Rankings That Reflect What Actually Matters

Across the world, university rankings often claim to promote transparency. Yet one of the most fundamental distinctions in higher education is frequently overlooked: the difference between public and private universities.

At AppliedHE, we chose early on to challenge this convention. We believe universities should be assessed according to their mission, context, and role within society. They should not be forced into a single framework for convenience.

Public universities typically carry national responsibilities for research, scale, and system-wide capacity building. Private universities, meanwhile, play an increasingly important role in expanding access, strengthening teaching quality, and delivering employability- and industry-aligned outcomes.

Our goal remains constant: to produce rankings that reflect how universities actually function, not how they are most easily compared.