Kuala Lampur, Dec. 5 -- Academia is clearly divided in favour of and against global university rankings. Out of roughly fifty thousand universities globally, 1,500 and 2,191 universities are listed for QS and THE ranking, respectively, in the year 2026. If not all, many aim to be ranked among the top 50 or top 100 in the list.

Many universities might find that others are moving faster as their reason for falling behind in the ranking race. However, in reality, the known 50 or 100 universities every year remain in top-notch rank. The others either continue to strive, or their dreams remain an enigma. Yet, they come up with immediate ad hoc measures that in the long run might be proven futile.

The number of research publications and citat...