Pride and prejudice in uni rankings

Hong Kong universities instantly took a battering after one of the most-referred-to global ranking tables moderated its marking scheme to include new factors such as employability and international research networks.

As a result of the addition of these new criteria, the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology tumbled a whole 20 places to fall off the top 50. The University of Hong Kong dropped too, though not by as much.

That's stunning.

The immediate impact means graduates from HKUST during the specified period could be excluded from the UK's High Potential Individual visa program that considers only the top 50 universities.

The SAR's immigration department may also have to include the updates the next time it releases its list of top 100 universities for the Top Talent Pass scheme.

Local universities may have played down the impact but it is imaginable that their management will come under additional pressure to get their institutions to climb back up these league tables.

The value of such charts has always been subject to debate. Critic Tim Hamlett was very accurate in saying that a top university does not guarantee top graduates and that star professors may be recruited on the understanding that they do not have to teach undergraduates.

Hamlett's observation is factual and clear to those with a clear mind. Those in the know may think the system of ranking is just a joke and that it is ironic there is no room even for famous and ancient institutions in the Czech Republic, Poland or Hungary.

A major problem facing education is that we are also living in a world of prejudice. Commercial organizations computing these rankings every year know best how to profit from these common prejudices held not only by parents and students but also government departments.

These organizations are competing not only for public recognition but also for a bigger share of the huge education market.

For those planning to continue their education at university, the search usually begins with a look at a number of league tables. Although some may do it extra carefully and others more casually, this is where the search always starts. A higher ranking captures more eyeballs.

There is also the prejudice that people graduating from a prominent school would be readily employed - and that is true to a certain extent in the real world.

For one, it is common for human resources departments of big companies to screen in only applicants from the top five or 10 in their regions of operation for interview.

Even government departments - including immigration here - are of the opinion that only graduates from the top 100 are top talents. Those graduating from the 101st are not.

Such prejudice is difficult to overcome.

To regain their previous high league positions, HKU, HKUST and others ranked in the latest QS table may have to enrich their mix so that their student populations are truly multinational rather than being almost mainly from Hong Kong and the mainland.

Prejudice will persist until it is overcome.