Research Article
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Rankings and regional development: The cause or the symptom of universities’ insufficient regional contributions?

Year 2021, Volume: 2 Issue: 1, 31 - 44, 30.06.2021

Abstract

Universities are increasingly expected to contribute to regional development and the wellbeing of communities in the places in which they are located through a wide range of third mission activities. However, this is an arduous task as these regional activities are usually pitched against other missions, namely teaching and research, and global orientation strategy. While the literature has recently implied that rankings might be the cause of universities’ insufficient regional contribution, the manner in which they inhibit regional engagement is yet to be uncovered. This paper therefore explores how rankings permeate universities and guide the behaviours of academics and top managers and thereby influence their regional engagement activities. Using a multiple case study design entailing semi-structured interviews carried out in Dutch, English and Finnish universities, we demonstrate that rankings inhibit universities’ regional contribution in two ways: i) by exacerbating universities’ difficulty of justifying regional engagement activities to the funders through an emphasis on quantitative third mission indicators, and ii) by encouraging universities to shift their focus from regional relevance to global excellence through stronger institutional profiling. We argue that rankings are not the cause of universities’ insufficient regional contribution per se, but rather a symptom of it; the cause is increasingly global competition between higher education institutions.

Supporting Institution

Horizon2020

Project Number

722295

References

  • Audretsch, D. B. (2014). From the entrepreneurial university to the university for the entrepreneurial society. The Journal of Technology Transfer, 39, 313-321.
  • Brankovic, J., Ringel, L., & Werron, T. (2018). How rankings produce competition: The case of global university rankings. Zeitschrift für Soziogie, 47(4), 270-288.
  • Cakir, M. P., Acarturk, C., Alasehir, O., & Cilingir, C. (2015). A comparative analysis of global and national university ranking systems. Scientometrics, 103, 813-848.
  • Cinar, R. (2020). Structuration of natural resource-based innovations in universities: how do they get institutionalized? Sustainability, 12(5), 1834.
  • Clark, B. R. (2004). Delineating the character of the entrepreneurial university. Higher Education Policy, 17, 355-370.
  • D’egl’Innocenti, M., Matousek, R., Tzeremes, N.G. (2019): The interconnections of academic research and universities “third mission”: Evidence from the UK, Research Policy, 48.
  • Delgado-Marquez, B. L., Hurtado-Torres, N. E., & Bondar, Y. (2011). Internationalization of higher education: Theoretical and empirical investigation of its influence on university institution rankings. International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education, 8, 265-284.
  • European Commission (2018). A European ecosystem for social innovation. Publication Office of the European Union.
  • European Commission (2018). A sustainable bioeconomy for Europe: strengthening the connection between economy, society and the environment. Publication Office of the European Union.
  • European Commission (2018). A new European agenda for culture. COM, 2018, 267. Final. Brussels, Belgium.
  • Fonseca, L., Nieth, L., Salomaa, M. & Benneworth, P. (2021): Universities and Place Leadership – A question of agency and alignment in M. Sotarauta & A. Beer (eds.) Handbook on City and Regional Leadership, Cheltenham: Edward Elgar Publishing.
  • Goddard, J. & Vallance, P. (2013): The University and the City, London: Routledge.
  • Hazelkorn, E. (2015). Rankings and the reshaping of higher education: The battle for world-class excellence. Palgrave Macmillian.
  • Horta, H. (2009). Global and national prominent universities: internationalization, competitiveness, and the role of the State. Higher Education, 58, 387-405.
  • Jons, H. & Hoyler, M. (2013). Global geographies of higher education: The perspective of world university rankings. Geoforum, 46, 45-59.
  • Koch, N. (2014). The shifting geopolitics of higher education: Inter/nationalizing elite universities in Kazakstan, Saudi Arabia and beyond. Geoforum, 56, 46-54.
  • Krucken, G. (2021). Multiple competitions in higher education: a conceptual approach. Innovation: Organization & Management, 23(2), 163-181.
  • Lee, J.J., Vance, H., Stensaker, B. & Ghosh, S. (2020): Global rankings at a local cost? The strategic pursuit of status and the third mission, Comparative Education, 56:2, pp. 236–256.
  • Marginson, S. (2014) University rankings and social science, European Journal of Education, 49, 45-59
  • Matveeva, N. & Ferligoj, A. (2020). Scientific collaboration in Russian universities before and after the excellence initiative Project 5-100. Scientometrics, 124, 2383-2407.
  • Moed, F. H. (2017). A critical comparative analysis of five world university rankings. Scientometrics, 110, 967-990.
  • Regional Council of Satakunta website, http://www.satakuntaliitto.fi/english, accessed 12th November 2018.
  • Rose, H. & McKinley, J. (2018). Japan’s English-medium instruction initiatives and the globalization of higher education. Higher Education, 75, 111-129.
  • Sánchez-Barrioluengo, M. & Benneworth, P. (2019): Is the entrepreneurial university also regionally engaged? Analysing the influence of university's structural configuration on third mission performance, Technological Forecasting & Social Change 141, pp. 206–218.
  • Salomaa, M. & Charles, D. (2021): The university third mission and the European Structural Funds in peripheral regions: Insights from Finland, Science and Public Policy. https://doi.org/10.1093/scipol/scab003
  • Soh, K (2017) The seven deadly sins of world university ranking: a summary from several papers, Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management, 39, 104-115.
  • Spence, C. (2019). ‘Judgment’ versus ‘metrics’ in higher education management. Higher Education, 77, 761-775.
  • Tampere Higher Education Community (2020) Strategy 2030 https://www.tuni.fi/fi/tutustu-meihin/korkeakouluyhteison-strategia, accessed April 30th 2021.
  • Taylor, P. and Braddock, R. (2007) International university ranking systems and the idea of university excellence, Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management, 29, 245-260.
  • The Finnish Higher Education Evaluation Council, FINHEEC (2013): Korkeakoulut yhteiskunnan kehittäjinä. Korkeakoulujen yhteiskunnallisen ja alueellisen vaikuttavuuden arviointiryhmän loppuraportti (Evaluation of higher education institutions’ social and regional impact), 5:2013. Report available in Finnish at: https://karvi.fi/app/uploads/2014/09/KKA_0513.pdf
  • Universities Act 558/2009 (Finland). http://www.finlex.fi/en/laki/kaannokset/2009/en20090558, accessed 30th of August 2017.
  • University of Lincoln (2016) Thinking Ahead 2016 -2021: University of Lincoln Strategic Plan, UoL, Lincoln.
  • University Consortium of Pori (2020). Strategy 2021-2026 https://ucpori.fi/fi-fi/meista/strategia/32/, accessed April 30th 2021.
  • University of Twente (2020). Shaping 2030. Mission, vision, strategy. Accessed May 2nd 2021.
  • University of Twente (2020). Research strategy 2020-2030 University of Twente. The University of Technology that puts people first. Accessed on May 2nd 2021.
  • University of Turku (2021). Strategy 2030 https://www.utu.fi/fi/yliopisto/turun-yliopiston-strategia-2030, accessed April 30th 2021.
  • Uslu, B. (2020). A path for ranking success: what does the expanded indicator-set of international university rankings suggest? Higher Education, 80, 949-972.
  • Uyarra, E. (2010). Conceptualizing the regional roles of universities, implications and contradictions. European Planning Studies, 18(8), 1227-1246.
  • Van Vught, F. & Ziegele, F. (Eds) (2011) U-Multirank.The design and testing the feasibility of a multi-dimensional global university ranking. Final Report. Consortium for Higher Education and Research Performance Assessment,CHERPANetwork. http://ec.europa.eu/education/higher-education/doc/multirank_en.pdf
  • Weerts, D. J. (2014). State funding and the engaged university: Understanding community engagement and state appropriations in higher education. The Review of Higher Education, 38(1), 133-169.
  • Yudkevich, M., Altbach, P. G., & Rumbley, L. E. (2015). Global university rankings: The ‘Olympic Games’ of higher education? Prospects, 45, 411-419.
Year 2021, Volume: 2 Issue: 1, 31 - 44, 30.06.2021

Abstract

Project Number

722295

References

  • Audretsch, D. B. (2014). From the entrepreneurial university to the university for the entrepreneurial society. The Journal of Technology Transfer, 39, 313-321.
  • Brankovic, J., Ringel, L., & Werron, T. (2018). How rankings produce competition: The case of global university rankings. Zeitschrift für Soziogie, 47(4), 270-288.
  • Cakir, M. P., Acarturk, C., Alasehir, O., & Cilingir, C. (2015). A comparative analysis of global and national university ranking systems. Scientometrics, 103, 813-848.
  • Cinar, R. (2020). Structuration of natural resource-based innovations in universities: how do they get institutionalized? Sustainability, 12(5), 1834.
  • Clark, B. R. (2004). Delineating the character of the entrepreneurial university. Higher Education Policy, 17, 355-370.
  • D’egl’Innocenti, M., Matousek, R., Tzeremes, N.G. (2019): The interconnections of academic research and universities “third mission”: Evidence from the UK, Research Policy, 48.
  • Delgado-Marquez, B. L., Hurtado-Torres, N. E., & Bondar, Y. (2011). Internationalization of higher education: Theoretical and empirical investigation of its influence on university institution rankings. International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education, 8, 265-284.
  • European Commission (2018). A European ecosystem for social innovation. Publication Office of the European Union.
  • European Commission (2018). A sustainable bioeconomy for Europe: strengthening the connection between economy, society and the environment. Publication Office of the European Union.
  • European Commission (2018). A new European agenda for culture. COM, 2018, 267. Final. Brussels, Belgium.
  • Fonseca, L., Nieth, L., Salomaa, M. & Benneworth, P. (2021): Universities and Place Leadership – A question of agency and alignment in M. Sotarauta & A. Beer (eds.) Handbook on City and Regional Leadership, Cheltenham: Edward Elgar Publishing.
  • Goddard, J. & Vallance, P. (2013): The University and the City, London: Routledge.
  • Hazelkorn, E. (2015). Rankings and the reshaping of higher education: The battle for world-class excellence. Palgrave Macmillian.
  • Horta, H. (2009). Global and national prominent universities: internationalization, competitiveness, and the role of the State. Higher Education, 58, 387-405.
  • Jons, H. & Hoyler, M. (2013). Global geographies of higher education: The perspective of world university rankings. Geoforum, 46, 45-59.
  • Koch, N. (2014). The shifting geopolitics of higher education: Inter/nationalizing elite universities in Kazakstan, Saudi Arabia and beyond. Geoforum, 56, 46-54.
  • Krucken, G. (2021). Multiple competitions in higher education: a conceptual approach. Innovation: Organization & Management, 23(2), 163-181.
  • Lee, J.J., Vance, H., Stensaker, B. & Ghosh, S. (2020): Global rankings at a local cost? The strategic pursuit of status and the third mission, Comparative Education, 56:2, pp. 236–256.
  • Marginson, S. (2014) University rankings and social science, European Journal of Education, 49, 45-59
  • Matveeva, N. & Ferligoj, A. (2020). Scientific collaboration in Russian universities before and after the excellence initiative Project 5-100. Scientometrics, 124, 2383-2407.
  • Moed, F. H. (2017). A critical comparative analysis of five world university rankings. Scientometrics, 110, 967-990.
  • Regional Council of Satakunta website, http://www.satakuntaliitto.fi/english, accessed 12th November 2018.
  • Rose, H. & McKinley, J. (2018). Japan’s English-medium instruction initiatives and the globalization of higher education. Higher Education, 75, 111-129.
  • Sánchez-Barrioluengo, M. & Benneworth, P. (2019): Is the entrepreneurial university also regionally engaged? Analysing the influence of university's structural configuration on third mission performance, Technological Forecasting & Social Change 141, pp. 206–218.
  • Salomaa, M. & Charles, D. (2021): The university third mission and the European Structural Funds in peripheral regions: Insights from Finland, Science and Public Policy. https://doi.org/10.1093/scipol/scab003
  • Soh, K (2017) The seven deadly sins of world university ranking: a summary from several papers, Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management, 39, 104-115.
  • Spence, C. (2019). ‘Judgment’ versus ‘metrics’ in higher education management. Higher Education, 77, 761-775.
  • Tampere Higher Education Community (2020) Strategy 2030 https://www.tuni.fi/fi/tutustu-meihin/korkeakouluyhteison-strategia, accessed April 30th 2021.
  • Taylor, P. and Braddock, R. (2007) International university ranking systems and the idea of university excellence, Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management, 29, 245-260.
  • The Finnish Higher Education Evaluation Council, FINHEEC (2013): Korkeakoulut yhteiskunnan kehittäjinä. Korkeakoulujen yhteiskunnallisen ja alueellisen vaikuttavuuden arviointiryhmän loppuraportti (Evaluation of higher education institutions’ social and regional impact), 5:2013. Report available in Finnish at: https://karvi.fi/app/uploads/2014/09/KKA_0513.pdf
  • Universities Act 558/2009 (Finland). http://www.finlex.fi/en/laki/kaannokset/2009/en20090558, accessed 30th of August 2017.
  • University of Lincoln (2016) Thinking Ahead 2016 -2021: University of Lincoln Strategic Plan, UoL, Lincoln.
  • University Consortium of Pori (2020). Strategy 2021-2026 https://ucpori.fi/fi-fi/meista/strategia/32/, accessed April 30th 2021.
  • University of Twente (2020). Shaping 2030. Mission, vision, strategy. Accessed May 2nd 2021.
  • University of Twente (2020). Research strategy 2020-2030 University of Twente. The University of Technology that puts people first. Accessed on May 2nd 2021.
  • University of Turku (2021). Strategy 2030 https://www.utu.fi/fi/yliopisto/turun-yliopiston-strategia-2030, accessed April 30th 2021.
  • Uslu, B. (2020). A path for ranking success: what does the expanded indicator-set of international university rankings suggest? Higher Education, 80, 949-972.
  • Uyarra, E. (2010). Conceptualizing the regional roles of universities, implications and contradictions. European Planning Studies, 18(8), 1227-1246.
  • Van Vught, F. & Ziegele, F. (Eds) (2011) U-Multirank.The design and testing the feasibility of a multi-dimensional global university ranking. Final Report. Consortium for Higher Education and Research Performance Assessment,CHERPANetwork. http://ec.europa.eu/education/higher-education/doc/multirank_en.pdf
  • Weerts, D. J. (2014). State funding and the engaged university: Understanding community engagement and state appropriations in higher education. The Review of Higher Education, 38(1), 133-169.
  • Yudkevich, M., Altbach, P. G., & Rumbley, L. E. (2015). Global university rankings: The ‘Olympic Games’ of higher education? Prospects, 45, 411-419.
There are 41 citations in total.

Details

Primary Language English
Subjects Other Fields of Education
Journal Section Research Articles
Authors

Maria Salomaa 0000-0002-4415-0161

Ridvan Cınar This is me 0000-0002-5640-224X

David Charles This is me 0000-0002-0885-4209

Project Number 722295
Publication Date June 30, 2021
Published in Issue Year 2021 Volume: 2 Issue: 1

Cite

APA Salomaa, M., Cınar, R., & Charles, D. (2021). Rankings and regional development: The cause or the symptom of universities’ insufficient regional contributions?. Higher Education Governance and Policy, 2(1), 31-44.