How to convince a university to become a research world class university

Paul Serban AgachiPresident of the Academic Council, University Babeş-Bolyai

Cluj-Napoca, Romania

UNICA RECTOR’S SEMINAR

The Role of Evaluation and Ranking of Universities in the Quality Culture

Dubrovnik, July 3-4, 2009

Universitatea Babes-Bolyai, Cluj-Napoca, Romania, www.ubbcluj.ro

OutlineContextPresent situation in university rankingsUniversity Babeş-BolyaiStrategy of Research at UBBAssessment of the present situation GoalsMeasures taken for becoming competitiveConclusions

ContextDemographic decline in EuropeGlobal competition for human capitalGlobal financial crisisWorld Class University

…… highly competitive climate

Context - Romania Economic increase 6-8% in the last four years

(uncertainty for the years to come); – 6% estimated for 2009

GDP increase from 38Bn Euros - 2004 to 130Bn Euros - 2007

Allocation for Education 3.5% in 2004 to 6% in 2008

Investment in research 0.18% GDP in 2004 to 0.79% GDP in 2008; 0.19% in 2009

Context - RomaniaStudent population increase from

660/100,000 population in 1990 to 3,400/100,000 population in 2005; increase with 34% since 2000

Student distribution on fields of study:- Humanities and Social Sciences – 58%;- Science and Engineering – 25%- Health and welfare – 6% (EFA 2005)

107 HE institutions (55 public) in 2005Student population decline rate 5% 2010-

University challengesStatus of „multi-purpose” and „multi-

product” institutions;Role they wish to play at national level; Level of relevance and acknowledgement

sought at international level; Preservation of its distinctive features,

identity and autonomy; Increased need for standardisation at

international level.

World rankings/Regional rankingsChina - Shanghai Jiao Tong ARWU ranking –

2005UK - QS World University Ranking - 2005Taiwan - HEEACT Global Ranking – 2007Russia – World University Ranking - 2009Spain – Webometrics Rankings of World

Universities – 2005

Europe –CHERPA ARWU - 2011UK - QS Asia University Rankings – 2009Spain - Webometrics Rankings of Latin

American Universities - 2009Universitatea Babes-Bolyai, Cluj-Napoca, Romania, www.ubbcluj.ro

Exampe: THES World Rankings

Example: QS World Rankings (Federkeil, Astana 2009)

compositeoverall score

weights of indicators ?

But: is Johns Hopkins exactly 92,9 % as good as Harvard?

league table with clear rank positions

ranking of whole universities

labour market,employability

city, university

studentsstudy

outcome

teaching resources

research

overall assessment(students,professors)

internatio-nalisation

European reaction: the CHE-Ranking Indicators

20 – 25 indicators ...

Classification of indicator categories - comparability and universality (Cheng, Astana, 2009)

National Rankings– examples (Ying Cheng, Astana, 2009)

Title of Ranking CountryMelbourne Institute Index of the International Standing of Australian Universities 2005

Australia

Sunday Times University League Tables 2008 UK

Guardian University Guide 2008 UK

U.S. News America’s Best Colleges 2008 USA

The Top American Research Universities 2007 USA

Maclean's Rankings 2007 CanadaComprehensive Competitiveness Ranking of Chinese Key Universities 2007

Netbig Ranking 2008 China

Perspektywy University Ranking 2002 Poland

Slovak Ranking 2007 Slovakia

Romanian University Ranking 2007 Romania

Impact of rankings on HEIs (HEFCE 2008, Hazelkorn 2007)Widespread skepticism ,but HEIs are

influenced by rankings (over 60% of university managers take care)

Most common responses: promotion & marketing but also data gathering & compilation, e.g.= better data collection & more use of student surveys

No influence on mission, course content or research

International rankings becoming more important

How does rankings influence university policy – case study UBBIn 2007 – BBU in SJTU ARWU ranking – 700-

800In 2008 – BBU in Taiwan HEEACT – 673In 2009 – BBU in Taiwan HEEACT – 702

University Babeş-BolyaiFounded in 158152,000 – 55,000 students (7,000 in 1990)1,600 teaching staff, 300 research staff and

about 1,500 administrative and technical staff111 study programs in Romanian,

56 study programs in Hungarian12 study programs in Germanstudy programs in other languagesMaster programs (157)PhD programs (22 doctoral schools and 200 PhD advisors)

University Babeş-Bolyai21 faculties101 chairs/ departmentsComprehensive: social sciences, hard

sciences, humanities, engineering, theology, sports, arts

University Babeş-BolyaiMission (Strategic Plan 2008-2011)

To form elites and opinion leaders in the conditions the university itself is an opinion leader;

To form cultural personalities in the conditions the university is a generator of culture;

To form responsible citizens and skilled managers and administrators, capable to understand;

To form top researchers and to be a first rank research university with contributions to creation of knowledge;

To form innovators with entrepreneurial skills

UBB to be competitiveExcellent researchGood conditions of teaching and learningCompetent consultancy for the economic

environment

UBB Strategy of ResearchDiscussed and voted in December 2004

Main objectivesUse all administrative/ communication

levers to increase the importance of the scientific research in the university activity.

Increase of the quality (seen as international visibility) of scientific research, stimulating the performance.

UBB Strategy of ResearchMain objectives Increase of the practical relevance of the

scientific research satisfying the beneficiaries from economy.

Modernize and reorganize the research management

UBB Strategy of ResearchPriorities Natural and artificial nostructured systems;

processes and (bio)technology at nanometric scale.

Applied informatics, bio-informatics, data mining.

Sustainable development and ecological systems.

Quality of life and environment. Values and socio-human comportment.

Integration through religion and culture.

Assessment of UBB situation

In 1990:small universityonly a few schools in research (hard sciences,

history, philosophy)not exposed to the international environment

In 2008:large university; too many staff members engaged

only in teaching!!new faculties and departments (political sciences,

environmental sciences, European studies, etc.)new study and research programslarge number of scientific mobilities

Assessment of UBB situationCNCSIS

Where is BBU positioned nationally in the ranking on scientific activity?2004 University Bucharest – 100p

University Babes-Bolyai – 70.54pUniversity Politehnica Bucharest – 62.54p

2005 University Bucharest – 100pUniversity Babes-Bolyai – 96.54pUniversity Politehnica Bucharest – 82.34p

2006 University Babes-Bolyai – 100pUniversity Bucharest – 99.13pUniversity A.I.Cuza Iassy – 86.99p

Assessment of UBB situationCNFIS 2006

No. University N1

1 University „Al.I.Cuza” Iasi

12111 12221 24565 12232 11111 11112 12212 22421 22132 11121 50 11111

2 USAMV Timisoara 11111 33315 22212 11334 11111 33111 22122 14411 11111 11211 50 11111

3 University „Babes-Bolyai” Cluj

11111 11212 23223 22242 22211 11121 23344 12212 11224 21112 50 11111

4 USAMV Iasi 11122 45323 13344 12133 11111 33435 13322 11411 11111 34111 48 12111

5 University Politehnica Timisoara

12222 32431 11221 13222 23322 44342 32222 14421 11223 31332 48 11211

6 Technical University „Gh. Asachi” Iasi

11223 33134 22222 34333 11111 22311 11111 12333 22244 24314 46 11212

Assessment of UBB situationWhere is BBU positioned internationally in the

ranking on scientific activity?Shanghai ranking

2006 – position in category 700 - 8002007 – position in category 700 – 800 in decrease

Taiwan HEEACT ranking2007 – position 673

2009 – position 702

Goals Accession in Shanghai ranking first 500Consolidation of BBU position on the

Romanian research marketContribute to the economic growth of the

region and the countryContribute essentially to the social and

cultural development of the region and the country

OutlineContextUniversity Babeş-BolyaiStrategy of Research at UBBAssessment of the present situation GoalsMeasures taken for becoming competitiveConclusions

General pointsCreate the environment for research

“preach in the desert”Facilitate the informationEstablish rules and regulationsInvest in research infrastructureGather reliable data from the universityPromote incentivesImpose conditions of promotion and

retributionUniversitatea Babes-Bolyai, Cluj-Napoca, Romania, www.ubbcluj.ro

Organization of research management

Organization of the Research Council (four commissions: evaluation and quality; infrastructure; personnel; management): policies, rules and regulations

Organization of the Department of Research Management (compartments of national programs, international programs, evaluation and statistics, technology transfer, patenting and authors’ rights)

Create the environmentRules of internal competition, evaluation and

distribution of fundsScientometric and peer review analysis of the

departments and persons (of the RAE type) – reports

Evaluation of the research centersStatute of the research personnelUniversity journals – access in ISI

andPreach in the desert!

Measures for becoming competitiveStarting with 2005 and 2006Establishment of a budget of researchEmploy researchers 35 – 2006, 300 - 2008Finance the interdisciplinary research in the

universityFinance the research infrastructureFinance the young researchers’ internal

programsIncentives for exquisite books and articles

Measures for becoming competitiveStarting with 2007Establishment of the schools of scientific

researchEstablishment of the schools of research

excellence

New context of the researchANCS program of investment in research:

increase in financing (prediction in 2006)

New context of the researchNational Strategy of R&D

(2007–2013):Three main objectives

Create visible knowledge Economic growth Social quality

Establishment of the prioritiesOutput and impact indicators

Financing UBB researchCapacities – subprogram for infrastructure –

2009 - 2010“Integrated Network for Interdisciplinary Research” -14MEuro(biology, geology, physics, chemistry, psychology)

2004-2007 ten time increase of funding obtained by competition

Research FundsComparative increase of the researchfunds at UBB and national

2004 2005 2006

Venituri din cercetare -UBB

Total venituri UBB

Finanţare activitatecercetare - nivelnaţional - buget

Financing UBB researchat the level of the national budget

0.63% 0.58%

2004 2005 2006

Research Funds UBB

Collection of reliable dataSystem for Research Management

Structure of the System for Research management

BBU / University Research management – Synthesis / reporting facilities

Faculties’ / Departments’ management – Synthesis / reporting facilities

Chairs / Centers / Institutes’ management – Synthesis / reporting facilities

Teaching & research staff, PhD candidates – Information upload & update facilitiesReporting facilities

System for Research Management

UBB 500 program

Analysis of the demands of Shanghai rankingAnalysis of the dynamics of international

scientific research and publications

UBB 500 programInternal analysis of the results of the facultiesProjection for the next 5 yearsA plan of measures of 5 years to consolidate

and improve the scientific activity (promote own scientific journals in ISI, employment of qualified personnel for research, allocations of funds for performance, restructuring of administrative activity etc.)

Forecasting of ISI articles UBB500 ISI WEB Forecasting

No. Faculty of 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 20121 Mathematics and Computer Science 40 41 57 74 96 125 162 210

2 Physics 75 110 141 154 168 183 199 216

3 Chemistry and Chemical Engineering 91 81 98 115 147 187 238 303

4 Biology and Geology 26 25 36 49 70 100 143 204

5 Geography 1 0 0 3 6 12 24 48

6 Environmental Science 5 6 6 10 16 25 39 61

7 History and Philosophy 22 24 13 25 32 41 52 66

8 Psychology and Science of Education 7 24 16 36 54 80 118 174

9 Political Science and Public Administration

1 0 2 4 7 12 20 33

10 Letters 1 2 1 4 7 12 20 32

11 Law 0 0 0 1 2 4 8 15

12 Economics 6 3 6 10 16 26 42 67

13 Physical Education and Sport 0 0 0 2 4 7 11 17

14 European Studies 6 5 1 8 10 13 17 22

15 Sociology and Social Assistance 2 2 1 4 7 11 17 27

16 Business 0 0 1 2 3 5 8 11

17 Orthodox Theology 1 0 0 2 3 4 6 8

18 Greek Catholic Theology 0 0 0 2 3 4 6 8

19 Roman Catholic Theology 0 0 0 0 1 2 4 7

20 Protestant Theology 0 0 0 0 1 2 3 4

21 Media and Theater 1 0 0 1 2 3 5 8

Institute of Chemistry 18 31 50 76 113

Botanical Garden 2 4 8 14 23

Total 285 323 379 526 690 916 1232 1677

% increase over last year 13% 17% 39% 31% 33% 34% 36%Universitatea Babes-Bolyai, Cluj-Napoca, Romania, www.ubbcluj.ro

ResultsIncrease of the ISI productivity with 40%

2006-2007 (2003- 0.18 articles/ teaching staff; 2006- 0.27; 2007-0.38)

5 journals in the ISI Web Of Science and 3 on ISI Master Journal List

Number of patents increased 5 timesInstitute of Technology established

ResultsArticles published in ISI journals - Web of Science 2003-2007

Number of articles ISI - Web of Science

YearVerification of

site Nov 2007

Verification of site Feb.

Verification of site May

Verification of site June

Verification of site Nov.

2003 199 201 222 222 222

2004 204 210 225 225 225

2005 244 252 280 280 280

2006 275 291 316 316 332

2007 320 347 388 393 458

OutlineContextUniversity Babeş-BolyaiStrategy of Research at UBBAssessment of the present situation GoalsMeasures taken for becoming competitiveConclusions

ConclusionsUnaccomplishments!: could not impose some performance criteria no. of patents still insignificant, applied

research almost inexistentISI publications absent in some departments the rate of publication is still lowlower position in the Shanghai ranking

ConclusionsAccomplishments: accepted strategy of research ISI is not anymore a scarecrow special budget for research large increase in funds acquiredimportant investment in research

infrastructureslight increase in performancesUBB – a system with inverse response

ConclusionsUBB or any other university in Romania with these aims should not be left alone in the battle! There are practically four universities in Romania aiming, out of 100 HEIs

Governmental policies needed!- China produced already the Shanghai ranking and special funding- Germany has first class category of universities- Taiwan has special program for Developing First-class universities- Romania has good intentions – Quality and

Leadership – HRD EU project

Thank you for your attention

Paul Serban AgachiPresident of the Academic Council of theBabeş-Bolyai Universityhttp://www.ubbcluj.ro/ro/despre/cons-acad.htmlsagachi@staff.ubbcluj.ro

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