Peking University, Tsinghua University and Zhejiang University
have retained their places as the top three Chinese universities,
according to a rankings guide released May 15.
The university table, which was compiled by the Wuhan-based
Research Centre for China Science Evaluation in Central China's
Hubei Province, assesses teaching quality, staff-student ratios,
scientific research and school reputation.
Tsinghua University, Peking University and Shanghai Jiaotong
University are the top three science schools, while Peking
University, Renmin University of China and Beijing Normal
University are listed the best three in humanities and social
science research.
Unlike the previous two annual reports, this year's guide also
gave rankings for 192 specific subjects.
Peking University ranked top in philosophy, Chinese literature,
history, medical science and natural science. Tsinghua was the best
place for engineering, Renmin University of China top choice for
economics and law, Beijing Normal University best in education and
psychology, while Zhejiang University was the top destination for
computer studies.
Qiu Junping, the center’s director, said this year's assessment
began in November and included 887 colleges on the Chinese
mainland. Statistics used are from four major sources: Government
figures, international and domestic databases, government and
university websites and authoritative publications.
"The guide offers students a full range of information on the
best schools in China," he said. "It is an objective and detailed
guide for students choosing full-time degree courses, and it also
serves as a reference to government policy makers."
The report will shortly be made available to prospective
students to purchase.
However, like all previous university rankings, the guide has
not won recognition from the Ministry of Education.
"It is very difficult to produce an objective college ranking
table. Any misleading information may send the wrong signals to
schools and students," said Zhao Jianwu, deputy director of the
ministry's information office.
"We do not support any college ranking, and we will not conduct
such a ranking," he reiterated.
Contacted by China Daily, a Peking University spokesman
would not comment on the report.
(China Daily May 16, 2006)
