Frequently Asked Questions

HERA stands for Higher Education Research & Analytics, a global platform that brings together institutional rankings, higher-education intelligence, student engagement and career services within one focused global ecosystem connecting universities, students and opportunity. HERA operates through four integrated business verticals (HERA Rankings, HERA Nexus, HERA Student & Career Services, and HERA Institutional Intelligence) designed around institutional performance, student engagement and higher-education opportunity.

Unlike traditional ranking organizations, HERA is more than just a rankings publisher – it’s a comprehensive ecosystem for higher education. HERA not only releases global university rankings but also hosts conferences, summits, and roundtables that foster collaboration among academia and policymakers. It emphasizes forward-looking themes like sustainability, innovation, and societal impact alongside academic excellence. HERA’s approach is holistic and collaborative, focusing on metrics that encourage universities to contribute to society and the planet, not just compete for prestige. In short, HERA distinguishes itself by combining a global rankings platform with a worldwide network of thought leaders, thereby helping institutions not only measure their success but also improve through shared insights and partnerships.

HERA provides a range of consulting and support services geared towards institutional improvement. Through its Consultancy Hub, HERA offers performance audits, competitive analysis, branding and reputation strategy, and data analytics support for universities. The HERA Consultancy360 framework, for example, is designed to amplify an institution’s reputation and position it for long-term impact on the global stage. Paid Consulting Services do not impact Rankings.

The nine rankings are organised into three cycles: Q1 - Sustainability, Smart Campus and AI & Innovation; Q2 - Research Power, Industry Collaboration and Global Resonance; Q3 - Graduate Success, Student Experience and CARE. Each cycle uses one consolidated institutional submission supporting three focused assessments.

HERA’s rankings use a broad set of criteria that capture the many roles of a modern university. While specific metrics can vary by ranking category, the Global Education Rankings (HERA’s overall world ranking) assess key areas such as teaching quality, research output and impact, graduate employability, global reputation, and societal contribution. In practice, this means HERA looks at factors like faculty credentials, research publications and citations, how well graduates do in their careers, international diversity on campus, and how universities serve their communities. Specialized rankings have additional criteria relevant to their theme. For example, the Sustainability Rankings consider metrics related to environmental stewardship and social impact (like carbon neutrality efforts, resource efficiency, curriculum integration of sustainability). The CARE Rankings consider measures of equity, student support services, well-being programs, and campus safety. Overall, HERA’s evaluation framework is comparative and data-driven, using both quantitative data and qualitative inputs (such as stakeholder surveys) to ensure a comprehensive assessment. This approach ensures that universities are evaluated on factors that matter to students, employers, and society at large, not just on traditional academic indicators.

HERA’s methodology is unique in that it is holistic and forward-looking. It was built on the philosophy that rankings should be instruments for meaningful progress rather than mere prestige contests. Concretely, this means HERA incorporates factors that other rankings might overlook – like sustainability, inclusivity, and real-world impact – alongside classical metrics. The methodology is designed to “illuminate what matters, encourage what is overlooked, reward what is impactful, and inspire what is possible”. Unlike some rankings that focus narrowly on research prestige or student selectivity, HERA aims for a balanced view: it is global yet fair, rigorous yet empathetic, quantitative yet contextual, and competitive yet collaborative. This balance allows emerging institutions or those with unique missions to gain recognition for their contributions. For example, a university excelling in community engagement or environmental innovation can be rewarded in HERA’s framework even if it’s younger or smaller. Additionally, HERA emphasizes transparency and adaptability – data submission is structured and includes validation steps and stakeholder surveys to capture authentic perspectives. HERA’s methodology stands out for measuring true excellence in a 360-degree way, highlighting how universities advance knowledge, support their people, and benefit the planet, not just how many papers they publish.

Participating in HERA’s rankings is a straightforward and transparent process. Your university would need to submit verified institutional data through HERA’s submission portal during the Q1 (January - April), Q2 (May -August), and/or Q3 (September - December) submission window. To get started, you can contact HERA (hello@hera-global.org) or register interest through the website.

Achieving a strong placement in HERA’s rankings can yield significant benefits for an institution. Firstly, it is a form of global recognition – HERA’s Global Education Rankings are positioned as a worldwide benchmark of excellence, so being listed (especially with a high rank or in a top category) showcases your university’s leadership among distinguished institutions. This visibility can enhance your reputation with prospective students, faculty recruits, and international partners. HERA also profiles ranked institutions on its platform, providing exposure through dedicated institutional summaries, digital badges, and publicity in ranking releases. Secondly, beyond the prestige, HERA gives valuable feedback. Institutions receive a multidimensional diagnostic profile indicating strengths and areas for growth across metrics like academic excellence, employability, inclusivity, sustainability, and more. This acts as a roadmap for continuous improvement and strategic planning. In essence, participation isn’t just about an award; it’s about understanding your performance in depth. Additionally, HERA’s focus on meaningful criteria means that a good ranking reflects true impact – for instance, a high Sustainability Ranking would signal to stakeholders that your campus is a leader in climate action and social responsibility, which can attract like-minded students, faculty, and funding opportunities. Finally, being involved with HERA often opens up networking opportunities. Ranked universities become part of HERA’s global network or “membership,” gaining access to events and partnerships focused on best practices. a HERA ranking boosts your credibility and visibility globally, provides strategic insights, and connects you with a movement of institutions striving for excellence and innovation in higher education.

Yes - in fact, HERA makes a point to recognize the achievements of young universities. Many newer institutions (those established in the 21st century) are rapidly rising in prominence, and HERA highlights this through special analyses. For example, HERA published a Global Ranking of the Top 20 Young Universities (established after 2000). This ranking showcases how these agile, up-and-coming universities are “punching above their weight” and often setting new benchmarks for innovation and impact. The analysis found that young universities thrive by adopting fresh approaches, forging industry ties, and focusing on student-centered learning, thereby rivaling or even surpassing some older institutions. Metrics were tailored to reflect their strengths – such as graduate employability, research impact, return on investment for students, and student satisfaction – demonstrating that younger schools can excel on multiple fronts. The results (which saw universities like PSL Research University Paris and Sorbonne University ranking at the top) underscore that age is not a barrier in HERA’s evaluations. Beyond this specific list, HERA’s general methodology, with its holistic approach, allows newer institutions to gain recognition especially if they are innovative or mission-driven. For instance, an institution founded recently but focusing heavily on cutting-edge research or sustainability could score very well in the Research Power or Sustainability Rankings. HERA provides a level playing field where new universities that are dynamic and forward-thinking have a real opportunity to shine, sometimes even outpacing venerable institutions in certain categories.

HERA operates through three annual ranking cycles: Q1 from January–April, Q2 from May–August and Q3 from September–December. Each specialised ranking is positioned within its respective annual cycle.

HERA employs several practices to keep its rankings fair, transparent, and credible. First, the data collection process is clear and open: universities submit their data through a structured portal, and HERA discloses the criteria and metrics being used. All submissions undergo a thorough validation – HERA’s team verifies the data, cross-checks evidence, and may use independent bibliometric indicators or third-party sources to corroborate claims. This multi-stage verification (including expert review) helps prevent any skewed or false data from affecting the results. Second, HERA integrates stakeholder surveys and global benchmarking in the evaluation. By capturing feedback from students, faculty, or employers and comparing institutions against global peers, the rankings account for qualitative aspects and context, reducing biases that could favor only one type of institution. Third, HERA’s methodology itself is built to be globally inclusive and contextually adaptive. This means it considers diverse institution types (research universities, teaching-focused colleges, etc.) and different regions, striving for apples-to-apples comparisons. They explicitly aim for “global fairness” by integrating forward-looking indicators that acknowledge each institution’s mission and environment. Finally, HERA is open about the purpose and limitations of its rankings. The legal and policy information notes that rankings are based on data submissions, surveys, and research, and while HERA works to verify accuracy, the rankings are ultimately an independent assessment (not an absolute truth). through transparent criteria, verified data, peer benchmarking, and a balanced framework, HERA takes care to ensure that its rankings are trusted by universities and stakeholders as a fair measure of performance.

Promoting sustainability and innovation is at the heart of HERA’s mission – it does so through both its rankings and its events/initiatives. On the rankings side, HERA created the dedicated Sustainability Rankings to assess how universities are tackling environmental and social challenges. This ranking measures things like climate action on campus, green practices, and community impact, effectively encouraging institutions to integrate Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into their operations and curricula. By benchmarking and celebrating leaders in sustainability, HERA incentivizes others to adopt similar practices. Likewise, HERA’s Smart Campus Rankings emphasize innovation by recognizing universities that leverage technology and connectivity to redefine campus life. This shines a spotlight on digital transformation in education – from smart classrooms to campus data analytics – pushing universities to modernize and innovate in how they deliver education. Beyond rankings, HERA infuses sustainability and innovation themes into its events. For instance, the HERA Pulse summit in Doha focuses on Artificial Intelligence for Sustainable Education, exploring how AI can help achieve equitable and resilient learning environments. Meanwhile, HERA’s conferences often discuss emerging tech (like AI, data science, EdTech) and pressing global issues (like climate change, social inclusion in education) in the same forum, bridging the two. HERA also facilitates knowledge exchange on these topics through webinars, workshops, and newsletters as part of its membership benefits. Essentially, HERA acts as a catalyst: it provides frameworks (through rankings) for universities to strive towards sustainability and innovation benchmarks, and it provides platforms (through events and networks) for sharing breakthrough ideas and strategies. Over time, HERA aims to build a movement in higher education – where sustainability is not an afterthought but a key metric of success, and where embracing innovation is standard. By participating in HERA’s initiatives, institutions signal their commitment to these values and gain access to best practices from around the world. The net effect is a higher education community that’s collectively more future-oriented and responsible, which is exactly what HERA envisions.

Yes, HERA actively welcomes collaboration with leading institutions, and many of its events are organized in partnership with universities or other organizations. In the descriptions of HERA’s summits, it’s noted that they are “organized in partnership with leading institutions globally,” indicating that universities often co-host or contribute to these events. For example, if HERA is bringing a summit to a particular country or region, they might partner with a prominent university there to serve as a co-host, venue provider, or academic partner for the content. Collaboration can take several forms: hosting (providing the venue and local logistics at your campus or city), sponsoring (contributing resources or funding in exchange for visibility and participation benefits), or program partnering (helping shape the agenda, speakers, or workshops through your experts). By collaborating, your university would get the benefit of showcasing itself on a global stage – partners are usually acknowledged in the event materials and often get speaking opportunities or extra delegate slots. It’s also a chance to bring global thought leadership to your doorstep; for instance, co-hosting a HERA roundtable means world-class educators and policy makers might visit your campus. To initiate such collaboration, you can reach out to HERA’s event coordination team (their website provides contact info) and express your interest in partnering for an upcoming event or propose a new one. Since HERA’s mission is to unite thought leaders, they are typically enthusiastic about equitable partnerships that further that goal. Keep in mind that HERA likely looks for alignment in values and strengths – for example, a university known for entrepreneurship might collaborate on an innovation summit, or a university with a strong sustainability program might co-host a green campus conference. not only can your university participate in HERA events, but it can also play an active role in shaping and hosting those events, leveraging them to boost your own global engagement. This collaborative spirit is part of HERA’s DNA, as it believes that genuine partnerships amplify the impact of its initiatives.

Absolutely. While HERA often works at the institutional level, it provides avenues for individual involvement as well. For researchers and faculty members, HERA’s events are a prime opportunity – you can attend global conferences to share your insights or even speak if you have expertise in the event’s theme. Many HERA events feature breakout sessions or poster presentations where individual research can be showcased. Moreover, HERA’s emphasis on building a network means they value contributions from individual scholars; for instance, if you have innovative research on higher education or leadership, engaging with HERA could get your work in front of university decision-makers worldwide. For students, HERA is equally welcoming. Through the HERA Club membership (which, as mentioned, is open to students), you can gain access to resources like articles, guides, or even scholarship and career advice updates. In fact, HERA’s terms outline that they provide student resources (e.g. guides, scholarship updates) and even career counseling and admissions support, indicating that part of their services is geared towards individual student success. Students can also participate in surveys or competitions that HERA might run as part of their research (HERA often collects student feedback as part of ranking surveys, and engaging in those is a way to have your voice heard in shaping rankings). The first step is often to join the HERA Club or subscribe to their communications. From there, you can attend events, volunteer for HERA initiatives, contribute to discussions, or simply make use of the knowledge and opportunities HERA provides. By engaging with HERA as an individual, you become part of a global conversation on improving higher education and can build relationships that might benefit your academic or professional journey.

No. Advisory and Rankings are separate. Buying any HERA service never affects eligibility, scores or position.