Effects of Global Rankings on Academic Careers: A Case Study of a Research University in Latin America

• In Event: International Perspectives on Rankings and Higher Education Quality Assurance

Abstract

In this paper, following the path of recent works analyzing the impact of global rankings on universities’ strategies, missions, structures and functions, we inquire about the extent to which global rankings have influence, or not, in one Latin American university’s strategies and policies regarding faculty. Interview and documentary data were collected at two points in time: 2014 and 2017, which will allow us to capture change in the perspectives of interest to us. Preliminary results can be grouped in three themes: (a) relationship between rankings and academic excellence, (b) increase of international partnerships and collaborations as a result of favorable positioning in rankings, and (c) strategic use of rankings, or “playing the rankings game”.

Authors

• Daniela Véliz Calderón, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile

• Andres Bernasconi, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile