New Delhi: The Indian government is actively helping its universities improve their performance in global education rankings. The Ministry of Education recently held a special training program for leaders of higher education institutions (HEIs) across the country. This step aims to make Indian universities more visible and respected worldwide, especially in the QS World University Rankings .
Why Global Rankings Matter
Global university rankings are very important in today’s world. They show how well a university performs compared to others around the globe. Good rankings help universities in several key ways:
- They build a university's international reputation. This can attract more students and teachers from other countries.
- They make it easier for Indian students to study abroad or find jobs in international companies.
- They create opportunities for Indian universities to partner with foreign institutions on important research and other projects.
The government believes that by improving these ranks, Indian education will gain more recognition and influence on the world stage.
Understanding the QS Ranking System
The Ministry of Education worked together with QS Quacquarelli Symonds to organise this training. QS is a well-known company that publishes global university rankings every year. The training session taught university officials about the detailed method QS uses to calculate these rankings.
More than 400 officials joined the program online, and over 60 leaders attended in person. These participants included Vice-Chancellors, directors, and other senior officers from universities and institutes across India. They learned about the different factors QS considers when ranking universities.
Key Factors for Rankings
The training focused on several important areas that impact a university’s rank. Universities need to perform strongly in these areas to move up the global list. Some of these key factors explained were:
- Academic Reputation: This measures how highly experts, professors, and researchers from around the world think of a university's teaching and research quality. It comes from a survey of academics globally.
- Employer Reputation: This looks at how employers view graduates from a university. Universities whose graduates are highly preferred and sought after by companies score well in this area.
- Citations per Faculty: This checks the impact and quality of a university's research. It counts how often research papers published by the university's teachers are mentioned or referenced by other researchers in their work. More citations generally mean the research is important and widely recognised.
- Faculty-Student Ratio: This shows the number of full-time teachers available for every student at the university. A lower ratio (meaning more teachers per student) often suggests that students receive more personal attention and better teaching quality.
- International Faculty Ratio & International Student Ratio: These factors measure how many international teachers and students a university has. A diverse campus with people from many countries shows global appeal and promotes a rich learning environment.
Officials at the training explained that Indian universities must understand these points well. They need to align their efforts with these ranking indicators to improve India’s overall academic standing in the world.
India's Growing Presence
This training initiative comes at a time when India is showing its best performance ever in the QS World University Rankings. In the latest 2026 edition , a total of 54 Indian institutions were listed among the world's best. This number marks a significant increase compared to previous years.
The government aims to ensure that this rise in the number of listed universities also translates into better rank positions for them. The training helps universities improve their data collection, reporting methods, and overall strategies to become more visible and competitive globally.
Steps for Future Improvement
To continue improving their global ranks, Indian universities need to make ongoing changes and advancements. The Ministry highlighted that institutions must focus on several key areas:
- They must increase the quantity and, more importantly, the quality of their research output.
- They need to build stronger connections and work more closely with international universities and experts.
- They should actively work to build and improve their reputation among academics and employers worldwide.
These continuous efforts and reforms within institutions will be critical for achieving long-term success and higher positions in international university rankings.
