ABSTRACT

This chapter focuses on the role of global rankings in the German higher education system. It describes that ranking results do not influence the budget allocation by the state. The Centre for Higher Education (CHE) University Ranking was first published in 1998 in two subjects: business administration and chemistry and then gradually extended to other fields. The University of Siegen is revising its mission and vision by designing a new structural and development plan for the university, which is still in a draft stage. The German Federal Ministry wanted Harvard in Germany, but never considered the potential impact of the Excellence Initiative on the configuration of the system as a whole. Barbara M Kehm has argued that the policy appeal of global rankings is related to a double transformation of the meaning of these rankings themselves.