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Times Higher - QS World University Rankings Mahidol : Rankings, performance and branding

Times Higher - QS World University Rankings Mahidol : Rankings, performance and branding. Ben Sowter Head of Research QS. Mahidol University, Bangkok 4 April 2008. Objectives. Explain new developments in research methodology Understand results and their implications for Mahidol

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Times Higher - QS World University Rankings Mahidol : Rankings, performance and branding

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  1. Times Higher - QS World University RankingsMahidol: Rankings, performance and branding Ben SowterHead of ResearchQS Mahidol University, Bangkok 4 April 2008

  2. Objectives • Explain new developments in research methodology • Understand results and their implications for Mahidol • Understand performance measurement and ways to identify strategic improvement • Recommendations for progression of international brand • Collect feedback and input

  3. Session Flow

  4. THE – QS World University Rankings NEW DEVELOPMENTS

  5. Peer Review New Development • Reviewers prevented from selecting their own institution • Impact on institutions from countries with good response but low number of institutions from which to select

  6. Implementation of online system New Development • Enable institutions to interact with our data • Submission • Validation • Track history • Explanatory notes fields

  7. Full Time Equivalent (FTE) New Development • All personnel metrics based on FTE • If no FTE data is available an average is calculated based on national or regional norms • FTE numbers are a more accurate measure of an institution’s commitment to teaching and research

  8. Switch to Scopus New Development

  9. Switch to Scopus New Development • No viable alternative to Thomson in 2004 • ESI not a thorough interpretation of Web of Science • Work with Evidence/Thomson led to many universities missing data • Main benefits of WoS relate to older data – particularly pre-1996 • Scopus stronger journal representation outside US • Scopus tracks some non-English content • Access to much greater data detail

  10. Z-Score Aggregation New Development • Method used in various domestic rankings such as The Times (UK) • Stabilise data year on year • More accurate application of weightings throughout the sample • Smoothes any anomalies that remain • Essentially smoothes the curve for each individual indicator

  11. The Effect of Z-Score Application on Rankings Indicators New Development

  12. Effects of 2007 developments… • Online System • More thorough and complete data all the way down the list • Less need for averages • Peer Review • Countries with disproportionately high response but a small number of institutions lose unnatural advantage • FTE Data • Universities with particularly high or low numbers for part-time will be influenced • Scopus • Less pronounced bias towards US and English speaking world • Z-Score aggregation • Less advantage for the best institutions in lower weighted indicators • Increased stability year on year

  13. THE – QS World University Rankings THE RESULTS

  14. THE – QS 1 Harvard 2= Cambridge 2= Yale 2= Oxford 5 Imperial 6 Princeton 7= Caltech 7= Chicago 8 UCL 10 MIT SHANGHAI Harvard Stanford Berkeley Cambridge MIT Caltech Columbia Princeton Chicago Oxford Comparing Results WEBOMETRICS MIT Stanford Harvard Penn State Berkeley Michigan Wisconsin Minnesota Illinois Cornell

  15. Thailand Results

  16. Average Positions for Asian Institutions in the Top 500

  17. Arts & Humanities Chula (136) Thammasat (242=) Chiang Mai (396) Engineering & IT Chula (100) Chiang Mai (335=) Mahidol (335=) Kasetsart (346) Life Sciences & Biomedicine Mahidol (118) Chula (138) Kasetsart (266) KhonKaen (273=) Pronce of Songkla (307) Chiang Mai (347) Thammasat (353) Natural Sciences Chula (159) Chiang Mai (257) Mahidol (295=) Kasetsart (309) Social Sciences Chula (83=) Thammasat (197=) Mahidol (303) Chiang Mai (371=) Faculty Level: Thailand

  18. The Results • Available at www.topuniversities.com • Top 100 for the following subject areas • Arts & Humanities • Engineering & IT • Life Sciences & BioMedicine • Natural Sciences • Social Sciences • World’s oldest universities • Year on year results

  19. THE – QS World University Rankings Performance MEASUREMENT

  20. QS Top Universities Benchmarking • Identify institutions with similar characteristics domestically or internationally • Understand comparative performance in much greater detail than the published results permit • Identify key strategies for development

  21. THE – QS World University Rankings INTERNATIONAL BRANDING

  22. Online marketing • Promote • Reach global market • Use institutional and other ‘voices’ • Optimize • Reduce administration • Utilise staff expertise effectively • Engage • Tune messages by segment • Be responsive to applicants • Measure • Track marketing campaigns • React to market changes

  23. Who are “Generation Y”? • Impatient • Team players • Hungry for feedback • Don’t hold back • Fearless of technology • Seek stimulation • Believe in themselves • Sceptical • Street smart

  24. Who are “Generation Y”? • 97% own a computer • 94% own a cell phone • 76% use Instant Messaging. • 15% of IM users are logged on 24 hours a day • 34% use websites as primary source of news • 28% own a blog and 44% read blogs • 49% download music using file sharing • 75% of US students have a Facebook account • 60% own portable music or video device e.g. iPod Source: Connecting to the Net.Generation: What Higher Education Professionals Need to Know About Today's College Students, Reynol Junco and JeannaMastrodicasa (2007)

  25. Life-cycle marketing • INTERESTED • CANDIDATE • ENQUIRER • APPLICATION • STARTED • APPLICATION • SUBMITTED • PLACE • OFFERED • OFFER • ACCEPTED

  26. SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) • Search engines all work differently and change frequently • 2 main factors: Web site itself and incoming links • Ensure site is search engine friendly – but avoid using tricks • Titles, headlines, content, meta tags • Site maps used extensively by search engines • Page titles should also attract human users: clear & provocative • Research keywords and phrases used by your prospects • 2 to 4 words usually less competitive • Include synonyms, plurals and misspellings • Keyword tools • Wordtracker, Yahoo! Suggestion Tool, Google Tool • Look at search words contained in your traffic logs • Links • Number, reputation and popularity • Industry hubs and directories • Press releases and free articles or feeds • Blogs, Forums and Social Networking

  27. Paid Advertising • Three common pricing structures • CPM: Cost per thousand impressions • PPC: Cost per click • CPA: Cost per action (e.g. affiliate partners) • Keyword bidding • Typically 20 to 30 phrases or 300 to 400 “tail terms” • Use variety of word sequences and action words • Long terms (e.g. 4 words) offer better conversion rates • Use of others’ trademarks and names currently accepted • Congruency of landing pages

  28. Paid Advertising • Numbers are important

  29. www.topuniversities.com

  30. www.topuniversities.com • Over 1,180,000 visits in 2007 • Over 6,000 visits per day in 2008 • Increasingly strong prominence in Google & Yahoo searches • Ranked 53,626 in Alexa • Home of the THE– QS World University Rankings • Institution Profiles • Detailed study abroad information

  31. Banner advertising tips • Identify and measure objectives • Branding • Traffic • Conversion • Media plan • Target market • Related sites • Sites with similar demographics • Design • Clear message – 7 words or less • Eye catching but not obtrusive • Don’t overdo animation • Test

  32. Earning trust

  33. E-mail marketing • Define proposition(s) based on market segment and stage of lifecycle • Differentiators, USPs, value and proof points • Messages to attract – then support and convert • Identify tangible objectives and measurements for each campaign • Branding • Conversion • Message content • Keep it simple with a clear call to action • Ensure relevance of landing page(s) • E-mail design • Keep it simple – limit use of images • Check spelling and grammar • Privacy and security • Opt in / Opt out • Restrict access to personal data

  34. Online applications • But we already have an application form

  35. Online applications • Market adoption Source: QS Research – Web Survey

  36. Online Offline Parity • When people who are aware of your brand online need to recognise it when they see it • Print • People • On campus

  37. THE – QS World University Rankings CONCLUDING REMARKS…

  38. Education is not about filling a pail, it’s about lighting a fire WB Yeats

  39. Thank You Ben Sowter ben@qsnetwork.com

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