This kind of global top 00 challenge would involve a major federal financial commitment. In return, the universities that accepted the challenge would be required to meet clear, transparent and independently scored global accountability measures. The federal government would have to select the rankings systems it would use to make sure they rely on fair, stable methodologies. All parties involved would want to ensure that the rankings systems have robust conflict of interest and anticorruption rules. But in the end, the program should be based on the "pay for performance" principle.