Rankings Independence Policy
HERA Rankings and HERA Advisory are separate. No payment, purchase or business relationship with HERA affects whether an institution is ranked, how it is scored, or where it is placed.
This policy applies to every HERA ranking in the Q1, Q2 and Q3 cycles. It also governs HERA's paid activities: HERA Advisory, events and sponsorship, HERA Nexus memberships and Student Services.
HERA's Commitments
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Equal terms for participation : Any participation fee is the same for every institution. It covers data processing only and is never linked to results, publication or recognition.
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Publication for every valid submission : Every eligible institution that completes a verified submission is published in the results. Publication never depends on membership or any purchase.
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No paid influence : Buying Advisory services, event places, sponsorship, advertising, badges or Nexus memberships does not affect eligibility, verification, scores or position. Not buying them carries no disadvantage.
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Separate people : Staff who set methodology, validate data or calculate scores do not work on Advisory engagements. Where full separation is not possible, the person concerned steps aside from scoring any Advisory client.
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Information barrier : Advisory staff cannot see unpublished ranking data, scores or planned methodology changes. Ranking submissions are never used in Advisory work without the institution's written consent.
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Limited Advisory scope : HERA Advisory does not offer any service aimed at improving a position in HERA Rankings. It gives no private guidance on HERA methodology, indicators or weights.
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One methodology for all : The methodology for each cycle is published before submissions open. No institution receives a private or advance version.
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Disclosure : In each published ranking, institutions that bought HERA Advisory services in the previous 24 months are marked with a symbol.
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Badges and certificates : Badges and certificates are offered on the same terms to every published institution and are never a condition of publication.
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Students : Student counselling and admissions support are not influenced by any commercial relationship with an institution. Where HERA has a referral or commission arrangement with an institution, the student is told before advice is given.
What HERA will never do
At HERA, we uphold the highest standards of independence, transparency, and fairness. To ensure absolute data integrity and trust, we strictly adhere to the following principles:
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No Guaranteed Rankings: We never sell, guarantee, or promise specific ranking positions under any circumstances.
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Equal Verification Standards: We never offer fast-tracked or lighter data verification in exchange for a fee. All data undergoes the same rigorous scrutiny.
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Strict Data Privacy: We never share one institution’s submitted data with another. Confidentiality is absolute.
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Unbiased Publication: We never allow sponsors or clients to preview results or data prior to official public release.
Oversight & Reporting a Concern
The Rankings Integrity function checks compliance with this policy and records every step-aside. Anyone can report a suspected breach to integrity@hera-global.org, anonymously if preferred. HERA publishes an annual independence statement listing the number of step-asides, complaints received and their outcomes.