HUMANE Annual Conference
University of Groningen (NL)
Friday 17 to Saturday 18 June, 2016

Global University Rankings and Institutional
Strategic Positioning

Virtually no executive team in a contemporary multi-faculty university can ignore the publication of national and global rankings.

One way or another, these ranking publications affect student demand and recruitment, the perceptions of staff candidates during the recruitment process, institution-to-institution networks and alliances, and universities' general reputation.

At best, a good performance in rankings can contribute to an ambitious institutional zeitgeist, or at the very least have a positive impact on staff, student and alumni morale.

But crafting an institutional strategy with an over-focus on improving performance in rankings is fraught with dangers. Staff often find it de-motivating and shallow; the statistical complexity and capriciousness of rankings often make them difficult to predict; and gaming the system to achieve rankings success may even divert leadership energy and resources from real strategy. And yet......nearly all universities use rankings to varying degrees in their global positioning.

Our seminar assembles an experienced array of speakers to help us grapple with these strategic tensions.

Topics and questions to be traversed include:

• what actions are needed to embrace rankings within universities management and leadership systems in a helpful and proportionate way?
• how should institutions' stakeholders expectations be managed with regard to rankings?
• what are some examples of good practice where institutions integrate their rankings tactics into their wider and real academic strategy?
• and what is the role of leadership in successful strategic positioning in a world where rankings loom large?

These and other topics will be debated over the course of the seminar. It promises to be a lively and intellectually engaging event, relevant to anyone involved in strategic institutional leadership.

We look forward to welcoming you to Groningen.

Speakers Announced (in alphabetical order)

Kurt Deketelaere - Secretary General, LERU (League of European Research Universities) and Professor of Law at KU Leuven (BE)

Alexander Grudzinskiy & Alexander Bedny - (Alexander Grudzinskiy:) Director - Institute of Economics and Entrepreneurship, Lobachevsky State University of Nizhni Novgorod (Alexander Bedny:) Vice-Rector for International Affairs at the Lobachevsky State University of Nizhni Novgorod (RU)

Rainer Heuer - Head of the Strategy Development and Controlling Unit, University of Göttingen (DE)

Peter Honeth - Former State Secretary of the Ministry of Education and Research and former Secretary General of the University of Lund (SE)

Nannette Ripmeester - Director Client Relations Europe for the International Graduate Insight Group (i-graduate) and Director & Founder of Expertise in Labour Mobility and Director, Expertise in Labour Mobility (ELM) (NL)

Jules van Rooij - Senior Advisor Research Policy and Institutional Research, Coordinator Research Assessment, University of Groningen (NL)

Lambert Verveld - President, Amsterdam University of the Arts (NL)

Helen Watson - Director of Planning and Resource Allocation, University of Oxford (UK)

Marijk van der Wende - Member of ARWU (Academic Ranking of World Universities also known as the Shanghai Ranking) International Advisory Board and Dean of Graduate Studies and Professor of Higher Education, Utrecht University (NL) Conference Chair: Stephan van Galen - Secretary-General, University of Groningen (NL)

Download the Conference Flyer

The Conference flyer is available to download here

Information

Who Can Attend?
The HUMANE Annual Conference is an open event for all higher education professionals.

Conference Fees
The Conference Fee is € 495 . This includes lunch on Friday and Saturday, the HUMANE Dinner and the social programme on Saturday afternoon.

Accompanying people and HUMANE Friends are charged at € 160, this includes lunch on Friday and Saturday, the HUMANE Dinner and the social programme on Saturday afternoon.

Upon registration you will receive a confirmation letter and invoice. Please wait until you receive the invoice before arranging the payment.

Accommodation and Practical Information
WIll be sent to participants when available.

Provisional Seminar Schedule
Friday 17 June:
Registration and lunch from 12:00 / Conference sessions 14:00 to 18:00 // HUMANE
Seminar Dinner 20:00
Saturday 18 June:
Conference sessions 09:00 to 13:00 / lunch / social programme then dinner

Social Programme
Will be announced shortly

Conference Website
Information can be found here

Register
Please register online at: online registration