With universities going through deep changes to keep pace with disruption – from the way they teach to the research they do – how they are ranked also needs to evolve.

Rankings need to go beyond just publications and citations, and instead take into account how a university works with industries, communities and government, and improves these areas.

Education Minister Ong Ye Kung made this call yesterday at an education summit at the National University of Singapore (NUS) that was organised by Times Higher Education, which publishes one of the world’s most recognised university rankings.

… Another aspect of collaboration is for universities to recognise the work of academia in industries and government, and encourage a flow of talent between the sectors.

An example of this was how Nanyang Technological University’s Mely Caballero Anthony was recently promoted to a full professor for her work outside of the university, in chairing the United Nations Advisory Board on Disarmament Matters in 2016, and having served as the director of external relations at the Asean Secretariat.