University Rankings Vital For Global Collaboration, Funding - UKM Vice-Chancellor

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 30 (Bernama) -- University rankings such as the QS World University Rankings and the Times Higher Education World University Rankings play a crucial role in positioning Malaysian universities on the global stage, particularly in attracting international collaborations and research funding, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Sufian Jusoh said.

He noted that some academics might argue that rankings are unimportant or place unnecessary pressure on scholars, but disagreed with them, especially from the perspective of a university administrator committed to national development and the advancement of frontier technologies.

“I tend to disagree with those authors. I am writing from the perspective of a university administrator whose university is keen to contribute to national development, especially in advancing research in frontier technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), Quantum Computing, the Digital Economy, and clean and green energy,” he said in a statement to Bernama.

Sufian said Malaysia’s aspiration to become a developed, high-income nation requires strong investment in research and development, including increased private-sector funding and deeper collaboration with leading global universities and research institutions.

He said UKM is actively supporting the national agenda under the Pelan Ekonomi MADANI by pursuing partnerships with top universities, funding bodies and companies worldwide, noting that rankings have become an important consideration in such engagements.

“Rankings have become a key reference point in collaboration and funding decision-making. Whether one agrees or not, they are widely regarded as a measure of quality,” he said.

Sufian added that UKM’s current position at 126th in the QS World University Rankings has strengthened its international standing and facilitated strategic partnerships.

“During our recent visit to one of the top 10 universities, one of the first questions asked was about UKM’s ranking. We were made to understand that many of these institutions and corporations are only keen to work with the top 200 universities,” he said.

He said UKM has successfully secured collaborations and funding from both international and national organisations, and appointed experts from companies and institutions such as Blackberry, Micron, Sony, a venture capital firm and an international development bank to its International Advisory Board.

As part of its global outreach efforts, Sufian said UKM is also actively pursuing the establishment of a global campus in Doha, Qatar.

“If not for our position among the top 200 universities in the world, UKM would not be able to secure the abovementioned support, collaborations and funding as easily,” he said.

Sufian stated that as the global economy increasingly values knowledge and intangible assets, such as intellectual property and high-impact publications, rankings play a crucial role in measuring technological advancement at both institutional and national levels.

“International rankings are not just for universities but also for countries,” he said, citing Malaysia’s participation in global assessments such as the International Institute for Management Development (IMD) World Competitiveness Ranking and the Global Innovation Index by the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO).

However, he stressed that rankings are not the sole measure of a university’s contributions, noting that UKM continues to promote knowledge sharing through books, publications in Bahasa Melayu, and community engagement, while assessing academic performance using multiple indicators beyond publications in top-tier journals.

“In conclusion, university rankings are not the sole indicators of quality and contributions to the nation. Nevertheless, they play an essential role in positioning a university against its international peers and in influencing its ability to attract high-quality academic, industry and funding partners,” he added.

-- BERNAMA