Year 12s: what will be the first way you research your future options? >>

Which uni ranking is best for looking at research, work load (rep) and facilities

I know not to follow the numerous different rankings as if there some biblical passage of prestigiousness, due to the nature of what they asses, i.e what students felt of the uni, and being the semi-autistic socially inept kid that I am. I honestly couldn't give a rats ass for how often my tutor holds my hand with a choccy biscuit and a cup of tea. Nor how pissed I can get each weekend at the numerous clubs that surround say Leeds, Nottingham and Newcastle. Not slander these uni's (they're truly amazing).
But what has me confused is, why Leeds is ranked on the Complete just bellow Kings in medicine and above Birmingham! When we all know about Harold Shipman (graduated from Leeds medicine, killed about 300ppl through prescribing lethal doses of narcotics to patients). I'm not trying to degrade Leeds but in the end, they allowed him to become a Doctor... isn't it there job to ensure people like this don't get into medicine? So my question is out of the complete, THE and the Guardian (hate to even mention such a ranking system that places Aston, West London and Shitchester, sorry had to the play on words. Above Liverpool, Cardiff and Kings). Which ones do you think most fairly, across all boards, assess universities? I avoided QS as apparently it's unreliable? However, I feel it measures academic achievement per se, over comfort.
Sorry if you go Leeds and do medicine or what not, it was just an example of what you could call, "bias" ranking. No disrespect intended to the faculty or uni. Just an example.

(edited 5 years ago)

Reply 1

Clearing and Applications Advisor

None of those rankings measure research. And there’s no objective measures of workload or facilities that could be ranked.

Reply 2

username4365740

Original post by PQ

None of those rankings measures research. And there are no objective measures of workload or facilities that could be ranked.

Surely some look at citations? By saying "none of those", which ones do then? :smile:

If you don't mind me asking...
HESA provided data for entry standards, student-staff ratios, spending on academic services, facilities spending, good honours degrees, graduate prospects, completion and international student enrolments.
I would hope all uni rankings are purely objective.
Thanks though. Sorry for the inner OCD in me lol.

(edited 5 years ago)

Reply 3

Clearing and Applications Advisor

Original post by MusicalGenomes

Surely some look at citations? By saying "none of those", which ones do then? :smile:

Citations make up a small part of the THE world rankings and QS. But very small in comparison to the survey of academic opinion used in both (and neither publish the citations data alone).

Graduate destinations doesn’t imply anything about workload during the degree.

Facilities spend doesn’t include capital investment and could reflect higher costs from maintaining dated or non fit for purpose premises.

What exactly do you want to compare?