Moving Up in the Rankings

Abstract

The globalization of university-based engineering education and research is associated with the creation of national and international “brands” by leading research universities. Such branding is reflected in rankings of universities and their programs. High brand visibility appears to lead to high rankings and vice versa. This paper explores this phenomenon for university-based engineering programs. Attributes associated with ranking systems are discussed and universities’ abilities to influence these attributes are considered. Both moving up in the rankings and sustaining highly ranked positions are discussed. These issues are addressed both in general and for the specific case of Georgia Tech. Three fundamental conclusions are reached: research and education continue to be the key to universities achieving world class status and economic development for key stakeholders; size provides universities with the resources and abilities to pursue strategies that lead to increasing recognition; and vision and leadership both attract resources and enable the focus needed to achieve the highest levels of recognition.