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Why the Rankings Are Wrong: Lessons From Data Underlying UK League Tables

Lookup NU author(s): Professor Kyle GraysonORCiD

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND).

Abstract

This article uses high-quality data from the United Kingdom to critically examine the assumptions underpinning university league tables in Canada and elsewhere. Particular attention is given to research quality and value added in learning (VA). Unlike many global ranking systems, U.K. rankings incorporate measures that allow for robust assessment. Based on these data, we show that league table positions in the United Kingdom are weakly associated with research quality and largely unrelated to VA. Furthermore, research funding bears little consistent relationship to research quality. At both institutional and departmental levels, notably in Politics and International Studies, highly ranked universities do not necessarily deliver superior learning outcomes or research quality. These findings challenge the validity of using inputs such as research grants or student awards as proxies for institutional quality. Although U.K. data cannot be generalized automatically, they provide a valuable reference point for other countries. As a result of these findings, we argue that Canadian rankings, and others like them, must be treated with considerable skepticism.

Publication metadata

Author(s): Grayson JP, Grayson K

Publication type: Article

Publication status: Published

Journal: Canandian Journal of Higher Education

Year: 2026

Pages: epub ahead of print

Online publication date: 05/03/2026

Acceptance date: 10/10/2025

Date deposited: 16/03/2026

ISSN (print): 0316-1218

ISSN (electronic): 2293-6602

Publisher: Canadian Society for the Study of Higher Education

URL: https://doi.org/10.47678/cjhe.v1i1.190271

DOI: 10.47678/cjhe.v1i1.190271

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