The Straits Times Senior Education Correspondent Sandra Davie highlighted that NUS and NTU have generally fared well in the league tables that rank universities in the region and worldwide. This is a question being asked by some as such tables continue to proliferate - sometimes painting starkly different pictures. In the last two weeks alone, three rankings were released - the annual World University Rankings compiled by London-based education consultancy Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), Asia's 75 most innovative universities list by Reuters and the Times Higher Education World Reputation Rankings.
Sandra Davie asked SMU Provost Professor Lily Kong about students basing their choice of universities on the tables. SMU, as a specialist institution, understandably lags behind - in the 441-450 band - in the QS ranking. When it is compared with other specialist universities in the QS rankings, SMU then moves up to the 11th position. SMU has also appeared in a few global rankings by disciplinary areas and done well in them. It was placed No. 1 in Asia in the Brigham Young University Accounting Research Rankings. Prof Kong said rankings, especially those that compare like for like, can provide useful composite information on a university's progress over time and give students a broad indication of where a university stands in relation to its peers. But, like the other university heads, she advises students to base their choice of university on their interests, aspirations and the quality of the educational programmes and experience.