It has been interesting to read the views expressed. I like the detailed
and the amount of thinking given to the question posted.
My feeling right now about the question of higher education and its
external environment is that the effect of globalization should not be
overlooked. With the world becoming a global village, we have learn to
live in a global manner - able to appreciate the other peoples' culture
and manage across the cultural line. I worked in the City of University in
Hong Kong, earlier in Manchester and now in Canada. I am not sure what
will be next. But, we need to be a continuous learner and develop the
capacity of our students to be continuous learners as well.
Quite often, having gained a degree is seen by students as an ending point
for further academic pursuit unless they go academic. May be they should
be educated in university that academic learning (sometimes for further
university studies) is important whether one wants to work in the academic
field or not. I was disheartened to see that research and academic
development is seen in many countries is given lip services. It is not
given priority when the budget time comes.
My experience is more related to business education. I am therefore
limited to give my views in that particular area. There is a real tension
whether business education should prepare the graduates to be more
competent in business practices or they should be stronger in academic
orientation or research abilities in business. The external environment is
giving feedback that we have failed completely to develop competent
managers who can manage but rather we have produced graduates who can talk
about management only. It is more obvious in the case for MBA programs in
which the sponsors expect those being sent to the program should graduate
with practical rather than academic competency. Our staff members have to
be Phd holders but do not necessarily have practical experience. The
former is more or less mandatory but the later is preferable yet so
essential. To be a learning organization of higher education, I think we
are far from being reacting well to environmental demands bearing in mind
that quite often the interest of the higher learning institute is often
placed above that of those they serve.
The last point that come to my mind is that, higher education, in some
countries tend to place more emphasis in the student taking in of
information rather than developing their critical insight. As a professor,
I was astonished by the amount of information to be covered in a course. I
just believe that universities need to review their vision and mission so
as to become more adaptive to the turbulent changing environment. Like
many other organizations, it is not always been the case.
Aaron PUN (DPhil)
APA (International), Org & Mgt Development Consulting
Toronto, Canada
IN%"APUN@OISE.ON.CA"
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The eye cannot see its own lashes
Chinese adage