Kuala Lampur, Dec. 28 -- The dichotomy of rankings and global evaluations has been deepening recently, where robust debates have been ongoing on whether university rankings are a vain pursuit, a "fame game" that distorts academic priorities or they remain a crucial yardstick for higher education.

While there would be different arguments and both the downsides and positive returns from this notion, rankings still matter not as end in themselves, but as a fundamental catalyst for confidence, accountability and alignment with the world's highest standards in maintaining the quality metric.

In short, rankings have been an inalienable part of the global higher education landscape. They shape public perceptions of institutional quality for mu...