Proserpio, L;
Kandiko Howson, C;
Lall, M;
(2025)
The university ranking game in East Asia: the sensemaking of academic leaders between pressures and fatigue.
Asia Pacific Education Review
, 26
pp. 159-171.
10.1007/s12564-024-10012-3.
Preview |
Text
The university ranking game in East Asia.pdf - Accepted Version Download (374kB) | Preview |
Abstract
Rankings dominate higher education policy making, although little is known about the experiences of those involved in perpetuating rankings. This paper explores middle-level academic leaders’ sensemaking about university rankings and related policies in East Asia. Since university rankings have affected higher education policies and strategies more intensely in East Asia than in other regions of the world, our research aims to trace the process of meaning construction and reconstruction of the middle-level academic leaders directly involved with the rankings game. Qualitative data have been drawn from in-depth interviews with key informants across elite institutions in three East Asian countries (Mainland China, South Korea and Japan). Our findings show how even in the well performing countries (Mainland China and South Korea) the “ranking fever” has been replaced by the “ranking fatigue”. There is no running from rankings, but the paradox of not believing in them but engaging with them has created an affective response that is deeper than lack of trust towards the commercial system of ranking: it is a deeply rooted feeling of fatigue. This is leading the discussion on how to find an alternative to rankings and possibly forge a new path forward for East Asian universities, reshaping the geography of higher education in the region.
| Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Title: | The university ranking game in East Asia: the sensemaking of academic leaders between pressures and fatigue |
| Open access status: | An open access version is available from UCL Discovery |
| DOI: | 10.1007/s12564-024-10012-3 |
| Publisher version: | https://doi.org/10.1007/s12564-024-10012-3 |
| Language: | English |
| Additional information: | This version is the author accepted manuscript. For information on re-use, please refer to the publisher's terms and conditions. |
| Keywords: | University rankings, Higher education, East Asia, Academic leaders, Middle leaders, Sensemaking |
| UCL classification: | UCL UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Education UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Education > UCL Institute of Education UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Education > UCL Institute of Education > IOE - Education, Practice and Society |
| URI: | https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10201647 |
Archive Staff Only
 |
View Item |
