Rankings Masterclass

Join us on 6 November 2026 for a dedicated Rankings Masterclass after the QS Higher Ed Summit: Asia Pacific 2026.

How well do you really understand QS rankings?

During this dedicated Rankings Masterclass on 6 November 2026 at Bali International Convention Centre, you’ll go beyond the basics to unpack ranking methodologies, explore global trends, and examine their impact on policy, reputation and student choice.

You’ll build a deeper understanding of rankings, sharpen your ability to interpret data, and gain fresh perspectives to help shape your institution’s future.

The Rankings Masterclass is available as an optional add-on to your QS Higher Ed Summit: Asia Pacific 2026 registration. Register via the Summit to add this Masterclass to your booking.

Gain practical insight
Learn how rankings can be used as a tool for storytelling, strategy, and improvement.

Interactive sessions

Take part in workshops devised to give you experience you can take back to your institution.

Learn from your peers

Hear from universities directly through real-world case studies and a panel with institutional leaders.

What to expect

Hear from QS experts on turning rankings data into strategy, alongside peer-led case studies and a panel on strategic decision-making. Take part in hands-on workshops and connect with fellow professionals throughout the day.

Agenda

The agenda is subject to change.

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Time (GMT+8)	Session
8:00–11:00	Registration (breakfast from 8:30–10:30)
9:00–10:20	Refresher: Understanding the QS World University Rankings	This optional kick-off session provides a refresher on the QS World University Rankings methodology, indicators, and data framework. Participants will revisit the rankings portfolio, explore the lenses, indicators, and weightings that shape performance outcomes, and examine key distinctions between the QS World University Rankings and QS Europe Rankings. The session will also outline how data is collected, including the respective roles of institutional submissions and third-party sources. Detailed calculations and technical methodology notes will be provided in a supporting handout, allowing the remainder of the masterclass to focus on interpretation, strategy, and reputation-building. A live Q&A will conclude the session.
10:20–10:30	Networking break
10:30–11:15	A Strategic Lens on Institutional Performance: Making Meaning of QS Data	QS data is most valuable when it is used as a strategic development tool, not only as a communications output. This session introduces the five lenses through which QS analyses institutional performance – Research and Discovery, Global Engagement, Employability, Learning Experience, and Sustainability – and shows how different types of institutions face different development challenges.
11:15–11:45	Diagnosis First: Reading your Institution’s Performance Profile	In this hands-on workshop, participants take the lessons learned in the previous session to explore an anonymised QS performance profile, analysing the institution through one of the five lenses discussed previously. Working in small groups with a QS expert facilitator, attendees will read the data, identify the key development signal, and share their findings with the room. The discipline: diagnose before you prescribe.
11:45–11:55	Lessons from the Sector: Case Study
11:55–12:10	Networking break
12:10–12:20	Lessons from the Sector: Case Study
12:20–13:00	What Reputation Work Really Takes: A Candid Conversation	In this candid conversation with institutional leaders with experience of the reputation cycle, you'll hear about the solutions that genuinely moved the needle, those that didn't, and what proved harder than expected. Expect an honest and open discussion about the pitfalls and lessons learned in reputation building, beyond what polished testimonials can offer.
13:00–14:00	Lunch
14:00–14:45	Under the Hood: The Mechanics of Reputation in Motion	A data-led examination of how Academic and Employer Reputation indicators behave over time, and what the WUR 2027 results reveal about the mechanics behind sustained movement. Drawing on institutional trend analysis and patterns observed across QS’s international consulting work, this session explores how reputational change is reflected in rankings data, where strategic interventions have measurable impact, and where even well-resourced institutions invest effort in the wrong direction. A closer look at the relationship between methodology, perception, and institutional positioning.
14:45–14:55	Networking break
14:55–15:35	Workshop: Leave With a Draft, Not an Idea	This workshop is structured working time, not a lecture. In forty minutes, participants will draft a credible reputation programme for their own institution: identifying the strongest strategic lens, the highest-opportunity gap, a near-term correction, a medium-term initiative, and the one question that must be answered first. The goal is practical progress. Participants leave with a working draft they can refine and use immediately.
15:35–15:50	Roundup of the day	A summary of the day's learning and key takeaways.
15:50–16:25	Q&A
16:25–18:00	Networking reception

Our Speakers

Ben Sowter

QS Senior Vice President

Team

Expertise

Juan Carlos Mejía-Cuartas

QS Customer Experience Manager

Team

Expertise

Wesley Siqueira

QS Product and Research Advisor

Team

Expertise

Review your institution’s position with a QS expert

As a special offer for Masterclass attendees, a limited number of personalised, one-on-one fact file review sessions will be available during the QS Higher Ed Summit: Asia Pacific 2026 (held at the same location).

In these 30-minute sessions, you’ll receive an overview of your institution’s performance, identify strengths, and uncover opportunities for strategic action - helping you get more from your rankings data ahead of the masterclass.

‍Please note: sessions are only available to those attending both the QS Higher Ed Summit: Asia Pacific 2026 and the QS Rankings Masterclass.

Explore the Summit

Destination

The Rankings Masterclass will be held at the Bali International Convention Centre

Find our more

Secure your spot

Join us in Bali to gain the insights and connections to turn rankings into strategy.