battery story – did you know that there is actually 10 times more graphite than lithium inside a lithium-ion battery?

Posted by admin | Posted on 14-04-2011

Category : Region III

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,

battery story – did you know that there is actually 10 times more graphite than lithium inside a lithium-ion battery?

Today I want to look at China’s dominance of critical raw materials for clean-tech. Most people think that they left graphite behind when they graduated from pencils to pens early on in their school days, but the truth is that this slippery substance remains a crucial part of our daily lives. Consider the laptop computer, which has by and large replaced pens for most of us over the past decade — did you know that there is actually 10 times more graphite than lithium inside a lithium-ion battery?

Graphite has long been a key ingredient in steel, castings, lubricants, vehicle brakes, golf clubs, tennis rackets and — no surprise — pencils. But this polymer of carbon — a chemically identical sibling of both diamonds and coal — will become increasingly important in coming years due to its chemical, electrical and thermal properties. Its ability to remain stable in ordinary corrosive environments, conduct electricity and resist heat allow it to serve as a key component in applications like the storage toshiba Pa3534u-1bas battery and nuclear electricity generation stations that will power us into the future.

Coal powered the Industrial Revolution; its chemical twin, graphite, will be of great value in constructing the components of the clean-energy economy, making graphite a true diamond in the rough!

While one may assume that it is as common as the dirt that it somewhat resembles, the supply of graphite is far from infinite. Natural graphite comes in several forms: Flake, amorphous and lump. Of the one million tons of graphite that are processed each year, just 40% is of the most desirable flake type. Only flake and synthetic graphite (made through an expensive process from petroleum coke) can be used in lithium-ion batteries. Graphite mining and processing are limited to a relatively small handful of countries, with China currently producing 70% of the total global supply.

Demand for lithium-ion batteries will increase rapidly as battery power (electricity) supplements, and will even replace gasoline- and diesel-fueled internal combustion engines in vehicles as “green energy” expands. While hybrid automobiles such as the Toyota Prius have used nickel-metal hydride batteries for more than a decade, newer hybrid models like the Chevy Volt, as well as battery-only electric-drive vehicles like the Tesla Roadster and the Nissan Leaf, rely upon the more efficient lithium-ion batteries that will almost certainly be employed in all hybrid or fully electric vehicles in just a few short years. Large-flake graphite will be very much in demand to produce the hundreds of millions of lithium-ion batteries required for these automobiles.

Governmental bodies are taking notice of just how crucial secure supplies of graphite are. Graphite prices have been increasing in recent months, and investors’ interest in this industry is almost certain to climb as word spreads about the impending boom in demand and the companies that will be making moves to meet it.

A Slippery Supply

Global graphite production has held steady at approximately one million tons per year over the past decade. The weak demand in the first half of the 2000s, combined with relatively low prices, led to little investment and development of graphite mining and processing capabilities over this time span. Many graphite-producing countries saw a steady drop in annual production between 2001 and 2008, including the Czech Republic, Russia, Madagascar, Zimbabwe, Canada and Mexico. Taking up the slack over this period were the Ukraine, Brazil, India and North Korea. China saw some peaks and valleys in production during this time, but currently produces nearly four-fifths of the world’s total supply of graphite, keeping 60% of this output for its own manufacturing requirements.

Japan, the U.S., Europe, South Korea and Taiwan — each of which has an economically significant and well-developed steel industry — import significant quantities of graphite from China. While China is the dominant player in the graphite game, 70% of its production is of the amorphous and lower-value small-flake graphite that is used in industrial applications rather than in batteries.

At this point in time, the fragmented nature and seasonality of its graphite production base raise some doubts that China will be able to increase its output; in fact, China itself currently imports a significant amount of North Korea’s graphite production. Producers in other regions of the world will need to step up their efforts to meet demand, which will require significant investment.

Increasing Applications Driving Demand

Graphite has long been a key component for the aviation, automotive, steel and plastic industries, as well as in the manufacture of bearings and lubricants. High-purity large-flake graphite is essential for the production of the lithium-ion batteries that are crucial to the consumer electronics industry. Demand for this form of graphite will rise rapidly as production of larger batteries for vehicular propulsion comes online.

Currently, the iron and steel industries are the largest consumers of graphite. But demand for graphite has been rising for other applications — researchers in the field of material science continue to find new uses for this durable, heat-resistant, electricity-conducting substance. Graphite will be used in the construction of next-generation nuclear reactors, which are expected to reach temperatures as high as 1,000 degrees Celsius in their cores — triple the temperature of today’s reactors.

Graphite is one of the few substances that can resist such heat. It has already replaced asbestos as a health-risk improvement in automotive brake linings and pads. As the standard of living rises in developing nations like Brazil, Russia, India and China, many more vehicles of all types will be added to the world’s roadways, increasing demand. Few people realize that 84% of the world’s total population lives in emerging-market countries.

Of course, it is expected that a rapidly growing number of automobiles will utilize extensive lithium-ion battery systems to assist with or singlehandedly provide propulsion, which is where the single-greatest increase in graphite demand is anticipated. At present, 2% of all new vehicles sold are gas-electric hybrids, plug-in hybrids or battery-only full-electric drive — most of which still use nickel-metal hydride batteries. It is projected that by 2020, these types of automobiles will represent 5-18% of all sales and almost exclusively be powered by lithium-ion batteries, which are both lighter and more powerful than nickel-metal hydride ones. With 70 million vehicles forecast to be sold in 2020, vast amounts of graphite will be required to manufacture the lithium-ion batteries that will power many of them.

Emerging fuel cell technologies also rely heavily on graphite. One of the more promising types under development, the proton exchange membrane fuel cell, requires 100 pounds of graphite per vehicle. Fuel cells will also be used for stationary power generation, as utility providers seek to overcome the inherent inefficiencies around electricity transmission to remote locations.

Perhaps the single greatest testimony to graphite’s importance is the concern that governmental bodies have shown about its important role in security. A 2010 European Commission study regarding  the criticality of 41 different materials to the European economy included graphite among the 14 materials high in both economic importance and supply risk. A recent WikiLeaks posting revealed that a list known as the Critical Foreign Dependencies Initiative developed by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the State Department included graphite mines in China among those overseas sites that could damage American interests if terrorists were to disable them. The U.S. military will also increasingly rely on graphite for battery and fuel cell applications, as the armed forces lessen their dependence on petroleum.

Intriguing Prospects

Top Stock Pick

China Carbon Graphite Group, Inc. (CHGI.OB), through its affiliate Xingyong Carbon Co. Ltd., manufactures graphite electrodes, fine-grain graphite, high-purity graphite and other carbon-derived products at its Inner Mongolia facility. The company believes that it is the largest wholesale supplier of fine-grain graphite and high-purity graphite in China. The company reported dramatically higher sales and earnings for the quarter ending September 30, 2010.

Additionally, China Carbon Graphite has started building new forming and baking plants in order to meet the growing demand for high-purity (and higher gross margin) products in the global market. Construction of the new forming plant, which will produce large-size ultra-high-graphite electrodes as well as high-purity and fine-grain graphite, is slated to be completed by June 2011. The new baking plant will have 36 furnaces and include 30,000 tons of annual capacity, making it the largest baking plant in China’s graphite industry.

The company noted in its recently-filed 10-Q that steel plants in China have been upgrading their electric-arc furnace facilities, which has boosted demand for large-size ultra-high graphite electrodes, a unique and specialized product. China’s steel industry, far and away the world’s largest, is today rapidly evolving into an industry, like that of the U.S., where electric-arc furnaces requiring graphite electrodes in huge quantities will ultimately be the dominant type of steel furnace used. This is inevitable, as the Chinese steel industry begins to utilize not only imported scrap steel and iron but, soon, domestically produced scrap as well. Shortages have developed and are expected to continue. Earnings could rise materially once these new plants are brought online.

The company’s long-term strategy is to diversify and expand its product offering by manufacturing graphite that would be used as a reflector or moderator in nuclear reactors in China — a product that would have significantly higher profit margins than its current offerings. At present, there are 11 nuclear power plants in China, with 15 more plants currently under construction — and only one other manufacturer of nuclear graphite pure enough for use in these plants. The company works with Hunan University and Qinghua University to research and develop nuclear-grade graphite.

China Carbon Graphite has approximately 550 full-time employees and a market capitalization of million, and the shares trade at just over a dollar. This price could easily triple once the company begins to sell nuclear-grade graphite.

While some investors are wary of investing in Chinese companies due to the risks and volatility in China’s economy, CHGI represents a compelling speculation in the rapidly expanding global graphite industry. It is reassuring to know that internationally-recognized accounting firm BDO is the company’s auditor of record.

Lower Risk Pick

GrafTech International Limited (GTI), based in Parma, Ohio, is another strong graphite stock pick. Founded in 1886, GrafTech is one of the world’s largest manufacturers and providers of high-quality synthetic and natural graphite and carbon-based products. It has four major product categories — graphite electrodes, refractory products, advanced graphite materials and natural graphite — that it manufactures in 11 facilities on four continents, with customers in about 65 countries.

This low-cost global producer has a reputation for product quality, value and service excellence. It is one of the world’s largest manufacturers and providers of advanced graphite and carbon materials for the transportation, solar, and oil and gas industries. Approximately 70% of the graphite electrodes that it sells are consumed in the EAF steel melting process, the steelmaking technology used by “mini-mills.” According to the company’s most recent annual report, it operates “one of the world’s most technologically sophisticated advanced natural graphite production lines.”

The company’s share price has been hovering near recently, and the current market capitalization is .4 billion. The stock is very heavily held by institutions such as The Vanguard Group, William Blair & Co. and Calamos Advisors. GrafTech appears to be very well positioned to fully capitalize on the favorable outlook for the graphite Gateway btp-68b3 battery industry and the recovering global economy. Indeed, several analysts are projecting robust long-term sales and earnings growth for GrafTech.

Quality Speculation

Northern Graphite Corporation (not yet trading) is a mineral exploration and development company based in Ontario, Canada, that holds a 100% interest in mining claims for the Bissett Creek Project. The Bissett Creek Project consists of approximately 1,343 hectares near Mattawa, Ontario, that contain large crystal graphite flakes in a graphitic gneiss deposit.

Moreover, the company’s prospectus indicates that the mine’s assumed life should exceed 40 years, making Bissett Creek the only significant North American high-purity graphite producer. The deposit is near surface and only 10% of the property has been drilled to date. The project is ideally situated near the Trans-Canada Highway, with rail and power lines close by. Major graphite users in the steel and automotive sectors are in close proximity. These shares could quickly climb from the .50 IPO offering price once it begins trading in January 2011.

The company is about to complete a multimillion-dollar public offering of common stock, and plans to use the proceeds to conduct metallurgical testing, prepare a pre-feasibility project report, and continue drilling and bulk sampling onsite  Acer,. This project is unique in that almost 90% of the anticipated production is expected to be large-flake, very high-purity graphite that should command a premium price on the market.

Graphite is one of the quintessential wonder materials of today that will only become more important moving forward. While the supply  HP, Dell,has proven adequate over the past decade, demand will increase significantly across all sectors of the industry in the years ahead. Already, prices are on the rise, with the best quality large-flake graphite rising in price from a low of ,350 to more than ,000 per ton during the fourth quarter of 2010 alone. New supply sources will be needed to meet this uptick in demand — existing mining, processing companies and startups alike will require investment. The prudent investor will not want to miss out on this overlooked opportunity. The demand for metals and minerals is now fed by the insatiable economies of southeast Asia and Brazil. There is a lag between increasing supply and demand that leads to long-term price growth for producers of such natural resources.

 


Article from articlesbase.com

More Ohio Northern University Articles

Have Some High Times With the High Stepping Tennessee Walker

Posted by admin | Posted on 03-04-2011

Category : Region II

Tags: , , , , ,

Have Some High Times With the High Stepping Tennessee Walker

In the early 1800s, Narragansett Pacers and Canadian Pacers were crossbred by breeders in the U.S. state of Tennessee while looking for a horse that could handle the hilly terrain of the area. Confederate Pacers and Union Trotters were added to the gene pool during the Civil War, creating the sturdy Southern Plantation Horse, which was also known as the Tennessee Pacer. Thoroughbred, Standardbred, Morgan, and American Saddlebreds were later added to refine and add stamina to this gaited horse. In 1885, a colt named Black Allen out of the Hambletonian family of Standardbreds and a Morgan mare was born. He became the foundation sire of the Tennessee Walking Horse, also known as the Tennessee Walker, or TWH.

The Tennessee Walking Horse Breeders’ and Exhibitors’ Association (TWHBEA) is the official registry and was founded in 1935. Headquartered in Tennessee, it is the oldest organization devoted to the Tennessee Walking Horse. In order to maintain breed purity, the stud book was closed in 1947 and now every TWH born after that date must have both parents registered with TWHBEA in order to be registered themselves. There are more than 430,000 registered Tennessee Walkers throughout the world and the breed has become the second-fastest growing breed in the nation.

Every year, a ten-day exhibition in the town of Shelbyville, Tennessee called the “Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration” draws over 30,000 breeders, exhibitors, and spectators. The show is so large that Shelbyville bills itself as the “Walking Horse Capital of the World,” and now the Tennessee Walker is the official state horse of Tennessee.

The Tennessee Walker is a tall horse ranging from 13.2 to 18 hands with an average of 15-17 hands high and a weight of 900 to 1200 pounds. It has a long neck, a long sloping shoulder, a long sloping hip, a fairly short back and an elongated stride. The head is traditionally large but refined and has small well-placed ears. At least 20 color choices are available. Black, roan, chestnut sorrel, bay, champagne and pinto are the most common. The TWHBEA now recognizes the sabino pattern since many past registered roans were actually sabinos.

A TWH foal is never gray at birth but may begin to turn gray when the foal coat is shed or maybe not until several years later. When they start to turn gray, it is progressive and they continue to lighten until they are nearly white. If they are white with specks of color, they are referred to as a flea bitten gray. The birth color remains on the registration if the foal turns gray, but gray is then added to the base color, i.e., black/gray, palomino/gray, etc.

The Tennessee Walker has three distinct gaits: the flat foot walk, the running walk or “big lick”, and the rocking horse canter, all of which the breed is famous for, with the running walk being an inherited, natural gait unique to this breed. Many are also able to perform the rack, stepping pace, fox-trot, single-foot and other variations of the famous running walk.

The Flat Walk is a brisk, 4 to 8 mile an hour, long-reaching four-cornered gait where each foot hits the ground separately at regular intervals. The action of the back foot slipping over the front foot’s track is known as overstride and is unique to this breed. A Tennessee Walking Horse will nod its head and swing its ears in rhythm with the cadence of its feet. This distinctive nodding head motion, along with overstride, are two features that are unique to the Tennessee Walking Horse.

The Running Walk is the extra-smooth, gliding gait for which the walking horse is most noted and is referred to as “big lick”. It is the same as the flat walk only at 10-20 miles per hour. As the speed increases, the horse overstrides the front track with the back by between 6 to 18 inches. The running walk has a motion that gives the rider a feeling of gliding through the air and the Tennessee Walker will continue to nod and swing its ears during this gait. Some horses even click their teeth during the big lick.

The Canter is much the same as other breeds, but the Tennessee Walker seems to do it in a more relaxed way. This gait gives the rider a feeling of ease with lots of spring and rhythm. In fact, the canter lifts the front of the body, giving an easy rise and fall motion that gives it the “rocking-chair” name.

The TWH easily adapts to both English and Western tack and attire and there are two main categories of competition under both disciplines: Performance and Flat Shod.

The Flat Shod variety has grown tremendously popular due to the easy training of the breed without the need of a professional trainer, and the naturally inherited gaits with no foot enhancements, although the plantation class may wear a heavier shoe. If used for pleasure riding, no special shoes are required, although when they are shod, it will be at a slightly lower angle with more natural toe than some of the other western type horses. A record of these angles and foot lengths should be kept handy for when the farrier comes by.

The Performance Horse (sometimes referred to as padded or built up) is shown in English attire and tack. It executes the basic gaits with flashier and more animated movements, particularly the “big lick.” They appear to sit on their hind quarters, lifting their front feet high off the ground. They may also use tail braces.

Additionally, Performance horses are shod in double and triple-nailed tall pads to add dimension to the hoof to provide a sounder base and to change certain angles and paths in the motion of the front hooves. Additionally, lightweight chains, or “action devices” are worn around the fetlocks of the front legs to accentuate the gaits to make them showier. Pads are training devices and an integral part of the training because when utilized properly, they can aid greatly in accentuating the gaits of the show horse. However, their effectiveness will vary with the individual horse.

However, there is a dark side to the Tennessee Walking Horse’s showy gaits. The use of pads and the accompanying chains that go with them is highly controversial, since some people put irritating chemicals on the pasterns to make them sensitive and sore when the chains touch. The practice has become so widespread that USDA inspectors are now attending shows to look for evidence of “soring” which is the illegal practice of deliberately injuring a horse’s front feet to get it to step higher.” Some owners even use eye drops to temporarily blind their horses which makes them lift their hooves higher to try to feel their way around. For more information on soring, what the pads and chains look like, and to see the big lick in action, watch the CNN Special Assignment video on the walkinonranch website.

These horses also tend to have joint problems because we tend ask them to do things they weren’t designed to do. Show horses tend to shift their center of gravity to the rear, thus placing more stress on the hind limbs (especially the hock and pastern joints). The goal is to move with a lot of high front-end action and this is particularly true of the Tennessee Walker in competition. Horses that have more of a weight load on the rear legs are going to be prone to hock, rear fetlock, and stifle injuries and disease.

There are also a couple of genetic concerns with the Tennessee Walking Horse. Equine Polysaccharide Storage Myopathy (EPSSM) which appears in the form of muscular atrophy, abnormal gait, back pain, and post anesthetic myopathy have been described and are thought to be inherited.

Equine Recurrent Uveitis (ERU) or “moon blindness” can lead to blindness if not treated. The University of Minnesota is currently conducting research to determine if there is a genetic factor involved and a potential gene region that may be linked to the condition may have been identified.

While these horses are famous for flashy movement, they are quite popular for simply pleasure riding. Combined with having an easygoing, docile temperament and being easy to train, their naturally smooth and easy gaits insure the popularity of the Tennessee Walker as the “world’s greatest show, trail, and pleasure horse”.

Crystal Eikanger writes for www.HorseClicks.com, classifieds of Tennessee Walkers for sale and other breeds, equestrian real estate, used and new saddles and horse tack.


Article from articlesbase.com

Virginia Study Links Teen Accidents With Early School Start Times

Posted by admin | Posted on 19-10-2010

Category : Region I

Tags: , , , , , , , ,

Virginia Study Links Teen Accidents With Early School Start Times

Car crashes are the number one killer of teens in the US, and a new study presented at the American Academy of Sleep Societies suggests an early school day may lead to an increased number of teenage car accidents. Any new insights into this terrible epidemic could save thousands of teenage lives every year.

The study in question compared the 2008 crash rates of high school students in two adjacent Virginia towns. The author of the study was Dr. Robert Vorona, an associate professor of internal medicine in the Division of Sleep Medicine at Eastern Virginia Medical School in Norfolk, VA.

Dr. Vorona relied on the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles for data on the accident rates among drivers aged 16 to 18 in the two towns. The two Virginia towns, Virginia Beach and Chesapeake, have similar demographics but start high school an hour and twenty minutes apart, 7:20 am and 8:40 am respectively. The study found that Virginia Beach, with its 7:20 am start time, had 65.4 crashes per 1,000 teen drivers compared to Chesapeake’s, with its 8:40 am start time, 46.2 crashes per 1,000 teens. These figures equate out to a 41% difference in teen driver crashes.

Dr. Vorona will not outright make a direct correlation between teenage car crashes and early high school start times. He is quoted as saying, “This study did not prove by any means that early high school start times led to increased rates of car crashes. Instead, it shows an association between early risers and car crashes.”

Dr. Vorona does however believe that when combined with other research, he suggests pushing for later start times, and goes onto to say that, “Early high school start times are problematic.” Speaking on these later start times, Dr. Vorona goes on to say, “Teenagers need over nine hours sleep a night, and it looks like a large number of teens don’t get sufficient sleep…part of that relates to the time that high schools begin.”

Studies done on teen behavior agree with Dr. Vorona. “There are data that demonstrate that lack of sleep has negative consequences for teens,” he said. “And some data show that younger drivers are more likely to have crashes when they have inadequate sleep.”

A leading Kansas City auto accident attorney and Dr. Barbara Phillips, of the University of Kentucky College of Medicine, both agree with Dr. Vorona’s claims. Dr. Phillips believes that teens are “biologically programmed” to become sleepy and wake up later than adults. “They truly can’t help it. They’re just not going to get sleepy at 10 p.m., so it’s hard for them to get the eight to 10 hours of sleep they need to get when they have to catch the 7:30 bus,” she says.

When you combine the lack of sleep with the act of driving, things turn dangerous. “Younger, inexperienced drivers don’t fare well with additional handicaps such as impaired alertness caused by having to get up earlier than is natural for them,” said Dr. Phillips. A leading Kansas City car crash attorney has witnessed first hand the dangerous combination that sleep-deprivation and driving can be.

Much like Dr. Vorona in Virginia, Dr. Phillips co-authored a study comparing car crash rates and the sleep of teen drivers. Hers in 1998 compared the crash rates for teens in Lexington, Kentucky after the school district instituted a later school start with the previous two years before the change in start time. The results of the study were conclusive; crash rates declined 16.5% in a period where teenage crash rates actually increased in the state of Kentucky by 7.8%.

Perhaps more states should listen to the research of Dr. Vorona and Dr. Phillips as well as the observations of Kansas City car crash attorneys and Kansas City auto accident attorneys everywhere and move high school start times back. The argument against doing so is that early start times allow for after school sports; there has to be a compromise because the world cannot afford to lose one more teenager to a car crash before their time.

Natural Health Schools in Modern Times

Posted by admin | Posted on 26-08-2010

Category : Pharmacy Students

Tags: , , , ,

Natural Health Schools in Modern Times

Natural health schools today offer prospective students a plethora of invaluable and innovative healthcare training options geared for tomorrow’s natural healthcare practitioner in mind.

Whether individuals choose to pursue natural healing careers as acupressure therapists, aromatherapists, herbalists, homeopathic practitioners, hypnotherapists, massage therapists or an alternative medicine doctor, natural health schools give candidates an in-depth look and comprehensive insights into how modern and sometimes ancient healing wisdoms can be applied to common health disorders and conditions through natural and noninvasive methods and medicines.

For example, if you are drawn to healing arts like homeopathy, be prepared to be amazed. As one of the relatively newer developed systems of medicine, homeopathy actually stems from ancient healing schools of thought dating back thousands of years. In natural health schools offering homeopathy as a course of study, students learn basic homeopathic pharmacy, case taking and repertorisation, and clinical internship, among other relevant subject matter.

If you’re intrigued by herbal medicine, or plant medicine, natural health schools will supply you with necessary skills and knowledge about botanical medicine, herbal formulation, herbal cultivation and pharmacy, Bach Flower remedies, aromatherapy, and more. Depending on the level of training you’d like to achieve, there are a variety of natural health schools that provide an assortment of herbalism classes ranging from beginner to advanced.

Massage therapy as a natural health treatment is also gaining leeway in modern medicine. A matter of fact, the career outlook for massage therapists is very good considering there has been a steady demand for natural healthcare workers and practitioners in North America, alone. Massage therapy training at any one of a number of natural health schools offers students a diverse array of massage modalities from which to choose. While basic, practical training is afforded in Swedish massage, sports massage and deep tissue massage; a great number of programs have begun integrating a larger selection of bodywork techniques like Trigger Point therapy, Myofascial Release, craniosacral therapy, and Chinese medical massage, among several others.

What’s in store for the future of natural healthcare? As natural health and healing concepts continue to expand, and research continues to prevail, there will always be a growing need for the professional healer. Natural health schools play an integral role in meeting these demands by providing extensive and comprehensive educational platforms that either meet or exceed academic requirements; and/or State regulations.* (Massage therapy, naturopathy, homeopathy, chiropractic, and acupuncture are regulated healthcare disciplines.)

If you (or someone you know) are interested in finding natural health programs, let professional training within fast-growing industries like massage therapy, cosmetology, acupuncture, oriental medicine, Reiki, and others get you started! Explore natural health schools near you.

Natural Health Schools in Modern Times

© Copyright 2007

The CollegeBound NetworkAll Rights Reserved

NOTICE: Article(s) may be republished free of charge to relevant websites, as long as Copyright and Author Resource Box are included; and ALL Hyperlinks REMAIN intact and active.

Bias in Times Higher Education Ranking of the World’s Top Universities

Posted by admin | Posted on 20-07-2010

Category : Region V

Tags: , , , , , ,

Bias in Times Higher Education Ranking of the World’s Top Universities

The Times Higher Education and Quacquarelli Symonds (THE-QS) have just published the 2009 ranking of the World’s top universities .We compared the ranking of the World’s Top-25 Universities according to THE-QS with the 2008 Academic Ranking of World Universities ARWU.

Overall ranking: THE-QS 2009 versus ARWU 2008
The overall overlap of the two rankings is 72%, with 18 of the World’s Top-25 universities appearing in both the THE-QS and ARWU rankings. This means there are seven universities (more than one in four) that do not appear in each of the other lists.

THE-QS has many more British Universities than ARWU
There are twice as many British universities in the THE-QS ranking of the World’s Top-25 universities than in the ARWU. THE-QS finds that six (24%) of the World’s Top-25 universities are British compared to three (8%) for ARWU.

The difference is particularly striking for the World’s Top-5 universities, where there are four British Universities in the THE-QS (University of Cambridge [2nd], University College London [4th], Imperial College London [5th] and University of Oxford [5th]) compared to only one for the ARWU (University of Cambridge [3rd]).

THE-QS has many fewer public US universities than ARWU
There is only one public US university University of Michigan in the THE-QS ranking compared to six public US universities in the ARWU ranking. The University of California is represented four times in the ARWU ranking (Berkeley, Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco) and not once in the THE-QS ranking.

THE-QS is more international than ARWU
The THE-QS ranking of the World’s Top-25 universities includes more non-US universities than the ARWU ranking: 12 (48%) universities are non-US in THE-QS compared to 7 (28%) in the ARWU. In the THE-QS ranking, six countries are represented: US (13), UK (6), Japan (2), Australia (1), Canada (1), Switzerland (1) and Hong Kong (1). In the ARWU five countries are represented: US (18), UK (3), Japan (2), Switzerland (1) and Canada (1).

Stanford University
It is very striking to see that Stanford University is ranked 2nd in the world according to ARWU and only 16th according to THE-QS.

University of California – Berkeley
It is also striking to see that the University of California – Berkeley is ranked 3rd in the world according to ARWU and 36th according to THE-QS.

University College – London
Finally,University College – London is ranked 4th in the world according to THE-QS compared to only 22nd in the world according to ARWU.

Conclusions
The AllAboutUni.com assessment highlights a number of important differences between the two major rankings of the World’s Top-25 universities. THE-QS, which is a British publication, is a more international ranking but it appears to have a bias for British universities and a bias against public US universities. In addition, two highly ranked universities in ARWU – Stanford (ranked 2nd) and Berkeley (ranked 3rd) – are ranked significantly lower by THE-QS.