NWB2023_Rankings and the future of research assessment

University rankings guide many aspects of universities operations including students’ and faculty recruitment, securing funding, finding collaborators and more. At the heart of any ranking is the idea of capturing research excellence and impact which is frequently focused on the number of publications and received citations. However, in the past decade there is an increasing demand to capture a university’s impact and excellence beyond the traditional paradigm of scientific output. These include societal and economical impact, support and mentorship for successful career paths for trainees, equity, inclusion and diversity and more. In this presentation we would discuss the power of using various datasets and sources to capture the multi-faceted nature of the university and how these novel impact indicators might be used in a ranking exercise.