Ciertamente es todo un notición...que los productores de bases de datos bibliométricas se involucren directamente con editoriales comerciales que confeccionan rankings es en sí mismo llamativo, al menos para mí, más en un tipo de ranking donde pesa tanto el carácter reputacional de las universidades.
Lo que sí veo claro, si es que alguna vez no lo ha estado, es la completa inutilidad de THES como herramienta para analizar la evolución (y menos la calidad) de las universidades. Además de los continuos cambios en los indicadores y sus pesos relativos, y cierto oscurantismo en los resultados de sus encuestas, ahora vuelven a cambiar de fuente bibliométrica (QS tomaba los datos de Scopus). Respecto a QS, aunque esto supondrá un duro golpe económico, creo que es un caso excepcional de compañía intermediaria que se convierte finalmente en su propia editora, como ha hecho con la edición de su ranking de universidades asiáticas, que parece por cierto que avanzan viento en popa a toda vela. En todo caso, una sorpresa... On Fri, Oct 30, 2009 at 10:13 PM, Isidro F. Aguillo < [email protected]> wrote: > Aprovechando que Tomás está lejos, me adelanto con este notición: > > New data partner for World University Rankings > 30 October 2009 > By Phil Baty > > Times Higher Education signs exclusive deal with Thomson Reuters > > Times Higher Education has signed an agreement with Thomson Reuters, the > world's leading research-data specialist, to provide the data for its > annual > World University Rankings. > > The magazine will develop a new rankings methodology in the coming months, > in consultation with its readers, its editorial board of higher education > experts and Thomson Reuters. Thomson Reuters will collect and analyse the > data used to produce the rankings on behalf of Times Higher Education. > > The revamped and improved Times Higher Education World University Rankings > of the top 200 universities and tables revealing the leading institutions > by > subject area will be published annually from autumn 2010. > > "Our rankings have become hugely influential, and we recognise our > responsibility to produce the most rigorous and transparent table we can," > said Ann Mroz, editor of Times Higher Education. "So we're delighted to > have > agreed a deal with Thomson Reuters to help us achieve that." > > Ms Mroz said that the magazine expected to work closely with Jonathan > Adams, > the UK-based director of research evaluation at Thomson Reuters, in > developing the new data requirements and methodology for 2010. > > Dr Adams said: "In addition to unmatched data quality, Thomson Reuters > provides a proven history of bibliometric expertise and analysis. > > "We are proud that our data continue to be chosen by leading organisations > around the world, and we're happy to provide insight and consultation on > such a widely respected indicator as Times Higher Education's World > University Rankings." > > The rankings have become an annual fixture in the international higher > education calendar and make headlines around the world. > > Although they are now used by governments and institutions worldwide to > benchmark higher education performance, their methodology has been > criticised. > > "We acknowledge the criticism and now want to work with the sector to > produce a legitimate and robust research tool for academics and university > administrators," Ms Mroz said. > > Thomson Reuters is a leading source of information for businesses and > professionals. It serves the financial, legal, tax and accounting, > healthcare, science and media markets. The company's Web of Science > platform > provides academics and university administrators with access to the world's > leading citation databases, covering 12,000 of the highest-impact academic > journals and more than 110,000 conference proceedings. It spans the > sciences, social sciences, arts and humanities, including retrospective > coverage dating back to 1900. > > Thomson Reuters is headquartered in New York, has bases in London and > Eagan, > Minnesota, operates in more than 100 countries and employs more than 50,000 > people. > > QS, which has collected and analysed the rankings data for the past six > years, will no longer have any involvement with Times Higher Education's > World University Rankings. > > -- > Isidro F. Aguillo, HonPhD > Cybermetrics Lab (3C1). CCHS - CSIC > Albasanz, 26-28. 28037 Madrid. Spain > > isidro.aguillo @ cchs.csic.es > www. webometrics.info > > > ---------------------------------------------------- > Normas para el correcto uso del correo electrónico: > http://www.rediris.es/mail/estilo.html > ---------------------------------------------------- > -- Enrique Orduña-Malea. ---------------------------------------------------- Los archivos de IWETEL pueden ser consultados en: http://listserv.rediris.es/archives/iwetel.html ----------------------------------------------------
