BRICS principles

BRICS PRINCIPLES in the implementation of activities for compiling public rankings, ratings and other assessments of higher education institutions (universities)

The role of higher education is steadily increasing across all spheres of life, leading to a growing demand for university assessments. These assessments are essential for comparison, decision-making, and understanding the dynamics of institutional development. They are utilized by applicants and their parents, employers, teachers and academia, authorities, analysts, media, and universities themselves.

Currently, there are numerous university assessment systems, primarily rankings. However, users often question their usefulness and credibility due to concerns about the objectivity of the assessments, potential conflicts of interest among authors, lack of guaranteed integrity and continuity in the assessment processes, and misunderstandings about the goals and methodologies of the assessors.

Despite the fact that authorities in many countries use university assessments for decision-making and financing development programs, no jurisdiction has yet established laws to regulate activities in the field of university assessment.

This document acknowledges the importance of various forms of university assessments without limiting their form, purpose, or methods.

However, a higher level of confidence is required for the practical application of these assessments.

This document is not intended to be a law or binding standard, nor does it restrict the creativity and scope of assessors and their work. Instead, it outlines a set of practical principles aimed at improving the quality of university assessments, protecting the interests of their users, and increasing public awareness and understanding.

Assessors who support these principles have the opportunity to publish regular transparency reports that highlight specific actions taken to adhere to these principles and the results achieved. The experience gained by assessors will contribute to the further development of this document and the embodiment of its specific practices and rules.

PRINCIPLES

Authorship of the assessment: A public assessment cannot be anonymous.

Assessment purposes: Users must be clearly informed about the semantic content of the assessments, including which aspects of the university are evaluated, the specific audience’s viewpoint for each assessment, the form of the assessment, and the underlying assumptions.

Minimizing conflicts of interest: Users should be informed about potential stakeholder influences and the measures taken to minimize such risks.

Assessment process design: Users should have access to the assessment methodology, understand how the assessments are conducted, and know what data is used. They should also be able to provide critical feedback and suggestions.

Quality assurance and compliance: Users should be informed about the measures taken by assessors to ensure both internal and, if possible, external control.

Presentation of assessment results: Information about the assessment and its results should be easily accessible as an open publication, with efforts made to inform as many users as possible.

Commitment of assessors: Assessors who endorse these principles recognize their responsibility for the quality of published assessments and ensure the continuity of their activities.