ShanghaiRanking Consultancy (ARWU)

ShanghaiRanking Consultancy (ARWU)
Name	ShanghaiRanking Consultancy
Formed	2003
Headquarters	Shanghai
Leader title	Director

ShanghaiRanking Consultancy (ARWU) is a research organization based in Shanghai that produces academic rankings and performance analyses. It is best known for the Academic Ranking of World Universities, which assesses higher education institutions across multiple quantitative indicators. The organisation interacts with universities, foundations, ministries, and media outlets internationally.

Overview

ShanghaiRanking Consultancy publishes the Academic Ranking of World Universities and ancillary subject and regional tables, engaging stakeholders such as Peking University, Tsinghua University, Harvard University, Stanford University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of Cambridge, University of Oxford, California Institute of Technology, Princeton University, Yale University, Columbia University, University of Chicago, University of California, Berkeley, ETH Zurich, Imperial College London, University of Toronto, Johns Hopkins University, University of Melbourne, Australian National University, National University of Singapore, University of Tokyo, Seoul National University, University of Hong Kong, University of Copenhagen, Sorbonne University, University of Michigan, Duke University, Northwestern University, New York University, Karolinska Institute, University of British Columbia, McGill University, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, University of Pennsylvania, University of Edinburgh, University of Sydney, University of Manchester, University of California, Los Angeles, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, University of California, San Diego, University of Wisconsin–Madison, University of Texas at Austin, Purdue University, University of Washington, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Monash University, King's College London, École Polytechnique, Technische Universität München, University of Bristol, University of Warwick, Brown University, Washington University in St. Louis, University of Zurich, Weizmann Institute of Science, University of Amsterdam, KU Leuven, University of Bonn, National Taiwan University, Aalto University, Rice University, Vanderbilt University, Ohio State University, University of Geneva, Seikei University, University of Helsinki, University of Oslo.

History and Development

The organisation originated from researchers at institutions such as Fudan University and interacts with agencies including Ministry of Education (People's Republic of China), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai Municipal Government, World Health Organization, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, European Commission, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and partners like Times Higher Education and QS Quacquarelli Symonds in the global rankings ecosystem. Its development paralleled initiatives at University Grants Commission (India), Russell Group, Association of American Universities, Ivy League, Group of Eight (Australian universities), and networks such as Universitas 21.

Methodology and Indicators

ShanghaiRanking's flagship methodology uses bibliometric and award-based indicators referencing databases and sources including Web of Science, Clarivate, Scopus, Institute for Scientific Information, and award lists such as the Nobel Prize, Fields Medal, Lasker Award, Turing Award, Breakthrough Prize, Wolf Prize and honours from bodies like the National Academy of Sciences, Royal Society, Academia Europaea, American Academy of Arts and Sciences and Chinese Academy of Engineering. The methodology combines indicators of research performance, citation impact, research awards, alumni honours and per-capita performance akin to metrics used by Elsevier, Google Scholar, Microsoft Academic, CrossRef and academic publishers such as Springer Nature, Elsevier (publisher), Wiley-Blackwell, Taylor & Francis, Oxford University Press, Cambridge University Press.

Rankings and Publications

Publications include the Academic Ranking of World Universities, subject rankings in areas like Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Computer Science, Engineering, Economics, Clinical Medicine, Psychology, Environmental Science, and regional lists for Asia, Europe, North America, Latin America, Oceania and Africa. ShanghaiRanking also produces thematic and institutional reports used by bodies such as World Bank, International Monetary Fund, Asian Development Bank, European University Association, Association of Commonwealth Universities and national agencies including Higher Education Funding Council for England.

Reception and Criticism

The organisation's work has been cited and critiqued by scholars and media including Nature (journal), Science (journal), The Chronicle of Higher Education, Times Higher Education, The Guardian, The New York Times, Financial Times, The Economist, The Wall Street Journal, BBC News, and academics from institutions like University of California, Berkeley, University of Oxford, University of Melbourne, Peking University and Tsinghua University. Critiques focus on biases toward research-intensive institutions and anglophone publication patterns, drawing comparisons with methodologies used by U.S. News & World Report, Times Higher Education World University Rankings, QS World University Rankings and analyses by Leiden Ranking. Debates reference bibliometric scholars such as Jorge Hirsch, Eugene Garfield, Philipp Mayr, Jean-Claude Guédon, Loet Leydesdorff, Ismael Rafols and policy analysts from OECD and UNESCO.

Impact and Influence

ShanghaiRanking has influenced university strategy, funding allocation, and policy discussions in regions including China, United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Germany, France, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, India, Brazil, Russia, South Africa, Mexico, Canada and Saudi Arabia. Its rankings are used by institutions such as Zhejiang University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Fudan University, Peking University, Tsinghua University, Nanyang Technological University, University of Hong Kong and government initiatives like Double First Class University Plan and comparisons with projects like Project 985 and Project 211.

Governance and Funding

ShanghaiRanking operates as a consultancy and research service engaging clients that include universities, philanthropic foundations such as Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Wellcome Trust, Rockefeller Foundation, governmental ministries like Ministry of Education (People's Republic of China), and international organizations including World Health Organization and UNESCO. Its governance involves academic advisors and partnerships with research centres at institutions like Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Fudan University, Tongji University, Zhejiang University and collaborations with publishers and data providers such as Clarivate Analytics and Elsevier (publisher).

Category:Academic rankings