university rankings

it's interesting to consider the amount of debate and critique that surrounds the Times Higher Education Supplement (THES). A large portion of academia and faculty around the world do not actually have much regard for the ranking system, citing methodological issues and biasness in computation.

http://globalhighered.wordpress.com/2007/12/12/global-university-rankings-2007-interview-with-simon-marginson/

The amazing thing, however, is that there is practically hardly any mention of this at all in Singapore, where the ranking system is taken to be foolproof and worth its weight in gold (or at least, that's what it would seem). Hardly any debate is heard about the accuracy of it. Then again, why should there be? After all, NUS does 'amazingly' well in this ranking.

The SHJT rankings seem to be taken with more respect. I dunno much about it, but i guess according to my prof's (and his various colleagues) blog, tt's what it seems to suggest. it's never mentioned in Singapore of cos, because NUS ranks around 101-102, not in the top hundred, much less the top 20.
http://ed.sjtu.edu.cn/rank/2007/ARWU2007_Top100.htm

Madison's ranked 17. i'd question that though, since although we're a good sch, public schs hardly ever make it into the top 20 for the reason of the distinct lack of funding among other things. All the same, it's just very very interesting to see how skewed ranking systems can be, and yet how if it's to our benefit, we don't bother to question it at all.