This book, written by three generations of rankings academics with considerable experience from three very different regions of the globe, lifts the lid on the real impact of higher education ranking systems (HERS) on universities and their stakeholders. It critically analyses the criteria that make up the 'Big Three' global ranking systems and, using interviews with senior administrators, academics and managers, discusses their impact on universities from four very different continents. Higher education continues to be dominated by a reputational hierarchy of institutions that sustains and is reinforced by HERS. Despite all the opinions and arguments about the legitimacy of the rankings as a construct, it seems experts agree that they are here to stay. The question, therefore, seems to be less about whether or not universities should be compared and ranked, but the manner in which this is undertaken. Delivering a fresh perspective on global rankings, this book summarizes the development of HERS and provides a critical evaluation of the effects of HERS on four different major regions - South Africa, the Arab region, South East Asia, and Australia. It will appeal to any academic, student, university administrator or governing body interested in or affected by global higher education ranking systems.

This book, written by three generations of rankings academics with considerable experience from three very different regions of the globe, lifts the lid on the real impact of higher education ranking systems (HERS) on universities and their stakeholders. It critically analyses the criteria that make up the 'Big Three' global ranking systems and, using interviews with senior administrators, academics and managers, discusses their impact on universities from four very different continents. Higher education continues to be dominated by a reputational hierarchy of institutions that sustains and is reinforced by HERS. Despite all the opinions and arguments about the legitimacy of the rankings as a construct, it seems experts agree that they are here to stay. The question, therefore, seems to be less about whether or not universities should be compared and ranked, but the manner in which this is undertaken. Delivering a fresh perspective on global rankings, this book summarizes the development of HERS and provides a critical evaluation of the effects of HERS on four different major regions - South Africa, the Arab region, South East Asia, and Australia. It will appeal to any academic, student, university administrator or governing body interested in or affected by global higher education ranking systems.

Delivering quality education to students while remaining competitive at an international level is only one of the many challenges universities face today. To attain their goals, universities must adopt new strategies to achieve academic excellence. World University Rankings and the Future of Higher Education is a pivotal reference source for the latest scholarly research on the implementation of a ranking system for higher education institutions, providing a thorough overview of the impacts of these rankings on educational quality. Exploring the benefits and challenges of this system in a global context, this book is ideally designed for academicians, researchers, students, administrators, and policy makers interested in the effects of university rankings in the education sector and beyond.

This Spy novel is the first bio-industrial espionage cloning thriller to date. Its nail-biting labyrinthine plot is fueled by greed, conspiracy, betrayal, revenge, and murder. The dangerous fusion of information and life sciences in a new millennium of uncertainty sets the stage for this riveting, one of a kind spy-clone thriller and a cyclone of international intrigue.

Plant galls are remarkable objects, often beautiful and sometimes bizarre. They are formed of plant tissue but are caused by another organism, usually an insect or mite, and, thus, they straddle the worlds of botany and zoology. Knowledge of galls has a long history, since the 5th century BC. First used as herbal medicines and later for dyeing cloth and leather and for ink-making, their true nature remained obscure until well into the 19th century - they, and the creatures inside, were generally regarded as objects of superstitions, arising by spontaneous generation.

Against this background of ignorance, Malpighi's "De Gallis," published in 1679, is a remarkable work. He investigated gall structure and studied galls as they grew, describing and illustrating them so accurately that most of them can be recognised today. Thereafter, knowledge regressed; Malpighi's understanding of galls reached levels not attained again for 200 years. His understanding gave the study of galls a scientific basis well ahead of its time, and it with justification that Malpighi is recognised as the father of cecidology.

Although most of the galls Malpighi described are on oak trees, he also looked at galls on other plants, herbaceous species as well as other trees. Most galls familiar to him are caused by cynipid wasps, which he saw emerging from their galls as well as laying eggs in buds. But he appreciated too that other creatures could cause galls, other insects and mites, although he did not name them specifically.

The core of this work is "De Gallis," one of the chapters of Malpighi's major work on plants, "Anatomes Plantarum," and richly illustrated with 67 figures in 15 plates. This was published in 1679 by the Royal Society of London, and a facsimile of the first edition is included here. A translation of the original Latin follows the facsimile with an interpretation interleaved on facing pages. This allows the translation to lead directly to the recognition of each gall that Malpighi described and enables any difficult or obscure parts of the text to be explained. Most of the galls are illustrated in colour, allowing direct comparison between Malpighi's drawings and modern images.

The importance of "De Gallis" in the history of natural history is indisputable. It is remarkable that, in the 17th century, Malpighi's understanding of galls and how they developed is close to modern interpretations. De Gallis has not received the recognition it deserves because the Latin text remained inaccessible to most people. This English translation and interpretation of the galls familiar to Malpighi should make De Gallis and its meticulous illustrations available to a wider audience.