Games played on Australian university alliance websites as they collaborate and compete

Abstract

As competition for funding, staff and students increases and the game becomes more complex, universities across the sector are required to identify new and more elaborate ways of competing. The development of university ranking systems has encouraged this competitive game. The relevance of university rankings is discussed. The paper concludes with a reflection on why, despite their apparent importance as capital these international and national rankings are predominantly absent from the alliances’ websites. These explorations provide an insight into the complex games universities play in order to collaborate and to compete for government, private and research funding and for staff and students.