Mahidol, Chula Score Well In Top Varsities' List

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Mahidol, Chula score well in top varsities' list
Wannapa Khaopa
Chuleeporn Aramnet
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Mahidol University (MU) and Chulalongkorn University (CU) are among 250 most reputable universities in the world this year, according to Times Higher Education Rankings Editor Phil Baty.

"Both are in the 201-250 band of the world's universities. MU and CU were the two most frequently selected Thai universities (in that order)," Baty told The Nation.

"The World Reputation Rankings scores universities according to their prestige in the global academic community."

CU president Prof Pirom Kamolratanakul, MD voiced his joy that: "I'm very glad Chula is among the world's most reputable universities. This is our pride and we are going to continue improving our university."

Harvard University, followed by Massachusetts Institute of Technology and University of Cambridge are again the top three most prestigious universities. They enjoy the same position as in last year's reputation rankings, according to the UK-based magazine, Times Higher Education. It released the Times Higher Education World Reputation Rankings 2013 last night.

Fourteen universities from Japan, Singapore, China, Hong Kong, Korea and Taiwan were among the top 100. University of Tokyo is ranked 9th.

Compared to 2012, the National University of Singapore climbs one place to 22nd, while Nanyang Technological University has also progressed—moving from 81-90 in 2012 to 71-80 this year. Korea's Seoul National University has improved its standing entering the top 50, as has Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology up from 81-90 to 61-70. University of Hong Kong takes 36th position, up from 39th in 2012 and 42nd in 2011. The National Taiwan University has risen from the 81-90 band in 2011 to the 51-60 group this year, according to the rankings.

The official list of top 100 universities is available www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/world-university-rankings.

"But as these only go to 100 this is an unofficial indicative rank (for MU and CU)," Baty said.

He said in all, 34 different institutions in Thailand were selected one or more times by the survey participants. But, unfortunately they were not nominated a sufficient number of times to make it into the top 100.

"Research has shown that a university's reputation is the number one consideration for overseas students, above fees and even course content, for internationally mobile students. It is also the top priority for a globally mobile faculty, even above salary. A good reputation can also attract investment and philanthropy. A strong reputation as being among the world's very best can help drive future success," said Baty.

"By considering the results of these rankings, Thailand can create a benchmark for itself against the world's very best, but also against its closest neighbours, taking their policies and practices into consideration and translating them into a recipe for success for itself," he said.

"The universities that are notable for rising up the reputation tables have two key things in common: they have focused aggressively in attracting and retaining the very best faculty the world has to offer, ensuring the institutions are brimming full of top talent from all over the world; and they have built truly global footprints, with a strong physical presence in many different countries, including branch campuses. They have become truly global institutions," he added.

The reputation rankings were added to the Times Higher Education's portfolio in 2011.

The rankings are based on the results of the Academic Reputation Survey carried out by Ipsos MediaCT for Thomson Reuters, data supplier to the Times Higher Education rankings. This year's rankings are based on 16,639 responses from 144 countries to the survey distributed in April-May 2012. The average time a respondent had spent in higher education was 17 years.

The survey drew upon Unesco data to distribute the questionnaire to properly reflect the demographics of world scholarship.

The Times Higher Education does not allow volunteers to take part in the survey and accepts no nominations from institutions or any third party.

The poll asks academics to nominate no more than 15 of the best institutions in their narrow field of expertise, based on their experience and knowledge.


-- The Nation 2013-03-05

[Gulfsailor]

Please note that the subject here is reputation, not quality. I would agree that Chula and Mahidon are the most famous ones in Thailand, and if you ask anyone in Thailand to name a uni, it would most likely be one of these two, maybe also Thammasat.

But reputation is not the same as quality!

In the top 400 best universities only 1 Thai university is found. And that's King Mongkut.