Date set for Singapore launch of World University Rankings 2013-2014

18 April 2013

The Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2013-2014 will be released online on 2 October 2013, ahead of their official launch at the THE World Academic Summit in Singapore

Times Higher Education magazine has confirmed that the 2013-14 rankings will go live on the rankings website at 21.00 in the UK (BST) on 2 October, which is 04.00 in Singapore (SGT) on 3 October .

On the morning of their worldwide online publication, the rankings will be officially launched with exclusive in-depth analysis of the results and methodology from rankings editor Phil Baty on 3 October at a special session of the prestigious THE World Academic Summit in Singapore, hosted by Nanyang Technological University.

This will be the 10th year that Times Higher Education has published an annual global rankings - and the fourth year of the prestigious World University Rankings with data provided by Thomson Reuters.

"The publication of Times Higher Education's World University Rankings is one of the most hotly anticipated events of the annual global academic calendar," said Baty. "So we are delighted this year to be launching the rankings at our exciting new World Academic Summit - which brings together outstanding global thought leaders from industry, government, higher education and research in one of the world's most exciting centres of knowledge and innovation - Singapore."

The THE World University Rankings use 13 separate performance indicators to judge world-class research-led universities across all of their core missions: teaching, research, knowledge transfer and international outlook.

"The rankings are often described as the 'gold standard' of Global University comparisons, and attract worldwide media coverage and many millions of visits to our dedicated rankings website," said Baty.

A report published last week by the European Universities Association, Global University Rankings and their Impact - Report II, highlights the growing uses and influences of rankings. It found that:

• Rankings are "potentially useful in helping students choose an appropriate university"
• Rankings "help by encouraging the collection and publication of reliable national data on higher education, as well as more informed policy making"
• Rankings can "stimulate national debate and focused analysis... which in turn may lead to positive policy changes at system level"

It notes that the Times Higher Education rankings are: used in Danish and Dutch immigration policies; used in India to help determine which overseas institutions Indian institutions can partner with; used in Brazil to help determine the distribution of 100,000 Brazilian overseas scholarships; and in Russia as part of the government's qualifications recognition system.

The report notes inherent limitations in all ranking systems, but singles out THE for "welcome frankness" in being more open about the uses and misuses of global rankings.

"The THE rankings are hugely influential, and that brings with it a responsibility that we are transparent about what we do," said Baty. "That's why I'm pleased to be launching the rankings at the Singapore THE World Academic Summit with an in-depth question and answer session with summit delegates that will go into detail on our methodology and the results."

The THE World University Rankings are the main annual publication in an expanding portfolio of ranking releases, including the World Reputation Rankings published each March, the Asia University Rankings, which were published for the first time earlier this month, and the 100 Under 50 ranking of universities under 50 years old, due to be published for the second year soon.

Phil Baty is editor, Times Higher Education Rankings