How to convince a university to become a research world class university

1
How to convince a university to become a research
world class university

• Paul Serban Agachi
• President of the Academic Council, University
  Babes-Bolyai
• Cluj-Napoca, Romania
• UNICA RECTORS SEMINAR
• The Role of Evaluation and Ranking of
  Universities in the Quality Culture
• Dubrovnik, July 3-4, 2009

2
Outline

• Context
• Present situation in university rankings
• University Babes-Bolyai
• Strategy of Research at UBB
• Assessment of the present situation
• Goals
• Measures taken for becoming competitive
• Conclusions

3
Context

• Demographic decline in Europe
• Global competition for human capital
• Global financial crisis
• World Class University
• highly competitive climate

4
Context - Romania

• Economic increase 6-8 in the last four years
  (uncertainty for the years to come) 6
  estimated for 2009
• GDP increase from 38Bn Euros - 2004 to 130Bn
  Euros - 2007
• Allocation for Education 3.5 in 2004 to 6 in
  2008
• Investment in research 0.18 GDP in 2004 to 0.79
  GDP in 2008 0.19 in 2009

5
Context - Romania

• Student population increase from 660/100,000
  population in 1990 to 3,400/100,000 population in
  2005 increase with 34 since 2000
• Student distribution on fields of study
• - Humanities and Social Sciences 58
• - Science and Engineering 25
• - Health and welfare 6 (EFA 2005)
• 107 HE institutions (55 public) in 2005
• Student population decline rate 5 2010-2015

6
University challenges

• Status of multi-purpose and multi-product
  institutions
• Role they wish to play at national level
• Level of relevance and acknowledgement sought at
  international level
• Preservation of its distinctive features,
  identity and autonomy
• Increased need for standardisation at
  international level.

7
Outline

• Context
• Present situation in university rankings
• University Babes-Bolyai
• Strategy of Research at UBB
• Assessment of the present situation
• Goals
• Measures taken for becoming competitive
• Conclusions

8
World rankings/Regional rankings

• China - Shanghai Jiao Tong ARWU ranking 2005
• UK - QS World University Ranking - 2005
• Taiwan - HEEACT Global Ranking 2007
• Russia World University Ranking - 2009
• Spain Webometrics Rankings of World
  Universities 2005
• Europe CHERPA ARWU - 2011
• UK - QS Asia University Rankings 2009
• Spain - Webometrics Rankings of Latin American
  Universities - 2009

9
Example QS World Rankings (Federkeil, Astana
2009)
ranking of whole universities
weights of indicators ?
composite overall score
league table with clear rank positions
10
European reaction the CHE-Ranking Indicators
20 25 indicators ...
11
Classification of indicator categories -
comparability and universality (Cheng, Astana,
2009)
12
National Rankings examples (Ying Cheng, Astana,
2009)
Title of Ranking Country
Melbourne Institute Index of the International Standing of Australian Universities 2005 Australia
Sunday Times University League Tables 2008 UK
Guardian University Guide 2008 UK
U.S. News Americas Best Colleges 2008 USA
The Top American Research Universities 2007 USA
Maclean's Rankings 2007 Canada
Comprehensive Competitiveness Ranking of Chinese Key Universities 2007 China
Netbig Ranking 2008 China
Perspektywy University Ranking 2002 Poland
Slovak Ranking 2007 Slovakia
Romanian University Ranking 2007 Romania
13
Impact of rankings on HEIs (HEFCE 2008, Hazelkorn
2007)

• Widespread skepticism ,but HEIs are influenced by
  rankings (over 60 of university managers take
  care)
• Most common responses promotion marketing but
  also data gathering compilation, e.g. better
  data collection more use of student surveys
• No influence on mission, course content or
  research
• International rankings becoming more important

14
How does rankings influence university policy
case study UBB

• In 2007 BBU in SJTU ARWU ranking 700-800
• In 2008 BBU in Taiwan HEEACT 673
• In 2009 BBU in Taiwan HEEACT 702

15
Outline

• Context
• Present situation in university rankings
• University Babes-Bolyai
• Strategy of Research at UBB
• Assessment of the present situation
• Goals
• Measures taken for becoming competitive
• Conclusions

16
University Babes-Bolyai

• Founded in 1581
• 52,000 55,000 students (7,000 in 1990)
• 1,600 teaching staff, 300 research staff and
  about 1,500 administrative and technical staff
• 111 study programs in Romanian,
• 56 study programs in Hungarian
• 12 study programs in German
• study programs in other languages
• Master programs (157)
• PhD programs (22 doctoral schools and 200 PhD
  advisors)

17
University Babes-Bolyai

• 21 faculties
• 101 chairs/ departments
• Comprehensive social sciences, hard sciences,
  humanities, engineering, theology, sports, arts

18
University Babes-Bolyai

• Mission (Strategic Plan 2008-2011)
• To form elites and opinion leaders in the
  conditions the university itself is an opinion
  leader
• To form cultural personalities in the conditions
  the university is a generator of culture
• To form responsible citizens and skilled managers
  and administrators, capable to understand
• To form top researchers and to be a first rank
  research university with contributions to
  creation of knowledge
• To form innovators with entrepreneurial skills

19
UBB to be competitive

• Excellent research
• Good conditions of teaching and learning
• Competent consultancy for the economic environment

20
Outline

• Context
• Present situation in university rankings
• University Babes-Bolyai
• Strategy of Research at UBB
• Assessment of the present situation
• Goals
• Measures taken for becoming competitive
• Conclusions

21
UBB Strategy of Research

• Discussed and voted in December 2004
• Main objectives
• Use all administrative/ communication levers to
  increase the importance of the scientific
  research in the university activity.
• Increase of the quality (seen as international
  visibility) of scientific research, stimulating
  the performance.

22
UBB Strategy of Research

• Main objectives
• Increase of the practical relevance of the
  scientific research satisfying the beneficiaries
  from economy.
• Modernize and reorganize the research management

23
UBB Strategy of Research

• Priorities
• Natural and artificial nostructured systems
  processes and (bio)technology at nanometric
  scale.
• Applied informatics, bio-informatics, data
  mining.
• Sustainable development and ecological systems.
• Quality of life and environment. Values and
  socio-human comportment.
• Integration through religion and culture.

24
Outline

• Context
• Present situation in university rankings
• University Babes-Bolyai
• Strategy of Research at UBB
• Assessment of the present situation
• Goals
• Measures taken for becoming competitive
• Conclusions

25
Assessment of UBB situation

• In 1990
• small university
• only a few schools in research (hard sciences,
  history, philosophy)
• not exposed to the international environment
• In 2008
• large university too many staff members engaged
  only in teaching!!
• new faculties and departments (political
  sciences, environmental sciences, European
  studies, etc.)
• new study and research programs
• large number of scientific mobilities

26
Assessment of UBB situationCNCSIS

• Where is BBU positioned nationally in the ranking
  on
• scientific activity?
• 2004 University Bucharest 100p
• University Babes-Bolyai 70.54p
• University Politehnica Bucharest 62.54p
• 2005 University Bucharest 100p
• University Babes-Bolyai 96.54p
• University Politehnica Bucharest 82.34p
• 2006 University Babes-Bolyai 100p
• University Bucharest 99.13p
• University A.I.Cuza Iassy 86.99p

27
Assessment of UBB situationCNFIS 2006
28
Assessment of UBB situation

• Where is BBU positioned internationally in the
  ranking on scientific activity?
• Shanghai ranking
• 2006 position in category 700 - 800
• 2007 position in category 700 800 in
  decrease
• Taiwan HEEACT ranking
• 2007 position 673
• 2009 position 702

29
Outline

• Context
• Present situation in university rankings
• University Babes-Bolyai
• Strategy of Research at UBB
• Assessment of the present situation
• Goals
• Measures taken for becoming competitive
• Conclusions

30
Goals

• Accession in Shanghai ranking first 500
• Consolidation of BBU position on the Romanian
  research market
• Contribute to the economic growth of the region
  and the country
• Contribute essentially to the social and cultural
  development of the region and the country

31
Outline

• Context
• University Babes-Bolyai
• Strategy of Research at UBB
• Assessment of the present situation
• Goals
• Measures taken for becoming competitive
• Conclusions

32
General points

• Create the environment for research
• preach in the desert
• Facilitate the information
• Establish rules and regulations
• Invest in research infrastructure
• Gather reliable data from the university
• Promote incentives
• Impose conditions of promotion and retribution

33
Organization of research management

• Organization of the Research Council (four
  commissions evaluation and quality
  infrastructure personnel management) policies,
  rules and regulations
• Organization of the Department of Research
  Management (compartments of national programs,
  international programs, evaluation and
  statistics, technology transfer, patenting and
  authors rights)

34
Create the environment

• Rules of internal competition, evaluation and
  distribution of funds
• Scientometric and peer review analysis of the
  departments and persons (of the RAE type)
  reports
• Evaluation of the research centers
• Statute of the research personnel
• University journals access in ISI
• and
• Preach in the desert!

35
Measures for becoming competitive

• Starting with 2005 and 2006
• Establishment of a budget of research
• Employ researchers 35 2006, 300 - 2008
• Finance the interdisciplinary research in the
  university
• Finance the research infrastructure
• Finance the young researchers internal programs
• Incentives for exquisite books and articles

36
Measures for becoming competitive

• Starting with 2007
• Establishment of the schools of scientific
  research
• Establishment of the schools of research
  excellence

37
New context of the research

• ANCS program of investment in research
• increase in financing (prediction in 2006)

38
New context of the research

• National Strategy of RD
• (20072013)
• Three main objectives
• Create visible knowledge
• Economic growth
• Social quality
• Establishment of the priorities
• Output and impact indicators

39
Financing UBB research

• Capacities subprogram for infrastructure 2009
  - 2010
• Integrated Network for
• Interdisciplinary Research -14MEuro
• (biology, geology, physics, chemistry,
  psychology)
• 2004-2007 ten time increase of funding obtained
  by competition

40
Research Funds

• Comparative increase of the research
• funds at UBB and national

41
Financing UBB researchat the level of the
national budget
42
Research Funds UBB
43
Collection of reliable dataSystem for Research
Management

• Structure of the System for Research management

44
System for Research Management
45
System for Research Management
46
UBB 500 program

• Analysis of the demands of Shanghai ranking
• Analysis of the dynamics of international
  scientific research and publications

47
UBB 500 program

• Internal analysis of the results of the faculties
• Projection for the next 5 years
• A plan of measures of 5 years to consolidate and
  improve the scientific activity (promote own
  scientific journals in ISI, employment of
  qualified personnel for research, allocations of
  funds for performance, restructuring of
  administrative activity etc.)

48
Forecasting of ISI articles UBB500 Forecasting of ISI articles UBB500 ISI WEB ISI WEB ISI WEB Forecasting Forecasting Forecasting Forecasting Forecasting
No. Faculty of 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
1 Mathematics and Computer Science 40 41 57 74 96 125 162 210
2 Physics 75 110 141 154 168 183 199 216
3 Chemistry and Chemical Engineering 91 81 98 115 147 187 238 303
4 Biology and Geology 26 25 36 49 70 100 143 204
5 Geography 1 0 0 3 6 12 24 48
6 Environmental Science 5 6 6 10 16 25 39 61
7 History and Philosophy 22 24 13 25 32 41 52 66
8 Psychology and Science of Education 7 24 16 36 54 80 118 174
9 Political Science and Public Administration 1 0 2 4 7 12 20 33
10 Letters 1 2 1 4 7 12 20 32
11 Law 0 0 0 1 2 4 8 15
12 Economics 6 3 6 10 16 26 42 67
13 Physical Education and Sport 0 0 0 2 4 7 11 17
14 European Studies 6 5 1 8 10 13 17 22
15 Sociology and Social Assistance 2 2 1 4 7 11 17 27
16 Business 0 0 1 2 3 5 8 11
17 Orthodox Theology 1 0 0 2 3 4 6 8
18 Greek Catholic Theology 0 0 0 2 3 4 6 8
19 Roman Catholic Theology 0 0 0 0 1 2 4 7
20 Protestant Theology 0 0 0 0 1 2 3 4
21 Media and Theater 1 0 0 1 2 3 5 8
  Institute of Chemistry       18 31 50 76 113
  Botanical Garden       2 4 8 14 23
Total Total 285 323 379 526 690 916 1232 1677
increase over last year increase over last year   13 17 39 31 33 34 36
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Results

• Increase of the ISI productivity with 40
  2006-2007 (2003- 0.18 articles/ teaching staff
  2006- 0.27 2007-0.38)
• 5 journals in the ISI Web Of Science and 3 on ISI
  Master Journal List
• Number of patents increased 5 times
• Institute of Technology established

50
Results
Articles published in ISI journals - Web of Science 2003-2007 Articles published in ISI journals - Web of Science 2003-2007 Articles published in ISI journals - Web of Science 2003-2007 Articles published in ISI journals - Web of Science 2003-2007 Articles published in ISI journals - Web of Science 2003-2007 Articles published in ISI journals - Web of Science 2003-2007

Number of articles ISI - Web of Science Number of articles ISI - Web of Science Number of articles ISI - Web of Science Number of articles ISI - Web of Science Number of articles ISI - Web of Science Number of articles ISI - Web of Science
Year Verification of site Nov 2007 Verification of site Feb. 2008 Verification of site May 2008 Verification of site June 2008 Verification of site Nov. 2008
2003 199 201 222 222 222
2004 204 210 225 225 225
2005 244 252 280 280 280
2006 275 291 316 316 332
2007 320 347 388 393 458
51
Outline

• Context
• University Babes-Bolyai
• Strategy of Research at UBB
• Assessment of the present situation
• Goals
• Measures taken for becoming competitive
• Conclusions

52
Conclusions

• Unaccomplishments!
• could not impose some performance criteria
• no. of patents still insignificant, applied
  research almost inexistent
• ISI publications absent in some departments
• the rate of publication is still low
• lower position in the Shanghai ranking

53
Conclusions

• Accomplishments
• accepted strategy of research
• ISI is not anymore a scarecrow
• special budget for research
• large increase in funds acquired
• important investment in research infrastructure
• slight increase in performances
• UBB a system with inverse
• response

54
Conclusions

• UBB or any other university in Romania with
  these aims should not be left alone in the
  battle! There are practically four universities
  in Romania aiming, out of 100 HEIs
• Governmental policies needed!
• - China produced already the Shanghai ranking
  and special funding
• - Germany has first class category of
  universities
• - Taiwan has special program for Developing
  First-class universities
• - Romania has good intentions Quality and
• Leadership HRD EU project

55

• Thank you for your attention
• Paul Serban Agachi
• President of the Academic Council of the
• Babes-Bolyai University
• http//www.ubbcluj.ro/ro/despre/cons-acad.html
• sagachi_at_staff.ubbcluj.ro