IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/bcp/journl/v5y2021i07p765-772.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Demystifying the University of Nairobi’s Academic Quality through Third Party Ranking Assessment

Author

Listed:
  • Li Hongbo

    (Jiangsu University, Kenya)

  • Joseph Muiruri Thige

    (Jiangsu University, Kenya)

  • Ssali Max William

    (Jiangsu University, Kenya)

Abstract

University of Nairobi is in a race to become internationally and academically viable to an increasingly interconnected world. Its rankings have gradually become an issue of concern in its management of academic stratification in a globally competitive community. Several mechanisms with different methodologies by these ranking systems have been developed to rank the university. Ranking of University of Nairobi (UON) has been done qualitatively and quantitatively. While most of the ranking systems are qualitative, there are those that are quantitative and this study makes a comparison of a qualitative and quantitative assessment of UON through two ranking systems while drawing a correlation with other ranking systems to establish the trajectory of such ranking system and identifying academic bias in their assessment. To achieve this, the study uses a qualitative review to highlight a number of inconsistencies in the methodologies applied to rank UON. Five main ranking tools commonly applied to the world’s universities are reviewed, namely Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), Webometrics ranking (WRWU), Times Higher Education (THE), U.S News.com and Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU). The study established that bias exists in the rankings thus causing inconsistencies in UON’s placement in different rankings. Suggestions for academic transparency through timely publications and quick access to departmental and institutional data for better ranking exercises are proposed.

Suggested Citation

  • Li Hongbo & Joseph Muiruri Thige & Ssali Max William, 2021. "Demystifying the University of Nairobi’s Academic Quality through Third Party Ranking Assessment," International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), vol. 5(07), pages 765-772, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:bcp:journl:v:5:y:2021:i:07:p:765-772
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.rsisinternational.org/journals/ijriss/Digital-Library/volume-5-issue-7/765-772.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://rsisinternational.org/virtual-library/papers/demystifying-the-university-of-nairobis-academic-quality-through-third-party-ranking-assessment/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Julien Jacqmin, 2021. "Do ads influence rankings? Evidence from the higher education sector," Education Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 29(5), pages 509-526, September.
    2. Nicolás Figueroa & Jeanne Lafortune & Alejandro Sáenz, 2018. "Do you like me enough? The impact of restricting preferences ranking in a university matching process," Documentos de Trabajo 518, Instituto de Economia. Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile..
    3. Nafukho, Fredrick Muyia & Wekullo, Caroline S. & Muyia, Machuma Helen, 2019. "Examining research productivity of faculty in selected leading public universities in Kenya," International Journal of Educational Development, Elsevier, vol. 66(C), pages 44-51.
    4. Manuel Muñoz-Suárez & Natividad Guadalajara & José M. Osca, 2020. "A Comparative Analysis between Global University Rankings and Environmental Sustainability of Universities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(14), pages 1-19, July.
    5. Josef C. Brada & Wojciech Bienkowski & Masaaki Kuboniwa (ed.), 2015. "International Perspectives on Financing Higher Education," Palgrave Macmillan Books, Palgrave Macmillan, number 978-1-137-54914-3, December.
    6. Jill Johnes, 2018. "University rankings: What do they really show?," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 115(1), pages 585-606, April.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Li Hongbo & Joseph Muiruri Thige & Ssali Max William, 2021. "Demystifying the University of Nairobi’s Academic Quality through Third Party Ranking Assessment," International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), vol. 5(7), pages 765-772, July.
    2. Yating Wen & Xiaodong Zhao & Xingguo Li & Yuqi Zang, 2023. "Explaining the Paradox of World University Rankings in China: Higher Education Sustainability Analysis with Sentiment Analysis and LDA Topic Modeling," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(6), pages 1-18, March.
    3. Christoph Burmann & Fernando García & Francisco Guijarro & Javier Oliver, 2021. "Ranking the Performance of Universities: The Role of Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(23), pages 1-16, November.
    4. PORANCEA-RĂULEA Andreea Simina, 2022. "The Importance Of Sustainability For University Competitiveness," Studies in Business and Economics, Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, Faculty of Economic Sciences, vol. 17(1), pages 187-201, April.
    5. Kuckertz, Andreas & Scheu, Maximilian, 2024. "From chalkboard to boardroom: Unveiling the role of entrepreneurship in bolstering academic achievement among professors," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 175(C).
    6. Alba Arias & Iñigo Leon & Xabat Oregi & Cristina Marieta, 2021. "Environmental Assessment of University Campuses: The Case of the University of Navarra in Pamplona (Spain)," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(15), pages 1-17, August.
    7. Annamaria Demarinis Loiotile & Francesco De Nicolò & Adriana Agrimi & Loredana Bellantuono & Marianna La Rocca & Alfonso Monaco & Ester Pantaleo & Sabina Tangaro & Nicola Amoroso & Roberto Bellotti, 2022. "Best Practices in Knowledge Transfer: Insights from Top Universities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(22), pages 1-23, November.
    8. Siler, Kyle & Larivière, Vincent, 2022. "Who games metrics and rankings? Institutional niches and journal impact factor inflation," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 51(10).
    9. Walheer, Barnabé, 2024. "A sequential benefit-of-the-doubt composite indicator," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 316(1), pages 228-239.
    10. Adam Kapor & Mohit Karnani & Christopher Neilson, 2024. "Aftermarket Frictions and the Cost of Off-Platform Options in Centralized Assignment Mechanisms," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 132(7), pages 2346-2395.
    11. Csató, László & Tóth, Csaba, 2020. "University rankings from the revealed preferences of the applicants," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 286(1), pages 309-320.
    12. Wilmina Uchi Tunje & Dr. Kenneth Muschelwicz, 2020. "Funding Challenges and Their Effect on Growth of Public Universities in Kenya: A Case of Pwani University," International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), vol. 4(7), pages 520-526, July.
    13. Fernando García & Francisco Guijarro & Javier Oliver, 2021. "A Multicriteria Goal Programming Model for Ranking Universities," Mathematics, MDPI, vol. 9(5), pages 1-17, February.
    14. Zaira García-Tórtola & David Conesa & Joan Crespo & Emili Tortosa-Ausina, 2024. "Unlocking University Efficiency: A Bayesian Stochastic Frontier Analysis," Working Papers 2024/05, Economics Department, Universitat Jaume I, Castellón (Spain).
    15. Benito, M. & Gil, P. & Romera, R., 2020. "Evaluating the influence of country characteristics on the Higher Education System Rankings’ progress," Journal of Informetrics, Elsevier, vol. 14(3).
    16. Kübra Akyol Özcan, 2023. "Sustainability Ranking of Turkish Universities with Different Weighting Approaches and the TOPSIS Method," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(16), pages 1-24, August.
    17. Jill Johnes & Swati Virmani, 2020. "Chief executive pay in UK higher education: the role of university performance," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 288(2), pages 547-576, May.
    18. Lutz Bornmann & Werner Marx, 2020. "Thomas theorem in research evaluation," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 123(1), pages 553-555, April.
    19. Juan Antonio Dip, 2021. "What does U-multirank tell us about knowledge transfer and research?," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 126(4), pages 3011-3039, April.
    20. Csóka, Imola & Sebestyén, Géza & Neszveda, Gábor, 2019. "Tudományos teljesítmény mérése a magyar felsőoktatás gazdasági képzéseiben [Measuring scientific performance of business and economics faculties in Hungarian higher education]," Közgazdasági Szemle (Economic Review - monthly of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences), Közgazdasági Szemle Alapítvány (Economic Review Foundation), vol. 0(7), pages 751-770.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:bcp:journl:v:5:y:2021:i:07:p:765-772. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Dr. Pawan Verma (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://rsisinternational.org/journals/ijriss/ .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.