Top Level Coverage
As the “RatOR” ` ratings showed, the Higher School of Economics is the leader among Russian universities in information coverage for applicants (considering Web-communications level during 2008 entrance exams).
As the "RatOR" ` ratings showed, the Higher School of Economics is the leader among Russian universities in information coverage for applicants (considering Web-communications level during 2008 entrance exams).
Web-sites or educational Web portals, where university departments, communities, students and tutors all have pages, serve as the main communication point. Taking this into account, ensuring that there is widespread coverage, with comprehensive and available information is vital. The development of strong, sustainable communication links with potential applicants and their parents creates a positive image for the university.
Last years NRA "RatOR" has carried out active studies on educational activities to assist all interested in the issue
Previously, open days or books served as the main information source for applicants. Today the Net has became the main space for communications. The University webpage is perhaps the most important asset but not only the webpages and the domain itself but also the contents, visual composition, ease of use, support for GPS searching and advertising systems can all help the university obtain a competitive edge
H-technology communications development is a path to crucial changes in the higher education environment, since innovations can help education chiefs and managers adopt a new attitude to information and promote transparency. It is not only a chance to satisfy their target audience (applicants, parents, employers, students, and tutors) in a certain manner, but also a way of optimizing state and public control for the education system.
There is a great discussion among scientists on the necessary and relevant level of coverage to be adopted by higher education institutions. Universities and research-centers` h-technology ratings (Webometrics is the leader in this field) based on promoted Science Citation Index tool and the measuring of communication abilities has discovered that complete information coverage is one of the main factors for the competitiveness of the university.
Following a number of criteria, "RatOR" ` experts rated 65 Websites as part of their "Integrated public rating for Moscow based universities" research. The University rating for the level of accessible information on entrance campaign, i.e. I-net communication links development during 2008 entrance exams based on composite rating, has also been elaborated.
The following criteria were used:
-
dynamics for updating ( interior events)
-
information for applicants
-
information for foreigners
(Without estimates for search systems implementation)
"Dynamics for updating" criteria
Progress index:
-
4 points scale to evaluate monthly news updating
-
4 points scale to evaluate news updating interruptions.
Total rate of each index is 0,5
Total rate of updating criteria is 0,2
"Information for applicants" criteria
Progress index:
-
4 points scale to evaluate the ease of use for the web portal applicants area
-
4 points scale to evaluate 2008/2009 education fee section at the university web portal
-
4 points scale to evaluate previous year entrance competitions data at the university web portal
-
4 points scale to estimate applicants` Forums
Index of the first rate is 0,1 but others are evaluated at 0,3 level.
Information for applicants criteria rate is 0,6
"Information for foreigners" criteria
4 - points scale to evaluate foreign versions of webpage promotion level.
Criteria rate "Information for foreigners" is 0,2
Each criteria was normalized to upper bound possible. Then it was heightened to peak that equals 100 points.
Composite rating is derived from aggregation procedure, maximal rates fixing and reducing to a common maximal rate that equals 100 points.
Universities rating based on applicants information accessibility of the website.
In the table Russian universities have been rated based on the accessibility of information for applicants aggregated estimates.
In the right column, The Webometrics-2008 rating for some of the universities can be seen.
It should be pointed out that the Webometrics technique is based mostly on the universities research as it is reflected on the Web-sites, so the positions in the two ratings should not be compared too strictly.
Progress index:
|
“RatOR” rating position |
University name |
Normalized estimate |
Position in 2008 Webometrics rating |
|
1 |
The State University – Higher School of Economics (HSE) |
100 |
887 |
|
2 |
The Moscow State University of Printing Arts |
97 |
3983 |
|
3 |
The State University of Management |
84 |
|
|
4 |
The Russian State University of Trade and Economics |
76 |
|
|
5 |
Lomonosov Moscow State University |
75 |
129 |
|
6 |
The Academy of National Economy under the Government of the Russian Federation |
73 |
|
|
7 |
The Moscow Aviation Institute (State University of Aerospace Technologies) |
72 |
2034 |
|
8-11 |
The Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO-University) |
64 |
2161 |
|
8-11 |
The Moscow University of Industry and Finance |
64 |
|
|
8-11 |
The Russian State Geology Exploration University n.a.S.Odgonikidze |
64 |
|
|
8-11 |
Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia |
64 |
2046 |
|
12-13 |
The Moscow State Technical University "MAMI" |
63 |
|
|
12-13 |
The Russian State University for the Humanities |
63 |
2064 |
|
14 |
The Moscow State University of Industry |
62 |
3380 |
|
15 |
The Moscow State University Of Civil Engineering |
61 |
|
|
16-18 |
D. Mendeleyev University of Chemical Technology of Russia |
60 |
|
|
16-18 |
The all-Russian Academy of Foreign Trade of Ministry of Economic Development and Trade of Russia |
60 |
|
|
16-18 |
Sechenov Moscow Medical Academy |
60 |
|
|
19-22 |
The State Technical University - MADI |
58 | |
|
19-22 |
The Moscow State University of Economics, Statistics and Informatics (MESI) |
58 |
2276 |
|
19-22 |
The Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (state university) |
58 |
838 |
|
19-22 |
The Moscow Municipal University For Teachers' Training |
58 |
|
|
23 |
The Moscow State University of Railway Engineering |
56 |
|
|
24 |
Kosygin Moscow State Textile University |
54 |
|
|
25 |
Finance Academy under the Government of the Russian Federation |
49 |
2510 |
|
26-27 |
The Moscow State Institute for Steel and Alloys (Technology University) |
48 |
|
|
26-27 |
The Moscow State University for Design and Technologies |
48 |
|
|
28 |
The Moscow State Academy for High Chemical Technology n.a. Lomonosov |
46 |
|
|
29 |
The all-Russian State Academy for Taxation Policy |
45 |
|
|
30 |
The Russian State Social University |
43 |
|
|
31-32 |
The Moscow State Academy for Finance and Law |
42 |
|
|
31-32 |
The Moscow Institute for Psychology and Social Science |
42 |
|
|
33 |
The Moscow Institute of Electronic Technology |
41 |
|
|
34 |
The Russian New University (RosNOU / RNU) |
40 |
|
|
35-42 |
The Moscow State Technical University n.a. N.E. Bauman (MSTU) |
39 |
1482 |
|
35-42 |
The Moscow State University of Geodesy and Cartography (MIIGAiK) |
39 |
|
|
35-42 |
The Moscow State University of Food Production |
39 |
|
|
35-42 |
|
39 |
|
|
35-42 |
The Moscow Power Engineering Institute (Technical University) - MPEI |
39 |
2727 |
|
35-42 |
The Modern University for the Humanities (MUH) |
39 |
3495 |
|
35-42 |
The Moscow Institute for the Humanities |
39 |
|
|
35-42 |
The Russian Academy for Entrepreneurship |
39 |
|
|
43 |
The Moscow Municipal University For Teachers' Training and Psychology |
37 |
|
|
44-47 |
The State University Of Land Use Planning |
35 |
|
|
44-47 |
The Moscow State Open University |
35 |
|
|
44-47 |
The Moscow State University of Medicine and Dentistry |
35 |
|
|
44-47 |
The Moscow State University For Teachers' Training |
35 |
|
|
48 |
The Budget and Treasury Academy of the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation |
32 |
|
|
49 |
The Moscow State Institute of Engineering, Electronics, and Automatics (technical university) |
30 |
|
|
50 |
"MATI"-Russian State Technological University |
26 |
|
|
51-56 |
The Natalia Nesterova Academy |
25 |
|
|
51-56 |
The Moscow State Law Academy |
25 |
|
|
51-56 |
The Moscow State Evening Metallurgical Institute |
25 |
|
|
51-56 |
The Moscow State University for Technologies (Stankin) |
25 |
|
|
51-56 |
The Russian State University for Agriculture n.a. Timiriazev |
25 |
|
|
51-56 |
The Moscow State University of Medicine |
25 |
|
|
57-58 |
The Moscow State University for Linguistics |
24 |
|
|
57-58 |
The Moscow State University for Engineering Ecology |
24 |
|
|
59 |
The Moscow State Mining University |
23 |
|
|
60-62 |
The Plekhanov Russian Academy of Ecomomics |
21 |
3054 |
|
60-62 |
The Russian State University of Oil and Gas Industry n.a. Gubkin |
21 |
3880 |
|
60-62 |
The Moscow Engineering Physics Institute (State University) |
21 |
1499 |
|
63 |
The Moscow State University for Technologies and Management |
19 |
|
|
64-65 |
The Moscow Architectur Institute |
6 |
|
|
64-65 |
The Moscow State University for Electronics and Linguistics (Technical University) |
6 |
3198 |
The ratings leader, the SU-HSE, is well known for implementing new technology so the high rating of the university website is to be expected. The website editors` group includes first-year students wishing to share information with new HSE applicants.
The Russian Webometrics leader – Moscow State University occupies a high position in the applicants` communication rating. This fact reveals the MSU’s administration staff are well aware of the development of internet communications and the high quality work of the Web portal staff.
Such universities as the Moscow State University of Printing Arts, the State University of Management, the Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO-University), the Academy for Economics and the University of Aerospace Technology have been implementing long-term Internet communications strategies and are unsurprisingly at the top positions in the rating.
At the same time it is quite strange that such technically focused universities as the Moscow Engineering and Physics Institute (State University) and the Moscow State Institute of Electronics and Mathematics are towards the bottom of the ratings. Their advanced and dynamic internet space is validated by their Webometrics position but applicants` Internet communications here are much less developed.
It should be noted that the private Moscow University of Industry and Finance gained a high position (8-11). The fact reveals that their administration pays special attention to the development of its target audience communications.
This research is the first public experience of rating Russian universities` websites. Currently, it is limited by a narrow subject field, scant methodical support and a small-range expert opinion poll. “RatOr” independent agency will develop further website rating activities. We hope that communication tools research and methodologically advanced estimates will help clarify the situation with the system of education and stimulate higher education institutions to become more transparent and attentive to digital communications development.
Independent Rating Agency for Education “RatOR”.