“While one has to be careful not to get too focused on rankings … it is a broad indicator and it also helps enhance reputation,” says VU vice-chancellor professor Peter Dawkins. “One of the reasons that newer universities tend not to get high in these rankings is that their reputations actually lag [behind] their actual performance, which isn’t so true of the older universities. In order to build that reputation, you have to demonstrate performance and actually get into the rankings. We think this will help build our reputation now that we have reached a level of maturity where we really believe we have got a lot of credentials to show to the world.”