A Shenzhen-based ranking agency has been accused of favouring a university in Sichuan in return for money, reigniting debate over the credibility of such rankings on the mainland.
Citing unidentified sources, the People's Daily reported yesterday that Wu Shulian, lead author of the China University Evaluation Project, was invited to give a lecture at Chengdu University of Technology in 2004 and another in 2006, and later received tens of thousands of yuan in payment.
The university's ranking was raised from No116 in the 2004 report to No92 in 2007, before falling to No103 this year.
The allegation has underscored some of the shady practices of mainland ranking agencies, which allegedly use their reports to hold universities to ransom.
Opponents, particularly universities, have argued against college ranking agencies, saying they do not consult university authorities in their research and use problematic evaluation systems. However, universities are still affected by the annual rankings, which hold enormous sway over potential students and their parents. As analysts have observed, that influence allows the ranking agencies to be open to bribes.
Gong Ke, president of Tianjin University, told the media in March that they had turned down a ranking research institute's request for sponsorship, shedding a rare light on the relationship between universities and agencies. Mr Wu admitted he had accepted payment in return for providing consulting services to the Chengdu university.
