Times Higher Education rankings 2012 Poland's top universities at end!

In first place, for the second time in a row, came in The California Institute of Technology. Beating such prestigious schools as Oxford, Harvard and Cambridge. It's alumni includes 32 Noble Prize winners. Poland's Jagiellonian University came in 369th and the University of Warsaw 398th.

A small private university from Pasadena - California Institute of Technology, which has only 2.2 thousand . students, but it is its graduates have won 32 Nobel prizes - won the ranking of the best universities in the world . Second time in a row defeated legends such as Oxford, Harvard and Cambridge . Two Polish universities, which were included in the ranking, closes the list of the last 400 .

- We always try to recruit exceptional faculty and take exceptional students. This mix , along with important scientific issues to which they motivate , results not only prizes for the university , but the discoveries that change the course of history - Jean - Lou Chameau , president of the California Institute of Technology ( Caltech ) described the prescription for success that his university addressed in the latest ranking of the British magazine " Times Higher Education " .

By ranking the magazine " Times Higher Education "

The letter was published a summary of 10 world's best universities , taking into account the 700 leading institutions from 72 countries , including Polish . Caltech not only won for the second time in a row , but still improved its result - received 95.5 points out of 100 , while last year he was awarded 94.8 points.

timeshighereducation.co.uk/world-university-rankings/2011-12/world-ranking

Such rankings are clearly Anglo-American centric, when I see the best German univ at 45th, the best French at 59th and the best Russian around 300th place, It can not be objective. Polish ones, well If you are the 3rd tier country, you simply can not have them close to the top no matter how good they really are.

Clearly nonsense, I agree. There's no way that, for instance - SciencesPo is 59th!

maybe you shouldn't agree so easily.
"California Institute of Technology, która ma zaledwie 2,2 tys. studentów, ale za to jej absolwenci zdobyli 32 nagrody Nobla"

It sounds like a credible, easy to confirm, information.

But while the very very best are no argument, the rest?

I was wondering the same. 14 of the top 20 American!!?? wtf, clear favoritism. I don't believe that the Jagellonian University is down on the same level as the University of Wyoming which I've never even heard of.

Listen, there are many links that basically confirm it, Polish universities are not the best in the world and when I say it, I don't mean to degrade Poland whatsoever, just stating facts.

I've just read the Methodology page click the tab it says this.....

•Teaching — the learning environment (worth 30 per cent of the overall ranking score)
•Research — volume, income and reputation (worth 30 per cent)
•Citations — research influence (worth 30 per cent)
•Industry income — innovation (worth 2.5 per cent)
•International outlook — staff, students and research (worth 7.5 per cent).

It explains how they rate teaching, research etc

To paraphrase: The rankings are based on citations in well known journals I assume English language publications, research ie rich countries and teaching staff to student ratios on this point the methodology page states


Everyone loves rankings but understanding the methodology behind them is important

then again, you'd have to deny any kind of rankings if you put it that way.

Not really (in fact not at all), ranking something implies using a set of criteria against which candidates are judged, in this case the methodology is laid out and there are some points one could take issue with if one wanted.

But they are certainly better than their lowly rankings suggest.


Utter nonsense, really. I know for instance that there is a significant amount of work produced in German and French - if they're only taking English language into account, no wonder the rankings are Anglo-centric. And the list is nonsense - I went to a top 250 university according to that list - certainly didn't seem like it!

It didnt say so but I assume the vast majority were English language.


Big head:) mine 251-271...

That ranking is clearly biased. However without research is clearly impossible to correct it.

exactly and these criterias will always represent one's opinion and/or taste. That's why, you can't accept only the ones that you like or prefer if you want to sound credible.

Remember, opinions are only as good as people who have them.

Yeah, all you can do is disagree on the criteria.

yes, criteria = opinion

Bernyey,I agree with you when it comes to ranking.I didn't see the ranking.Where I live I'm close to at least 2 schools that should be on that list.One thing the U.S. can say;it has very good colleges and Universities.

But you obviously have an interest in Poland, as do i.
Average Joe reading those rankings probably wouldn't have heard of Jagellonian University either.

Does europe have its own "Higher Education rankings"?

Wow. Mine's in the top 150 ;-)
Does europe have its own "Higher Education rankings"?
Yes.


Yes. There's a problem though with University Rankings. they tend to exclude Liberal Arts Colleges. Even though the teaching may be excellent they don't always conduct research and therefore are bypasses by the ranking system.

Snap. I guess the old place must have changed quite a bit since I was there.


Just a thought, but did the rankings include extra-mural students? That particular joke is responsible for a lot of the problems Polish universities have with their international image (sorry but it is very simply not possible to do a first and second cycle qualification combined course by going to university every other weekend for four and a half years).

Aren't on-line degree programs and such stuff quite popular in the usa ?

Not sure. But frankly I'd be somewhat suspicious of a course from an on-line provider which claimed to be able to award qualifications from Princeton / Yale / Harvard / etc.

I do know that part-time degrees are fairly popular in the UK, the place where I went certainly used to offer them. However, the courses took twice as long as the regular studies (which does pretty much make sense).

Jon357,we have some good liberal arts schools as well.Even if the ranking system is flawed;The U.S. still has very good schools of note and I'm not shocked that there are so many American schools on that list.Jon we're I live I'm very close to Northeastern,MIT,Harvard,BC,Wentworth and Berkeley school of music to name a few.There are a lot more in Mass.

as I said earlier, either we accept this ranking or we don't accept any ranking at all as all of it depends on the criteria, and that again is based on one's opinion and taste.

Opinions are only as good as people who have them.

One question: shouldn't this thread be in "Work, Study" rather than "Polonia - USA, Canada"?

Harry,good point,sorry guys.What do you think is the best school in Poland is?

Yup, but have you ever asked yourself how many of us can really afford to attend these schools? The ranking is kind of flawed anyway because they are comparing private and public universities.

The Other,you have a point;I know I can't afford them,I have to bring this back to topic as I have helped it stray.I don't know much about Polish schools and I didn't look at the ranking.What is the best school in Poland for the sciences in your opinion?

I don't know, I'm on the west coast... :)