Impact of rating systems on European and national higher education is estimated analyzing unexpected side effects, which influence organizational behavior of universities. The rating system is defined as a form of international interaction, where it functions as a dominant behavior scenario, which no University can escape. This system and induced effects have become proxy measures of economic competitiveness of States, acquired symbolic value, based on which government makes decisions (for example, on financing). Then this symbolic meaning is loaded with meaning, not connected with reality and the essence of universities that can be considered as a postmodern shift.