An assessment carried out by AllAboutUni.com reveals that 8 of the 27 countries in the European Union (EU) are not represented in the WorldҀs Top-50 universities. AllAboutUni.com is an independent, global and inter-active website where visitors can obtain information about universities (global rankings, student reviews, university news and campus pictures). It publishes regular reports on universities around the world.
The analysis is based on a ranking of the WorldҀs Top-500 Universities produced by the Institute of Higher Education at the Shanghai Jiao Tong University (click here). Several indicators of academic or research performance are used to establish the ranking, these include staff winning Nobel Prizes, highly cited researchers and articles indexed in major citation indices. The rankings have been published since 2003, with the 2008 rankings published on 15 August 2008.
The eight EU countries that are not represented in the World's Top-500 universities in 2008 are: Bulgaria, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Romania and Slovakia. In other words, small countries in Western Europe (Cyprus, Luxembourg and Malta) and countries in Eastern Europe (Bulgaria, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania and Slovakia). All of the other EU countries are represented in the list, with the top five being: Germany (44 universities), United Kingdom (42), France (23), Italy (22) and the Netherlands (12).
Overall, the Europe region is well represented in the World's Top-500 universities, with roughly 40% (n=210) of universities based in this region compared to 40% (n=190) for the Americas and 20% (n=100) for Asia/Pacific ( click here). However, when one looks at the Top-100 Universities, there is a predominance of US universities (58 universities versus 23 for Europe), and the United Kingdom performs better than other European countries (click here). In the Top-10 Universities, US and private universities are dominant (click here).
One hypothesis is that the larger EU countries will dominate the number of universities in the list of the World's Top-500 Universities. This is clearly the case with Germany, United Kingdom, France and Italy providing the most (62%) of the universities from Europe. However, if one adjusts for population size (i.e. one calculates the number of universities in the Top-500 per 1 million inhabitants in the country), the following ranking is obtained: Sweden (1.2 universities in the World's Top-500 Universities per 1 million inhabitants), Finland (1.2), Austria (0.9), Denmark (0.8) and the Netherlands (0.7). This means the EU countries with the most universities per 1 million inhabitants are located in smaller countries in Western Europe, especially countries in Scandinavia.
The AllAboutUni.com website provides a portal where students can find independent information about universities from around the world. рThe website allows students to compare colleges and universities online based on independent information: the Shanghai rankings, student reviews and campus pictures. Combining this with the information provided by university websites, we hope students will be able to find the college or university of their dreamsҀ, says John Paget, Founder of the AllAboutUni.com website. John studied Economics at the London School of Economics and then completed graduate studies in the United Kingdom and Switzerland. The AllAboutUni.com website was launched in November 2007.
Showing posts with label About University. Show all posts
Showing posts with label About University. Show all posts
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Monday, October 20, 2008
Deciding on a Major in College - Tips & Tricks
While deciding on a major, the students consider various factors like how well it will prepare him for his future career, earning (money) potential, already a family member into the field, or even because of advice received from a trusted person who may include former teacher or a trusted friend. Other factors that might influence decisions while choosing a major are the current job scenario, media glitz on specific professions, global changes, up-and-coming fields etc.
It is very important to decide properly as major will equip you with the knowledge and skills that can eventually be applied to a wide range of jobs in many different fields. Therefore, taking time to explore different areas of study is quite understandable. Think about everything you will require in any job viz communication skills, critical thinking skills, problem solving abilities, computer skills, and leadership skills. It is also wise to think over your interests, values, and personality while deciding your future subject of study.
However, there are chances that you know where you're going to study, but you have no idea what to pursue once you get there. Here are some tips to help you start exploring different areas of study:
Make Your List
Make a list of high school subjects that interested you most. Highlight the subjects you excelled in academically. Now, look into the majors that are offered within that department at your college. If you find a field that strikes you, go for it. If you don't, try the next subject on your list.
Pick InformationҀs
In case you are not sure of field of study, pick up all information packets available with different departments of your college and read about the courses they offer in different majors. Also read about the individual requirements in bulletin that the school provides. If any of the major interests you, discuss it over with your parents and/or advisor to get feedback on your decision. Do informational interviews or job shadowing with professionals working in the fields that interest or you intend to choose?
Things You Should Ask Yourself
To help yourself deciding on major/career, ask yourself these questions
- What are my interests?
- What are my abilities?
- What motivates me?
- What are my values?
- What are the realities?
It is helpful to remember that deciding on a major is a process and not usually something that happens overnight. You should talk to your parents, teachers, friends, and other people who have gone through the process and take your time. There are wealth of sources available online, therefore, do your research. You may also visit www.allaboutuni.com for further assistance.
It is very important to decide properly as major will equip you with the knowledge and skills that can eventually be applied to a wide range of jobs in many different fields. Therefore, taking time to explore different areas of study is quite understandable. Think about everything you will require in any job viz communication skills, critical thinking skills, problem solving abilities, computer skills, and leadership skills. It is also wise to think over your interests, values, and personality while deciding your future subject of study.
However, there are chances that you know where you're going to study, but you have no idea what to pursue once you get there. Here are some tips to help you start exploring different areas of study:
Make Your List
Make a list of high school subjects that interested you most. Highlight the subjects you excelled in academically. Now, look into the majors that are offered within that department at your college. If you find a field that strikes you, go for it. If you don't, try the next subject on your list.
Pick InformationҀs
In case you are not sure of field of study, pick up all information packets available with different departments of your college and read about the courses they offer in different majors. Also read about the individual requirements in bulletin that the school provides. If any of the major interests you, discuss it over with your parents and/or advisor to get feedback on your decision. Do informational interviews or job shadowing with professionals working in the fields that interest or you intend to choose?
Things You Should Ask Yourself
To help yourself deciding on major/career, ask yourself these questions
- What are my interests?
- What are my abilities?
- What motivates me?
- What are my values?
- What are the realities?
It is helpful to remember that deciding on a major is a process and not usually something that happens overnight. You should talk to your parents, teachers, friends, and other people who have gone through the process and take your time. There are wealth of sources available online, therefore, do your research. You may also visit www.allaboutuni.com for further assistance.
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