoE) Scheme aims to set up or upgrade 20 institutions as world-class teaching and research institutions. The National Education Policy, 2020 intends to bring several changes to the Indian education system to make India a global knowledge powerhouse.
Other programs include the Impacting Research Innovation and Technology (IMPRINT), a unique Pan-IIT and IISc initiative for developing new educational policies and setting research roadmaps. Uchhatar Avishkar Yojana (UAY) is another step that aims to promote higher-order innovation that directly caters to the industry’s needs, thereby boosting the competitive edge of Indian manufacturing.