Science|Business
Policy Analysis: Policy
Published: 12 July 2012
Excellence, Success and University League Tables

Onora O’Neill, Cambridge University

Excellence comes in many forms and attempts to rank universities should reflect this. But it should also be understood that excellence does not equate to success, says Onora O’Neill


Onora O’Neil is professor of philosophy at Cambridge University, a former principal of Newnham College, Cambridge, and founding President of the British Philosophical Association.

Excellence is surely a noble aim for universities - as for other institutions and activities.  However, since there are many excellences, and since those of universities will vary with the activities they undertake, it may be hard to say how good a university is.  Once we acknowledge the plurality of excellences that universities may seek, we can no longer imagine that they should aim simply to do better than other universities, although that can (but need...

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Related subjects: Education, Horizon 2020, university ranking

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