The ranking phenomenon and the experience of academics in Taiwan

The primary aim of the paper is to examine how global university rankings have influenced the higher education sector in Taiwan from the perspective of academics. A qualitative case study method was used to examine how university ranking influenced the Taiwanese higher education at institutional and individual levels, respectively, thereby providing insights into the challenges that a group of academics faced. As for institutional level, the paper discusses how universities used rankings as a tool of quality assurance, and the extent to which rankings intensified competition between universities in Taiwan. In regard to individual level, the paper focuses on how faculty members had to abandon their teaching duties under the climate of competitiveness and achievements brought by rankings. It concludes by arguing that the effects of global ranking have caused inequality in Taiwan’s higher education. Copyright © 2014 International Association of Universities.