Academics invited to shape the results of the World University Rankings 2015-2016

Please note that the 2015 THE Academic Reputation Survey is now closed. The 2016 survey will be launched at the end of 2015.

Tens of thousands of senior academics around the world are being invited to shape the results of the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2015-2016 and to contribute to the most comprehensive picture yet produced of global teaching and research.

THE, in partnership with world-leading provider of scientific and technical information Elsevier, today launched the 2015 THE Academic Reputation Survey, with a number of key improvements.

The survey data are among 13 performance indicators used to create the THE World University Rankings and form the basis of the THE World Reputation Rankings. They will also enable THE to develop new analyses and draw deeper insights into the changing global higher education landscape.

Leading scholars from across the world and across all academic disciplines – those best placed to understand excellence in teaching and research in our universities – have been selected, based on their publication record, to represent their country and their academic field in the exercise, which is the world’s largest invitation-only survey of its kind.

THE does not allow institutions to nominate participants in the survey and does not allow anyone to sign up for the research without an invitation, so those selected to take part will be representing thousands of their peers.

In order to build the most representative, balanced and detailed picture of global teaching and research, the number of languages the research is distributed in has been dramatically increased.

Last year’s survey used nine languages (Arabic, Japanese, Simplified Chinese, Spanish, French, German, Brazilian Portuguese, European Portuguese and English)  whereas this year’s exercise will use 15 languages. The six languages to be added are: South American Spanish, Italian, Traditional Chinese, Korean, Turkish and Russian.

In another change from the past, the annual survey is no longer being outsourced to Thomson Reuters. Instead, THE will take responsibility for the survey, and will own the results data, which will allow THE to publish more detailed profiles of institutional reputation globally and to be more responsive to the sector’s data needs. Distribution is carried out in partnership with Elsevier, drawing on its global network and its unparalleled database of published authors.

Phil Baty, editor of the THE World University Rankings, said: “We would like to thank in advance all scholars who will be helping us to create this rich and important picture of global higher education. By lending a small amount of their precious time, and – more importantly – by lending their expertise, they will become part of an extraordinary global research project that will shape the THE rankings and wider performance metrics.”

• Look out for an email from timeshighereducation@surveys.elsevier.com or esender.ibis@ac-ibis.net headed: “Your invitation to influence the outcome of the Times Higher Education World University Rankings”.
• The survey should take just 10 minutes to complete.
• If invited, please take part to represent your peers in your country and in your field.

Please copy and share this poster, to ensure we get the most comprehensive picture of global higher education.