While academics and university administrators often criticize rankings, league tables have become important tools for student decision-making, especially in the Chinese sector. Yet, research has not fully explored how students in China have engaged with both global and local rankings, as most studies have focused on one setting or the other.…

The concept of the world-class university has proliferated throughout the world, yet there is no universal consensus on how to define these elite institutions. Without a unified definition, rankings have become a direct proxy for sense-making in the sector and a commensurate indicator that decision-makers have used to understand the world-class…