There is a
zen koan about the sound of the one hand clapping. There is a modern version of
this, “what is the league table position of no chemistry programme.” To
appreciate the zen of this question, contemplate one of the league tables for Chemistry
in the UK.
Which
university has the highest ranked chemistry programme? The screenshot below,
taken on 12/01/2016 is from the Complete University Guide and may be helpful.
At first
glance, there is nothing really surprising at the top of the list. It is
Cambridge followed by Durham, Oxford, and Imperial. Where is the zen?
The zen is
in the fact that the loudest hand clapping is the one with no chemistry degree
on offer. No chemistry degree tops out the table. Cambridge does not offer a
chemistry degree.
Cambridge
offers a natural science degree. Natural Science lives in the zen of no
league table. It shares no league table status with programmes such as forensic
science, but if you search the Cambridge web site you will find no Chemistry
degree. You will find degrees containing chemistry content, but no chemistry
degree as such.
There is a
certain pleasure in a league table dominated by no programme and a truly great programme
(Natural Sciences at Cambridge) dominating no league table. It puts the zero
sum game which is league table position into the no where it belongs.
Disclaimer:
Having looked at the Cambridge programme, I really do think it is a good
programme. It is a diverse programme allowing a broad scientific education which
is more similar to my own than most UK degrees. This is post is meant as
critique of league tables and their perversity and not intended as a criticism
of the quality of Cambridge University. Cambridge does offer Chemical engineering, but this is covered by its own league table.
