ITB questions 'Asiaweek' ranking

BANDUNG (JP): The prestigious Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB) questioned criteria used by Hong Kong-based Asiaweek news magazine to place it 14th on the a list of Asia's 30 best institutes of science and technology.

ITB rector Liliek Hendrajaya and deputy rector for academic affairs Widiatuyana separately said they were bewildered by the use of lecturer's salaries as a ranking criteria.

"It is true that lecturers would have to look for additional income and side jobs if their salaries were low, but is their assumption that high salaries lead to better productivity really true?" Widiatuyana asked.

The institute ranks 23rd in terms of the salaries which it pays in the list published in Asiaweek's May 15 edition.

Widiatuyana said that unlike last year when the institute was ranked 19th out of 50, this year's lists had been split between universities and institutes of science and technology.

Widiatuyana said the change in method used to derive the rankings made it appear that standards at the institute had slipped, but he conceded that other criteria used, including academic reputation and financial resources, had also contributed to the fall in ranking.

"Academic reputation was judged by asking other institutes how well they knew ITB. This is ITBs weak point, because ITB cooperates with many universities around the world, but not institutes," he said.

Widiatuyana also conceded that lecturers from the institute had published a limited number articles in international academic journals.

Rector Liliek said he would guide ITB toward a better future ranking.

"We will strive to reach 10th place, or fifth place if possible. We'll try the best we can for as long as I remain rector here," he said. (43)