SCIENCE & EDUCATION

A group representing some of Europe's leading universities has withdrawn its support for a new ranking system funded by the European Union, warning that it could pose "a serious threat" to higher education.

The League of European Research Universities, or LERU, which represents 21 leading research-intensive universities, has disassociated itself from the U-Multirank project, which is due to publish its first results in early 2014.

At a cost of €2 million (US$2.7 million), the U-Multirank scheme aims to offer an alternative to ranking systems that are focused mainly on research excellence and will grade universities in five areas: research, teaching, internationalisation, knowledge transfer and contribution to regional growth.

But several higher education institutions are refusing to release data to the project and LERU has severed its links with the scheme, describing it as “ill conceived”.

Source: University World News & Times Higher Education