Globalised Higher Education

The Star is organising a conference entitled "Globalising Higher Education in Malaysia" in conjunction with the Asian Centre for Media Studies (ACMS) as well as the Global Malaysians Network. The conference aims to raise and discuss several pertinent issues including:

• What could local universities and colleges do to become truly world class institutions?
  
  
• How should the government, through its various ministries and departments, help to promote this global enterprise?

Actually, while I strongly believe that the intent of the conference and forum is good, I'm not sure what exact tangible benefits it will actually bring. The public is invited to attend the conference to hear a series of distinguish speakers presenting their views (and of course, pay RM800 to attend the event). Will it however, actually serve any purpose for someone like myself (who is deeply interested in education in this country) to fork out the cash to attend the event?

Irrespective, the conference has brought together speakers from some of the top institutions around the world and in some of the pre-conference media publicity, these speakers have highlighted some pertinent points and issues which the authorities as well as those involved in education in this country will do well to pay heed.

Here are some highlights of some of the comments made compiled from various articles published on various days:

Professor Dr Rod Coombs, Vice-President, University of Manchester:

A key to building globalised universities is to have researchers who collaborate more with academics outside their country than inside... Other elements that make a university globalised are faculty members that come from all over the world and a student body that is fully international and recruited on merit.

Source: The Star, June 28th 2006

Prof Quinn Mills, Albert J. Weatherhead Professor of Business Administration, Harvard Business School:

Why is Harvard University consistently cited as the top university in the world in virtually all rankings? The reason, according to Harvard don Professor Daniel Quinn Mills, lies in the university's faculty and students.

"It is also respected because of the accomplishments of its graduates. Harvard attracts students of exceptional potential and they are also key to its reputation."

Source: The Star, July 6th 2006

One of the reasons for [Harvard's] success is the decentralisation policy practised.

“Harvard is probably the most decentralised university in the world. The president has direct control of only about 7% of the university’s total budget as every school manages its own budget... In the short term, decentralisation creates big differences in salaries and facilities between the schools but in the long term, decentralisation allows each school to respond to the market for its services, and prevents Harvard from subsidising declining professions and fields."

Source: The Star, July 9th 2006

It is interesting to note that these comments which highlight the most important factors according to these distinguished guests on creating truly "world-class institutions" are exactly what the Malaysian higher education system has been most resistant to, for one reason or another.

Both senior academics have highlighted the need for both the faculty and the students to be "recruited on merit". The ability to attract students of "exceptional potential" is the "key to its reputation". While small baby steps have been taken to "meritocratise" our university entrance mechanisms, a terrible lot is still left to be desired.

Interestingly, Prof Quinn Mills also highlighted as extremely important, the policy of "decentralisation", not only between the university and the government authorities, but also between the faculties and the university administration. But the key underlying factor which goes directly against such as policy is the simple fact that our academics are essentially part of the country's civil service. And the death knell on any possible attempts at decentralisation is epitomised by our infamous "Akujanji" pledge to the higher powers there be.

If the Government is not willing to overturn the sacred cows, the most important factors as highlighted by these top notch global academics, then how are we ever going to create world class institutions, as envisioned by our leaders and enshrined in our "vision 2020" and 5-year plans? Why bother inviting this distinguished personalities to speak on the topic if we are not prepared to listen to them?

Anyway, of note, among the panelist is our very own pony-tailed (will RTM insist on a haircut? :)) law lecturer from Universiti Malaya, Associate Professor Azmi Sharom, who thankfully serves as a beacon of "hope" for a change for the better at our local public institutions of higher learning. He will be presenting on "Attaining and Maintaining World-Class University Standards", chaired by Tan Sri Datuk Dr Anuwar Ali Vice-Chancellor, Open University Malaysia.

Also interestingly, Professor Wang Gungwu, Director of the East Asia Institute at National University of Singapore and former Vice-Chancellor of Hong Kong University who was originally scheduled to give the Keynote Address of the conference on "What makes a University Today Really Good?", has been relegated to become a panelist for the same Address, now to be delivered by our new vice-chancellor of Universiti Malaya (UM), Datuk Rafiah Salim. I would have thought that Professor Wang Gungwu, who was himself formerly an academic from UM, would be in a better position to share his world class experience.

(I must be damn free man, noticing these useless little details...)