"How to become a member of the Shanghai list of Top 500 universities?"
by Veljko Milutinovic
(May 2009)

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The Shanghai list assigns points in 6 different domains,
so the motivation mechanism for faculty members
(set by university administration) must include 6 components.

The text to follow enlists the domains,
and for each domain, it defines the optimal form
of the related motivation mechanism component:

1. Size

The university must have a portal
from which it is visible,
by anybody in the world,
how many Shanghai points were brought to the university,
by each faculty member
and each teaching/research assistent
and each student (PhD or master).

2. SCI papers

Money should be given to authors of each SCI paper,
large enough to represent a good motivation,
and small enough so the school can pay without delays.

Also, the KN formula should be applied
for PHD graduations,
and for appointment to various professorial positions:

K=1 for PHD graduations, after which the formula is reset to zero.
K=2 for Assitant Professor appointment, after which reset to zero.
K=3 for Associate Professor appointments, and then reset to zero.
K=4 for Full Professor appointments, and then reset to zero.
K=5 for appointing a Professor Emeritus.
K=6 (after Emeritus appointment) to Emeritus for Life appointment.

N=1 for low SCI production fields, like law or economy.
N=2 for medium SCI production fields, like engineering or medicine.
N=3 for high SCI production fields, like physics or chemistry.

For example, if N=2 for engineering, than
one gets PhD after two SCI papers,
one becomes an Assistant Professor after another 4 are published
(two two used for PhD graduation do not count),
one becomes an Associate Professor after another 6 SCI papers
(those used for the previous promotion do not count),
Full Professor after another 8 SCI papers,
Emeritus for limited time after another 10 SCI papers,
and Emeritus for Life, after another 12 SCI papers.

The formula should be applied with a delay of T years
(not immediately, so people have time to prepare for new rules),
as follows:

T=1 for high SCI production fields.
T=2 for medium SCI production fields.
T=3 for low SCI production fields.

In the meantime, for less resistance to new rules,
the old and much easier criteria should be applied,
so the pipeline of old-timers wishing promotion is drained out.

3. SCI citations

Give money for each citation,
link promotions to the number of citations,
and give visibility to those who generate citations.

4. Papers in Nature and Science

Give money to authors,
give them a huge visibility,
but do not link promotions to these two journals.

5. NLs (Nobel Laureates)
and MFMs (Major Field Medalists)
among teachers

Each school must have a "Advances in ..." course for Bologna credit,
which can be taught only by a NL or MFM (e.g., Eckert-Mauchly winner)
via the Internet or "in vivo".

6. NLs and MFMs among alumni

An effort should be made, for alumni that have a chance to win,
to have them nominated for NL or MFM,
by prestigeous institutions/individuals.