The Shanghai Jiao Tong University, world's leading institution for ranking of higher education institutions, by year's end will rank Macedonia's universities and higher education institutions in compliance with the Berlin Principles.
The process will cover five state-run universities and 15 higher education institutions.

The Shanghai Jiao Tong University, which conducted the first-ever ranking of Macedonian universities back in 2011, has been chosen as the best bidder at an open procedure for hiring a consulting firm for ranking all universities and higher education institutions in Macedonia, issued by the Ministry of Education and Science.

"Ranking stimulates competition amongst higher education institutions providing significant data related to the status of the higher education institution that are useful for the economy, employers, students and their parents. Criteria developed for the needs of the national ranking encompass, first and foremost, quality and efficiency of classes and teachings, research and social services," Minister of Education and Science Spiro Ristovski told Wednesday's press conference.

Initial findings are expected to be announced in late November or early December. The ministry has singled out 10.000 euros to implement the first stage of ranking.

Ranking of all universities and higher education institutions in Macedonia is mandatory every two years in line with the Law on Higher Education.

Macedonia is the only country in the region and beyond where the Shanghai Jiao Tong University conducts the process of university ranking.