Ranking of our universities good idea

In the recent past, there has been heated debate as to whether universities in Kenya and the programmes they offer need to be ranked.

The controversy and contributions are understandable, given that the debate is coming very close to the time when ranking of students and schools based on their performance in Kenya National Examinations Council examinations was abolished in Kenya.

But a university ranking and rating system is very different and serves different purposes from the school and student ranking system that we are used to. From a global perspective, ranking of universities in the rest of the world is a standard feature of university education.

This has mostly been in response to increased internationalisation of university education where more and more students are seeking to study outside their countries of citizenship.

This means that those students have very little information that they can use to select a university of their choice and need an internationally accepted and reputable system that compares universities and/or programmes to enable them make informed choices. Consequently, in the last 10 years, the number of internationally mobile students has increased dramatically, and so has demand for university rankings with a global focus.

Locally, those in support of university ranking argue the process will help improve transparency about what people think of our universities and their programmes.

But to develop and implement a good ranking/rating system takes time and requires patience and extensive stakeholder involvement. This is to ensure that the actors, especially those carrying out the ranking, are independent and the tools and methodologies used are transparent and meet the needs of the Kenyan society and audience.

Like elsewhere, if well implemented, a ranking system would initially be voluntary, so only universities that wish to participate do so. It is also prudent that the system starts with a small number of indicators, since data collection and analysis can be very complicated and time-consuming.

With time and as confidence grows in the system, more players will come on board, and more indicators used to measure the differences between the universities and/or programmes being ranked and rated. It is expected that ranking providers adhere to high standards of accuracy and independence.

If well done, a good ranking system can foster a culture of competition among the universities, improve the quality of education being offered, help reveal centres of excellence in given fields of learning such as the best medical or law schools. A recent evaluation of how results of ranking are used reveals prospective students frequently view rankings as a key resource when choosing universities where they want to study.

However, for the system to succeed, there is need for clear national policies that support the ranking/rating system, clear targets/target universities (those that can participate in the ranking), measure a variety of measurable attributes, ensure use of accurate, reliable, validated and relevant data, have strong, reputable and independent institutions that carry out the exercise, monitor the effects that arise from the ranking exercise and promote intended effects while mitigating negative or unintended effects.

In the Kenyan situation, with close to 70 universities that have different capabilities, it is prudent to ensure that the system that is developed and used meets the needs of all users.

We have universities that are more than 50 years old, large, complex and with a long history of providing university education; but we also have universities that are relatively new and simple; some still struggling to establish themselves.

It is important that these realities are considered in developing a national ranking and rating system so that the country can start the much-needed journey of continuous improvement, public scrutiny and accountability.

The beauty of this system is that ranking and rating can be done at small units of the universities such as programs being offered, at the school/college level like the ranking of engineering, medical or law schools from various universities.

Information generated from this kind of ranking is actually more useful to prospective parents and students compared to that generated by ranking whole universities.

While ranking can be a painful and tedious exercise, universities that perform well stand to benefit from attracting good quality students, high quality academic staff, more funding, improved relevance of programmes offered and a good standing and reputation in society.

In the end, it may not be very important as to which university is bigger, better or scores highest, but rather appreciate that each university is different and unique in its own way and its contribution to our economy and society is paramount.

At the end of the day we need all of them for different purposes.

We also know that each of them is producing manpower that we require in our daily lives such as doctors, nurses, engineers, veterinarians and teachers.

Nevertheless, it is important to debate on who is good in doing what and who needs to improve.