University research ranking row “unseemly”

23 May 2007

University research ranking row “unseemly”

The Association of University Staff (AUS) says that the continuing public debate between university vice-chancellors about their research rankings shows that the competitive model in the university system is divisive and undermines the Government’s Tertiary Education Strategy, which calls for a national university sector based on collaboration.

Earlier this month, the Tertiary Education Commission released the latest Performance-Based Research Fund (PBRF) rankings, which saw the University of Otago rise from fourth to first, the position previously held by the University of Auckland

Since the release of the rankings, the University of Auckland’s advertising has continued to assert that it is the top university in New Zealand for research, with its Vice-Chancellor, Professor Stuart McCutcheon, reported as alleging that any system of ranking was open to “management”.

University of Otago Vice-Chancellor, Professor David Skegg, has hit back, accusing Auckland’s advertising of being misleading, adding that it must be awkward for Auckland being ranked at number two when all of its marketing is based on being New Zealand’s number one university.

The AUS National President, Professor Nigel Haworth, said that the argument between the two vice-chancellors over which was the better research institution was an unseemly spat which did nothing to enhance the reputation of quality of the New Zealand university system. “In fact, all universities have improved their research output and there is little, if any, difference between the top universities,” he said. “Rather than allowing the current squabbling to continue, university councils should now step in and ensure that research efforts enhance the university system, rather than allow them to be used as the basis of competition.”

ENDS