2. Quality assurance in research TU Delft’s scientific reputation is largely determined by the quality of its research performance and, secondarily but intricately bound up with that performance, its educational programmes. Our efforts in this respect are driven by the desire that our teaching and research be judged ‘very good’ or ‘excellent’ by our international peers, using the Standard Evaluation Protocol. International rankings are also an indicator of what others think about the quality of TU Delft research, either as a whole or in relation to specific disciplines. They are important to our international standing. As a talent-driven organisation, it is essential that we invest in our scientific potential. Our priority here is to strengthen the quality of our academic personnel in a sustainable fashion.
International peer reviews & rankings
Focus for 2012-2020
•C ontinue to apply the national frameworks and protocols for the external assessment
International peers frequently assess our
of research. These are guided by the
research quality, often as part of a regular
criteria set out in the Standard Evaluation
external audit exercise. The current national
Protocol.
system of peer review in the Netherlands is a
• I nitiate development of an international
tried and tested means of determining quality,
peer-review system for one or more
with input from authoritative international
disciplines in 2014-2015, possibly within
experts. Our ambition is to be rated at least ‘very
the framework of the IDEA League.
good’ on all assessment criteria. When a rating is significantly lower than that, we will seriously consider reorganising or even closing the
TU Delft in global rankings
programme in question. • QS Engineering & Technology ranking Moreover, TU Delft now wishes to go a step further by introducing more systematic and direct comparisons with its international peers at the discipline level. This will provide us with a clearer understanding of the quality of specific programmes at fellow academic institutions abroad, rather than only those in the Netherlands. To this end, we have taken the initiative to develop – in conjunction with our European sister universities – an international benchmark for the positioning and quality of specific scientific disciplines. This will cover education and research in equal measure.
2011-2012: 18 • THE Top 50 Engineering & Technology 2011-2012: 22 • THE World Reputation Ranking 2011-2012: 51-60 •Q S Natural Sciences ranking 2011-2012: 79 • Shanghai Engineering 2011 – Technology: 76-100 • THES World University Ranking 2011-2012: 104 • QS World University Ranking 2011-2012: 104 •L eiden Ranking 2011-2012: 115 •S hanghai Ranking 2011: 151-200
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