(+035) 527-1710-70
NEWSLETTER
As questions continue to remain unanswered about the accuracy of data that Columbia University submitted to US News & World Report for the 2022 edition of its Best Colleges rankings (first published September 2021), US News reported on 7 July that it was “unranking” Columbia in those rankings, writes Michael T Nietzel for Forbes.
The magazine said it took the action after Columbia “failed to respond to multiple US News requests that the university substantiate certain data it previously submitted to US News”. Columbia’s troubles began, when in February of this year, Michael Thaddeus, a professor of mathematics at the university, posted a lengthy critique of many of the data that Columbia had submitted for the rankings, which placed it second (tied with Harvard) among the nation’s best universities for 2022.
Columbia defended its data at first. But on Thursday of last week, just before the 1 July deadline for submitting new data to US News, Columbia changed its tune and, in a statement by Provost Mary Boyce, said it would not submit data this year, adding that the university had “embarked on a review of our data collection and submissions process”.
Source: University World News
The magazine said it took the action after Columbia “failed to respond to multiple US News requests that the university substantiate certain data it previously submitted to US News”. Columbia’s troubles began, when in February of this year, Michael Thaddeus, a professor of mathematics at the university, posted a lengthy critique of many of the data that Columbia had submitted for the rankings, which placed it second (tied with Harvard) among the nation’s best universities for 2022.
Columbia defended its data at first. But on Thursday of last week, just before the 1 July deadline for submitting new data to US News, Columbia changed its tune and, in a statement by Provost Mary Boyce, said it would not submit data this year, adding that the university had “embarked on a review of our data collection and submissions process”.
Source: University World News
What is the convention?
The convention came into force in 2018. In simple terms, state parties to the convention have to make arrangements to assess foreign qualifications from other party states (Article III of the convention).
Qualifications will be recognized “unless a substantial difference can be shown” (Article VI.1). “Qualifications” are defined broadly to include those obtained from pre-university (Article IV) and university (Article VI) education.
The convention deserves attention because it is one of the few that is already in force. By contrast, other recent conventions, such as the Global Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications concerning Higher Education in 2019, are not yet in force due to a lack of sufficient participating member states.
Even for those that are in force, they have other scopes, such as the Addis Ababa Convention in 2019 and the Lisbon Recognition Convention in 1999 which focus on the African and European regions respectively.
Qualifications will be recognized “unless a substantial difference can be shown” (Article VI.1). “Qualifications” are defined broadly to include those obtained from pre-university (Article IV) and university (Article VI) education.
The convention deserves attention because it is one of the few that is already in force. By contrast, other recent conventions, such as the Global Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications concerning Higher Education in 2019, are not yet in force due to a lack of sufficient participating member states.
Even for those that are in force, they have other scopes, such as the Addis Ababa Convention in 2019 and the Lisbon Recognition Convention in 1999 which focus on the African and European regions respectively.