Ranking of Universities in the United Arab Emirates: Exploring a web-based technique

Keywords: rankings, higher education, UAE, web rankings, international

Abstract

This study investigated university rankings in the UAE within the context of the challenges facing higher education globally in the 21st century, by using the Webometric ranking methodology. Data was collected and analysed on the top 20 UAE universities. It was apparent that the UAE universities do not perform as well as expected in the Webometrics ranking, when compared with peer countries. The ratings are slightly below that which is expected, especially when one considers measures such as research publications. Strategies to improve performance using the Webometrics indicators could have a positive impact on the UAE universities. Improvements in communicating research and their web presence is likely to move the UAE universities up the Webometrics rankings, and their academic reputation in the country.

Author Biographies

K. K. Govender, University of KwaZulu-Natal

Research Fellow

 

E. Nel, Da Vinci Institute for Technology Management, Johannesburg

Alumni

References

Aguillo, I. 2009. “Measuring the institution’s footprint on the web.” Library Hi Tech 27(4): 540‒556.

Aguillo, I. F. 2010. Web, webometrics and the ranking of universities. http://www.enid-europe.org/conference/abstracts/Aguillo%20(Higher%20Education).pdf. (Accessed 15 September 2014).

Aguillo, I. F., J. Bar-Ilan, M. Levene, and J. I. Ortega. 2010. “Comparing university rankings.” Scientometrics 85(1): 243‒256.

Aguillo, I. F. and N. G. Labajos. 2010. “Ranking Web of World Universities.” Journal of International Higher Education 3(4): 153‒156.

Aguillo, I. S., J. L. Ortega, and M. Fernandez. 2008. “Webometric Ranking of World Universities: Introduction, Methodology, and Future Developments.” Higher Education in Europe 33(2|3): 233‒244.

Ahmad, S. Z. and M. Hussain. 2015. “An investigation of the factors determining student destination choice for higher education in the United Arab Emirates.” Studies in Higher Education October issue.

Alexander, F. K. 2000. “The changing face of accountability.” Journal of Higher Education 71(4): 411‒431.

Altbach, P. 2001. “Higher Education and the WTO: Globalization run amok.” International Higher Education 23(Spring issue).

Anderson, J. Q., J. L. Boyles, and L. Rainie. 2012. The future of HIgher Education. http://www.pewinternet.org/2012/07/27/the-future-of-higher-education/. (Accessed 4 November 2016).

ARWU. 2016. ARWU2016. http://www.shanghairanking.com/. (Accessed 14 October 2016).

Barber, M., K. Donnelly, and S. Rizvi. 2013. An avalanche is coming: Higher education and the revolution ahead. USA: Institute for Public Policy Research.

Baron, N. 2010. Escape from the Ivory Tower ‒ A Guide to Making Your Science Matter. Washington: Island Press.

Budapest Open Access Initiative. n.d. Budapest Open Access Initiative. https://www.budapest openaccessinitiative.org/. (Accessed 21 Aug 2019).

CHEDS. 2012. Indicators of the UAE Higher Education Sector: Volume 1. Abu Dhabi: CHEDS.

CHEDS. 2013. Indicators of the UAE Higher Education Sector ‒ International Comparison. Abu Dhabi: CHEDS.

Commission of Academic Accreditation. 2010. CAA Strategic Plan 2008–2014. https://www.caa.ae/caa/DesktopDefault.aspx?tabindex=1&tabid=60. (Accessed 10 November 2016).

Cybermetrics Lab. 2017. Ranking Web of Universities. http://webometrics.info. (Accessed 13 February 2017).

Cybermetrics Lab Ranking Web of Universities. 2016. Countries arranged by Number of Universities in Top Ranks. http://www.webometrics.info/en/node/54. (Accessed 1 November 2016).

Delgado-Marquez, B. L., N. E. Hurtado-Torres, and Y. Bondar. 2011. “Internationalization of Higher Education: Theoretical and Empirical Investigation of Its Influence on University Institution Rankings.” International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education 8: 265–284.

Hazelkorn, E. 2015. Rankings and the Reshaping of Higher Education ‒ The Battle for World Class Excellence. 2nd Edition. Dublin: Palgrave MacMillan.

Jongbloed, B., J. Enders, and C. Salerno. 2008. “Higher education and its communities: Interconnections, interdependencies and a research agenda.” Higher Educataion 56: 303‒324.

Knight, J. 2013. “Education hubs: International, regional and local dimensions of scale and scope.” Comparative Education 49(3): 374‒387.

Lorentzen, D. G. 2014. “Webometrics benefitting from web mining? An investigation of method and applications of two research fields.” Scientometrics 99(2): 409‒445.

Lu, C. T. K. 2014. “University rankings game and its relation to GDP per capita and GDP growth.” International Journal for Innovation Education and Research 2(4).

Majestic. MajesticSEO. https://majestic.com. (Accessed 15 February 2017).

Marginson, S. 2012. “Global University Rankings: The strategic issues.” The Journal of Higher Education 84(4): 544‒568.

McCowan, T. 2016. “Universities and the post-2015 development agenda: An analytical framework.” Higher Education 72: 505‒523.

Millot, B. 2015. “International Rankings: Universities vs higher education systems.” International Journal of Educational Development 40: 156‒165.

MOHESR. 2014. The UAE Higher Education Factbook 2013/2014. Abu Dhabi: MOHESR.

National Science Foundation. 2016. Higher education R&D expenditures. https://ncsesdata.nsf.gov/ herd/2015/html/HERD2015_DST_01.html. (4 November 2016).

OECD. 2012. Education at a Glance 2012 ‒ OECD Indicators. Paris: OECD Publishing.

Perez-Diaz, V. and J. C. Rodriquez. 2015. Position Paper: The Reputation of Universitiies. USA: Navara.

Rauhvargers A. 2013. Global University Rankings and Their Impact ‒ Report II. https://eua.eu/downloads/publications/global%20university%20rankings%20and%20their%20impact%20-%20report%20ii.pdf. (Accessed 21 September 2016).

Rensimer, L. 2015. Higher Education in Ras al Khaimah: Polcies, Problem Areas, and Promise. UAE: Ras al Khaimah.

Ross, D. 2017. THE data blog: how university excellence relates to country income. https://www.timeshighereducation.com/blog/data-blog-how-university-excellence-relates-country-income. (Accessed 6 November 2017).

Saunders, M., P. Lewis, and A. Thornhill. 2016. Research methods for business students. 7th Edition. Essex: Pearson.

Schofer, E. and J. W. Meyer. 2005. The World-Wide Expansion of Higher Education. http://faculty.sites.uci.edu/schofer/files/2011/03/Schofer-Meyer-Higher-Education-ASR.pdf. (Accessed 6 November 2017).

Shin, C. S. and R. K. Toutkoushian. 2011. The Past, Present, and Future of University Rankings. In University Rankings ‒ Theoretical Basis, Methodology and Impacts on Global Higher Education. USA: Springer.

SJR. 2016. Scimago Journal & Country Rank. http://www.scimagojr.com/. (Accessed 17 October 2016).

Stack, M. 2016. Global University Rankings and the Mediatization of Higher Education. Palgrave MacMillan.

Sum, N. L. and B. Jessop. 2013. “Competitiveness, the Knowledge-Based Economy and Higher Education.” Journal of the Knowledge Economy 4(1): 22‒44.

Thelwall, M., L. Vaughan, and L. Bjorneborn. 2005. “Webometrics.” Annual Review of Information Science and Technology: 81‒135.

UAE Government. 2010. UAE Vision. https://www.vision2021.ae/en/our-vision. (Accessed 21 August 2017).

Valero, A. and J. Van Reenen. 2016. The Economic Impact of Universities: Evidence from Across the Globe. London: London School of Economics and Political Science.

Wilkins, S., M. S. Balakrishna and J. Huismans. 2012. “Student choice in higher education: Motivations for choosing to study at an international branch campus.” Journal of Studies in International Education 15(5): 413‒433.

World Bank. 2016. GDP ranking 2015. http://data.worldbank.org/data-catalog/GDP-ranking-table. (Accessed 1 November 2016).

Published
2021-09-18
How to Cite
Govender, K. K., and E. Nel. 2021. “Ranking of Universities in the United Arab Emirates: Exploring a Web-Based Technique”. South African Journal of Higher Education 35 (4), 58-77. https://doi.org/10.20853/35-4-4104.
Section
General Articles