A group representing some of Europe¡¯s leading universities has withdrawn its support for a new ranking system funded by the European Union, warning that it could pose ¡°a serious threat¡± to higher education.

The League of European Research Universities, which represents 21 leading research-intensive universities, has disassociated itself from the U- Multirank project, which is due to publish its first results in early 2014.

At a cost of €2 million (?1.7 million), the scheme aims to offer an alternative to ranking systems that are focused mainly on research excellence and will grade universities in five areas - research, teaching, internationalisation, knowledge transfer and contribution to regional growth.

Launched in Dublin on 30 January, the ranking system will not produce a league table for universities, but hopes to provide a broader set of information to potential students.

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However, several higher education institutions are refusing to release data to the project and Leru has severed its links with the scheme.

Kurt Deketelaere, secretary-general of Leru, said the organisation, whose members include the universities of Oxford, Cambridge and Edinburgh, believes the project is ill-conceived and poorly designed.

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¡°We consider U-Multirank at best an unjustifiable use of taxpayers¡¯ money and at worst a serious threat to a healthy higher education system,¡± he said. ¡°Leru has serious concerns about the lack of reliable, solid and valid data for the chosen indicators in U-Multirank, about the comparability between countries, about the burden put upon universities to collect data and about the lack of ¡®reality-checks¡¯ in the process thus far.¡±

However, speaking shortly before the scheme¡¯s launch, Androulla Vassiliou, European commissioner for education, culture, multilingualism and youth, insisted it would provide valuable information.

¡°It will contribute to the modernisation and quality of higher education by enabling universities to identify their strengths or weaknesses and learn from each other¡¯s experience,¡± she said.

jack.grove@tsleducation.com