Global Governance of Education Standards: A Case Study of World University Rankings
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Abstract
This research has two objectives. The first objective is to study the global governance process of education standards in terms of its development, relevant actors, and their roles. The second objective is to scrutinize the functions of world university rankings and how they affect different steps in the global governance process of education standards proposed by Weiss and Thakur in managing knowledge, developing norms, formulating and promulgating recommendations, and institutionalizing ideas. Furthermore, this research also investigated the private sector sources of authority carrying out the world rankings and disseminating the ranking outcomes. This study utilized qualitative research methods in gathering data from both primary and secondary sources using documentary research techniques. The findings reveal that the world university rankings play a crucial role in the neo-liberal context. In this regard, the world university rankings fix asymmetrical information problems by providing information and recommendations for parents and students pursuing higher education. Moreover, world university rankings have established norms of 'world-class universities' qualifications and built compliance among important higher education actors. Furthermore, the established providers of world university rankings hold 'network power,' which prevents newly-founded agencies from trying to develop a 'better way' of ranking to compete and emerge as leading players in this field.
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