LONDON, Nov. 19 / PRNewswire-Asia/ -- Over 700 university academics and administrators from around 45 countries will gather at the fifth QS Asia Pacific Professional Leaders in Education Conference (http://www.qsapple.org ) in Kuala Lumpur next week to hear international experts from 25 countries speak on globalisation and the role of rankings in higher education.
A Rankings Workshop, held on 23 November, will bring delegates up to date with developments in the QS World University Rankings, and seek their feedback. QS, the authors of the World University Rankings, has conducted over 70 Rankings Workshops in the last five years, attended by more than 5,000 senior university officers, planners and strategists.
Nunzio Quacquarelli, Managing Director of QS says: "These workshops ensure the methodology, rigour and impartiality of the QS World University Rankings are constantly reviewed by the academic community and fed back to the QS rankings team."
Tony Sheil, Associate Director, Research Policy at Griffith University, Australia observes: "QS has always been open and accountable, willing to listen and quick to take on changes for the better. The QS method has become very difficult for institutions to 'game' due to its use of both qualitative and quantitative indicators.
"We wish QS the very best in taking the rankings forward."
QS has produced research annually since 1991 and has an impeccable 20 year track record as researchers and independent commentators of global higher education trends.
On 13 October 2008, Ann Mroz, Editor of Times Higher Education, with whom QS no longer collaborates to publish the rankings, confirmed the quality and integrity of QS research. "These rankings use an unprecedented amount of data to deliver the most accurate measure available of the world's best universities, and of the strength of different nations' university systems. They are important for governments wanting to gauge the progress of their education systems, and are used in planning by universities across the world."
All delegate fees from QS conferences go to the QS Education Trust which offers partial scholarships to postgraduate students around the world.
Quacquarelli, a Cambridge and Wharton graduate, says: "QS was founded in 1990 as a student project with a view to helping bright young people make the right education and career decisions. Nearly 20 years later, our mission and passion is still to help bright young people fulfil their potential through educational achievement, international mobility and career development. We want to make sure the QS World University Rankings are the best tool for parents, students and employers. To do this we seek the active input of academics to ensure our measures are relevant, contemporary and meaningful."
Notes
For more information about:
QS World University Rankings: http://www.TopUniversities.com
QS Rankings Workshops in 2010
11 March, London - with university representatives from 15 countries.
2 May Riyadh - in conjunction with the launch of the QS Middle East and
Africa Professional Leaders in Education Conference -- http://www.qsmaple.org
2 June, Kansas City - held alongside the NAFSA international education conference
