Rankings, Ratings or the JOB-Ready Rating?
Rankings are a narrow measure of success in which only one institution can be the winner, a zero-sum game which is beyond the control of institutions. Institutions are ranked whether they like it or not, they have no control.
Ratings are a promotional tool which is factual and credible like rankings, but much broader and more informative. In a rating system there can be multiple top-rated institutions and the university maintains control of the entire process.
The AppliedHE™ JOB-Ready Rating System is a rating system and much more.
Unique Selling Points
The AppliedHE™ Rating System primarily distinguishes itself in four main areas:
Rating Criteria
The Rating is designed to evaluate the outcomes and delivery of education programs. As a result its focus is on employability, entrepreneurship, interaction with industry and community, and on student, alumni and employer satisfaction. If an institution excels in these areas then the AppliedHE™ JOB-Ready Rating System is a great fit.
Employment Clusters
The AppliedHE™ JOB-Ready Rating System is centred on employability and therefore education programs are classified into Employment Clusters, rather than subjects. A prospective student (or employer) can identify the industry or sector they are interested in and then research the relevant AppliedHE™ JOB-Ready rated education programs. The use of Employment Clusters means that an institution can choose to rate selected programs in which it is particularly strong, or all programs to show strength across its offering. It also means that smaller programs can be highlighted, which might otherwise be ignored.
International Student and Employer Branding
The AppliedHE™ brand, including the AppliedHE™ JOB-Ready Rating, stands for high quality employment-focused higher education. AppliedHE™ is positioned towards students (and parents) who know in which industry they want to build a career and who are now seeking the best program to help realize those goals. AppliedHE™ also signals to employers that the institution’s graduates are work-place ready. The rating is therefore valuable for students seeking employment in another country and for employers seeking to recruit from abroad (or with plans to open facilities in a new market). In both cases the AppliedHE™ JOB-Ready Rating is an internationally recognized quality mark for programs that might otherwise not get noticed.
Stakeholder Intelligence
The AppliedHE™ JOB-Ready Rating system is based on surveys of all key stakeholder groups (student, alumni, faculty, employers, etc.) and therefore provides detailed insight into what these stakeholders are thinking and what their priorities, aspirations and concerns are. As an independent organisation, AppliedHE™ gathers and processes this information, providing an institution with unparalleled insight into the community that it serves. The AppliedHE™ JOB-Ready Rating is so much more than just a rating.
A Better Rating Process
The AppliedHE™ JOB-Ready Rating process consists of a mix of surveys and document/evidence submission (for faculty and the institution only) and it is comprehensive by including students, faculty, employers, alumni and faculty peers. This approach offers a number of advantages to institutions:
Less Administration, Faster Turn-Around
A significant amount of information for the rating is obtained directly from students, faculty, employers, etc. which means that the amount of information requested from the institution is significantly reduced. The main burden lies in providing contact information and running some internal publicity about the surveys. The JOB-Ready Rating process is highly automated, so once surveys have been completed and audited, the JOB-Ready Rating results can be announced relatively quickly. No site visits are required and the entire JOB-Ready Rating process can be completed in about 3 months.
Better Insights
Rather than asking your institution to prove to us things you already know, the surveys of students, employers, alumni and faculty often provide new insights for decision-makers. AppliedHE™ as an independent party can often solicit more honest responses and provides the institution with a multi-dimensional perspective on its programs. These insights are included in a very comprehensive Rating report.