TEMPUS CORINTHIAM

284Guide of Good Practices TEMPUS CORINTHIAMb. The Rankings GameDuring the last decade there has been explosive growth in the business of rankingeducational institutions. Despite their faults and the numerous problems associatedwith the various ranking systems, their influence and popularity has grown and eveninstitutions that were inclined to ignore the rankings are finding difficulty in maintainingthis attitude. Many institutions are actively seeking ways to improve their standingin the rankings.The methodologies used by the more serious ranking systems are focused, primarily,on long-term, sustainable criteria of higher education such as research, citations,teaching and employers, with research having overwhelming dominance. Between5% and 10% of the scores are based on internationalisation.Research, in its various permutations, earns the most emphasis since it is relativelyeasily measured but also because it tends to have the highest prestige — universitiesworldwide want to be research intensive and the most respected and top-rankinguniversities are research focused. These two factors have been a powerful force forreinforcing the supremacy of research in both the rankings and in the global hierarchy.Altbach (2011)For a university to significantly alter its research or teaching character is an extremelylong term undertaking. Internationalisation, however, is the single criteria used inranking where a university could achieve fairly significant changes in the short-tomediumterm. There are numerous elements of internationalisation that can be implementedin a foreseeable time frame. Consequently, a growing number of institutionsin many parts of the world are making frantic efforts to internationalise in order tomove up the ladder in the rankings. This, too, has been drawing attention in Israel’shigher education community.c. Everyone else is doing itThe widespread growth of internationalization and the increasing number of universitiesengaged in internationalisation activities have generated, in some circles, the impressionthat “Everyone is doing it!” This, of course, leads to a feeling of “being leftout”. Fears of marginalization, of insignificance, are causing some university figuresto take an interest in internationalisation and consider ways of getting involved in it.d. The Institution’s Educational Value SystemThere are some who believe that the significant benefits and rewards inherent in internationalisationare such that internationalisation should be a core part of the institution’sEducational Value System. Of particular value is considered the enhancementof multicultural understanding and exchange of ideas derived from all forms of internationalisation.A genuine belief in these ideas can have considerable impact on aninstitution’s perception of internationalisation and Bologna.