The New Year period may be the fallow season for the publication of new league, but in many ways, it is the most important time of the year for universities to think about how they engage with the rankings process.

The academic reputation surveys that underpin the THE World University Rankings and QS World University Rankings are both in the field at present. The THE Academic Reputation Survey closes at the end of February.

As illustrated in the key piece of World 100 Research,  The Rankings Influencers, universities need to understand the methodologies of these surveys and develop strategies to maximise their reputational impact. Reputation scores make up 33% of the total scores for THE, and 50% for QS.

Universities have also been busy providing data for the next THE Impact Rankings. The second iteration of this league table will be published at the THE Innovation and Impact summit in Stockholm, 22-24 April.  W100 members took 4 out of the top 5 places in the 2019 Impact Rankings.