EUROPE, Moscow State University among top-100 world universities

Moscow State University

Lomonosov Moscow State University has been once again rated among the top-100 world universities with the best reputation. The short list was released by the Times Higher Education that has radically changed its opinion about the reputation of MSU three times in the past three years.

In this year’s list of the Times Higher Education, Moscow University is in the 50th place. It was in the 33rd place in 2012, while in 2012, the university was excluded from the list. Editor of the
publication Phil Baty has this to say concerning previous ratings.

Russian experts criticized what the Times editors described as anomalies in statistics. Head of the analytical service of the Russian Union of Rectors Boris Derevyagin agrees with them.

“If the people who worked on the ratings had made attempts to stabilize the methodology, the approach towards the reputational study carried out by the Times Higher Education would have been more balanced and objective. Unfortunately, this has not happened yet. Hopefully, they will improve the methodology in the future,” Boris Derevyagin said.

Meanwhile, Moscow State University is happier to hear news from Britain than it is disappointed over the anomalies in statistics. Rector of the university Victor Sadovhichy told journalists that he was happy that MSU appeared on the list, but believes that it could occupy a higher place. Commenting on the rating dean of the faculty of journalism Elena Vartanova said that the rating is important not only for the prestige of the higher educational establishment but also from the standpoint of investment in education.

“Like many quantitative indicators, ratings scarcely ever reflect quality. But on the other hand, ratings lean on such parameters that are important for future students, employees as well as those who are working in universities. Consequently, with the commercialization of education, ratings will play a very important role,” Elena Vartanova said.

The rating of the reputation of higher educational establishments in the world has been conducted only in the past three years. The list includes 20 countries. The universities of the US and Britain are on the top. Moscow State University shared its 50th place with Purdue University in the US.