THE Rankings 2023 were out yesterday and apart from the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore that bagged the top spot, there was a private university which stood out for being ranked number one amongst Indian private universities in the THE World Rankings — Shoolini University of Biotechnology and Management Sciences in Himachal Pradesh. And when it comes to globally, it is ranked 351-400 in the world and 39th for citations.

"We plan to increase international collaboration as well as continue our thrust on top-quality research and teaching to be a Top 200 University by 2026," says Prof P K Khosla, Chancellor of Shoolini University. Clearly, their eyes are on the THE World Rankings 2023 already. 

International indeed is the buzzword for Shoolini University because as per them, the best way to maintain a good position in these rankings is by putting all their might behind one or two areas, like research or internationalisation. "Over time, an institution needs to have a holistic approach covering both academics and research to consistently do well in international rankings," the Chancellor says.

How much do students rely on these rankings, we wonder. Prof P K Khosla opines that international students do regard it as a key criterion while zeroing in on not just admissions to undergraduate (UG) and postgraduate (PG) courses but scholarships for studies too. They also believe that the rankings provide a transparent view of the relative strengths of different universities across the world.