World University rankings - UM plunges 80 and USM over 89 places

University of Malaya has fallen 80 places from 89 to 169 while Universiti Sains Malaysia disappears from the World Top 200 Universities Ranking 2005 falling over 89 places from its No. 111 ranking last year in the The Times Higher Education Supplement (THES) World University Rankings 2005.

These global blows shattered the complacency of the two Malaysian universities which had been listed in the THES World's Best 200 universities last year.In the THES global ranking of the world’s best 200 universities 2004, the University of Malaya ranked No. 89 and the Universiti Sains Malaysia ranked No. 111.

These rankings were proudly advertised by these two universities to demonstrate their academic excellence and quality in a rather unashamed and unacademic fashion.

At the centennial celebrations of the University of Malaya in June, Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak expressed the hope that the University of Malaya could be ranked among the world’s top 50 universities by 2020.

All these dreams are shattered by the release of the 2005 THES World University Rankings yesterday – with University of Malaya falling a steep 80 places, plunging from 89th last year to 169th position, one of the deepest plunges for any university. University Sains Malaysia plunged even more steeply, falling out of the 200 ranking altogether.

The THES World University Rankings is the latest confirmation of the deep, grave and prolonged crisis of higher education in Malaysia. Let the government and in particular the Ministry of Higher Education end their denial syndrome that the higher education system in Malaysia is very sick indeed.

A lot of hard analysis and soul-searching on the direction and future of higher education in Malaysia must now begin.

I want to thank YC and Carbon Copy for their collaboration in enabling me to put up the THES World University Ranking 2005.

The table is rather messy and amateurish. However, as THES would only be putting its ranking online on Monday, the urgency to get the rankings out must take priority, especially in view of the poor showing of Malaysian universities in the international league.

In these circumstances, the importance and urgency of getting the information about the THES ranking out to all Malaysians must take priority over the messiness in the presentation, as in another three days, the professional presentation of the rankings of the universities would be available online.