What makes globally ranked universities: A global understanding, to begin with...

We often wonder what makes globally ranked universities...the simple answer is global understanding of knowledge and its applications, to begin with. 

Here is University of Liverpool using one of my articles in their PG course on 'Critical thinking in an age of fake news and false information' (I am reasonably sure no Indian university has one such course), or University of Rome, Tor Vergata listed another of my article on Research, Science and Knowledge.

These articles were published in 2017; but used in universities to foster critical thinking - the only meaningful outcomes universities have been engaged in since time immortal.

Such examples are aplenty. University of Liverpool is consistentky among top 100-200 ranks as per QS, THE or Shanghai Rankings; University of Rome, Tor Vergata - in spite of a new generation unniversity as was founded in 1982 is already in top 100 emerging university category, other than being among top 500 again.

The one thing that pains me the most in Indian universities is how less we know and understand rest of the world. Our chest-thumping media, policy-makers or even universities believe the world starts and ends with India. Unfortunately, that's not the case. Rest of the world truly cares about knowledge, seeking truth, understanding topical issues - with a global perspective, honestly and genuinely.

I believe in India we have an obsession which always seems to be glamorous - to be on the High Table (sort of UNP5), but without caring much or seeing what deserves to be among the global top table. I suggested long back that as a policy researcher why I worry much more on quality of primary and secondary education...how many articles we see on India's PISA/global rank of primary and secondary education vis-a-vis on globally ranked universities? The answer is obvious. We have, had and continue having same old wrong and disastrous policies, the results will be disastrous is obvious.