ITB questions 'Asiaweek' ranking

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)