University rankings, especially if you look at all the different types available, are useful in helping you identify your own list of the most important criteria. Governments trust them to help shape policy, academics use them to guide partnerships and career decisions, industry and philanthropists find it useful for investment decisions. With more that 170 million people in higher education across the world today, rankings are vital for prospective students and their families in helping them decide where they want to study. The variety and choice for students opting to peruse their higher education is such that nowadays the reputation and rank of the University plays a vital role in the final choice they make.