Universities’ growing focus on prestige, rankings, and elite status signals a troubling shift away from their foundational educational mission—a shift that dangerously overlooks talented students who may not fit the traditional mold but possess immense potential.
Traditionally, universities have been institutions where students gain knowledge and skills, but also a place for students to engage thoughtfully and critically with society. They provide opportunities for students to explore complex issues and prepare them for the world, and a life or career beyond their studies.
However, an increasing obsession with rankings and financial gain undermines such values. Educational institutions now seem more intent on building their reputation and elitism than educating future leaders, and it comes at the cost of the educational mission.
While these goals and benchmarks are important, they’re flaunted by universities to prove their performance and attract positive publicity rather than using them as tools for meaningful opportunities. When universities use frameworks like the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals as marketing tools rather than guides for substantive institutional change, their educational purpose gets further undermined.
At Queen’s, for instance, senior s are paying substantial amounts to fly business class to showcase the University to wealthy nations overseas. These activities can be beneficial when it comes to increasing diversity and creating research partnerships, but when the emphasis is on cultivating prestige, the University’s role in fostering community becomes lost.
Universities channel their resources towards boosting their standings rather than enhancing students’ educational experience. Faculty-to-student ratios worsen as class sizes swell, and departments with lower revenue-generating potential face budget cuts or elimination.
Learning environments like seminars—which should be intimate and conducive to discussion and mentorship—risk becoming a transactional experience as class sizes increase.
Moreover, an exclusive focus on rankings and prestige narrows the scope of who universities serve. They often attract candidates seeking a certain elite image—while sidelining students with unconventional or community-driven perspectives. This fixation on an elite image creates a homogeneous student body, overlooking the transformative contributions students from diverse backgrounds and experiences can offer.
Purely pursuing prestige does a disservice to university students seeking a true education. Instead, students encounter an institution more focused on projecting an image of excellence than actually delivering it.
The illusion of prestige allows universities to charge exorbitant tuition fees, shutting out many talented individuals with fresh ideas simply because they can’t afford the cost. This raises questions about the fairness and accessibility of higher education.
Rather than fostering diverse perspectives, universities contribute to a system that reinforces social inequalities. Universities seek out wealth, rankings, and global prestige, while their fundamental purpose, to develop critical minds, becomes a secondary priority.
When institutions today prioritize maintaining an elite status and financial viability, it’s not possible to equip students with the intellectual tools and social awareness they need. If this trend continues, universities risk complete detachment from their mission to educate and nurture well-rounded individuals ready to navigate and shape the world responsibly.
Uyanda is a fourth-year Global Development Studies student and a member of The Journal’s QTBIPOC Advisory Board.
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