Harvard loses its top ranking
Did the Earth’s axis shift? Almost: Cambridge has nudged Harvard out of the number one spot on one major ranking system.
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| The statue of John Harvard might seem less grand now that the Harvard has been bested by Cambridge.[Gallo/Getty] |
For the first time in the six years that British firm QS has released its World University Rankings, Harvard is no longer number one.
While it’s doubtful that there will be much cheering on the banks of the River Cam or weeping in Harvard Yard, nonetheless, those who pay attention to how universities rank will take note. Now, if each had been beaten – or had beaten – their arch rivals, Oxford and Yale, respectively – then it would be a different story.
The US and UK dominate the top spots in this year’s listings, with Switzerland breaking the ice for other countries with its ETH Zürich (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology) at number 18.
The QS, which bases its ranking on factors such as a university’s academic reputation and the student-to-faculty ratio (a shift in any of these factors, say, triggered by a recession, could mean a loss of standing), produces but one of many such lists.
For example, looking at 2010 High Impact Universities table would give Harvard some comfort, as there, it remains at the top of the heap, while Cambridge is rather unkindly placed at number 13. Harvard also maintains its numero uno status on the U.S. News & World Reports listing, but then, that’s a US-only ranking.
Also, at last count, Global University Ranking had Massachusetts Institute of Technology at number one, with California Institute of Technology placing second. On this list, Harvard languished at number 6 while Cambridge just punted into the top-10 at number 8.