《美國新聞與世界報導》是商業排名得以在美國能夠成形的重要因素。1983年《美國新聞與世界報導》首度公布「美國最佳大學」之後，其他大學排名與排行榜如雨後春筍般出現，雖然有時在大學內部引發爭議與矛盾，但這些大學排名扮演愈趨重要的角色，並成為在地方、國家及國際上對服務對象提供資訊的工具。排名和排行榜是有用的工具，可協助提高「大學叢林」的透明度，在評鑑大學、課程、研究及教學活動上，亦可扮演提供資訊的輔助性角色，大學排名已持續成為高等教育社群高度關注與爭辯的課題。

The US News & World Report has surely raised commercial rankings to an art form in the USA. When the US News & World Report began its annual ranking of “America’s Best College” in 1983, publishers in all over the world quickly followed. While sometimes controversial within higher education, these rankings are playing an increasing part in providing information for students and their parents at the local, national, and international levels. At their best, commercial rankings provide students and their parents with useful information for them to make choices of university. However, these rankings are often controversial and subject to heavy debate in certain national contexts. This article is aimed to conduct a methodological examination of university rankings, and look at five international cases of university rankings. Finally five conclusions and three recommendations for the future development and research of university rankings are made.