Ranking of Universities in Singapore: Do They Matter?

Ranking of Universities in Singapore: Do They Matter?

When deciding on which university to choose, you might be wondering if the rankings matter. Well, yes and no. Yes, because rankings highlight the strengths of both public and private universities and show an easy comparison to complex margins. However, each ranking will use variables that may not be relevant to your experience doing a particular course, overall, making the comparisons meaningless. It depends on the context you are looking at.

Choosing your university is a personal choice. The course content, learning outcomes, student experience and other variables that rankings do not take into account but could be more important to your university experience. However, rankings can also provide insights into the university’s reputation, which may be beneficial in your post-graduation job search and career advancement. Understanding how rankings are measured can help you make a more informed decision that aligns with both your academic goals and future career prospects.

What Are University Rankings?

There are two main types of rankings: the university as a whole or for specific subject areas.

• Overall University Ranking: The overall ranking looks at a wide range of areas covering all university functions. They seek to provide an inclusive score that reflects all aspects of the university, including research productivity, student-to-staff ratios and graduate employability.

• Subject Area Ranking: These rankings emphasise the universities’ performance in specific academic disciplines or fields of study, showcasing subject area strengths. These rankings can vary significantly from the general rankings. It is not unusual for top-performing universities to underperform in certain subjects, while lower-ranked universities can excel in particular disciplines.

How Are Universities Ranked?

Each higher education institution is evaluated based on various criteria to determine its performance and prestige. 

1. Overall University Ranking

The overall university ranking looks at a wide range of areas covering all university functions. Some key factors often considered are:

1. 1. Academic Reputation
   2. Research Output
   3. Quality of Faculty
   4. Student-to-Faculty Ratio
   5. Graduate Employability
   6. International Student Enrolments
   7. Facilities and Resources
   8.  Student Satisfaction
   9. Innovation and Industry Partners

2. Subject Area Ranking

Subject area rankings emphasise the school’s performance in specific academic disciplines. Some key factors often considered are:

1. 1. Academic Reputation
   2. Research Output
   3. Citations
   4. Faculty Quality

If you’re looking for MBA courses in Singapore, Amity in Singapore is incredibly proud to announce that our MBA programmes from prestigious universities namely, the University of London and the University of Northampton, are ranked among the Top 5 in Singapore (SBR 2021).

Overall University Ranking vs. Subject Area Ranking

Even though they are highly regarded and produce excellent research and graduate outcomes, some universities are not shown in rankings at all. This can be due to several reasons:

1. 1. The rankings bodies lack sufficient data to make a fair comparison.
   2. The university does not disclose information to the ranking body.
   3. The university is solely focused on either research or teaching.
   4. The university is a specialist institution, posing a challenge to make comparisons with conventional universities.

It is not necessarily a “red flag” if the university that you are interested in is not in the main commercial rankings. If your chosen university meets your personal and professional goals, this is another good way to assess if a university is the right fit for you.

How Many Global University Ranking Systems Are There?

There are plenty of well-known global university ranking systems, with each using different methodologies and criteria to evaluate and rank universities. These are some of the more popular ranking systems:

1. Times Higher Education World University Rankings

The Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings evaluates universities based on their teaching, research, knowledge transfer and international outlook. It is the only global university league table to judge research-intensive universities across all of their core missions: teaching (the learning environment); research environment (volume, income and reputation); research quality (the outputs of research); industry (knowledge transfer) and international outlook (staff, students and research). It uses 18 performance indicators to provide comprehensive and balanced comparisons. The overall list is accompanied by 11 subject-specific rankings.

2. QS World University Ranking

The QS World University Rankings measures academic reputation, employer reputation, faculty-to-student ratio, citations per faculty, international faculty ratio, and international-student ratio through surveys and data collected from academic institutions and research databases.

3. Academic Ranking of World Universities

The Academic Ranking of World Universities focuses on research output and quality. Universities are ranked by several academic or research performance indicators, including alumni and staff winning Nobel Prizes and Fields Medals, highly cited researchers, papers published in Nature and Science, papers indexed in major citation indices, and the per capita academic performance of an institution. 

Other Higher Education Rankings to Consider

In Singapore, the Ministry of Education (MOE) Graduate Employment Survey is conducted yearly to assess the employment outcomes of graduates from local universities. It provides insights into graduate employability, median salaries, and employment rates for various degree programmes and institutions.

Figuring Out What Is Important to You

There is no right or wrong answer when it comes to the factors that influence what you deem to be a good university. Follow your heart and choose a course that will best help you achieve your goals and enjoy along the way. 

If you would like to include the ranking system in your decision, we suggest shortlisting a number of public and private universities based on the above and picking the most prestigious out of the options you have selected. At the end of the day, picking a school that aligns with your professional and personal goals is the most important, with or without the guidance of a ranking system.