[qzw]

Well, in a hypothetical ideal ranking system that is stable and not easily gamed, a lower ranked university would need to actually improve the quality of its education (and whatever other characteristics the ranking system measures) in order to move up the ranks. But that would likely to take multiple years or decades of committed effort and investment. It’s sadly rare to see such long term action in our world of instant gratification, whether we’re talking about education, business, government, entertainment, relationships, individual behavior...