Senior leadership examines Times Higher Education rankings strategy

Senior leadership of the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) have been urged to prioritise research excellence, international visibility and institutional reputation as drivers of long-term growth and competitiveness. The call was the centrepiece of a high-level strategic engagement session in May 2026 on the theme Understanding the Times Higher Education World University Rankings, facilitated by university rankings and institutional branding specialist Victor Okuego.

The session examined how global rankings are reshaping higher education, with implications for student recruitment, international collaboration, research funding and institutional credibility. Times Higher Education assesses research-intensive universities across five pillars: teaching, research environment, research quality, international outlook and industry engagement. Participants were reminded that institutional branding answers two questions: who knows us, and what are we known for.

Attention was also drawn to the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings, which measure universities against the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Institutions are assessed on verifiable contributions to at least four SDGs, including SDG 17 on partnerships, a framework that rewards measurable societal impact beyond traditional academic metrics.

Strategic pathways discussed included strengthening research culture, investing in publication quality, building robust institutional data systems, amplifying faculty achievements, deepening alumni engagement and benchmarking against global standards. The programme forms part of GIMPA’s institutional transformation agenda to strengthen academic excellence and expand international recognition.