Varsities get transformation message
What also prompted me to do so was the active discourse on the changing role of universities among academics in the West.
During a talk in Kuala Lumpur in July 2007, Professor Tim Wilson of Hertfordshire University described his university and a few others in the United Kingdom as business-facing.
They deliver education through a business perspective. Courses are designed with industry input. They adopt a "revolving door" approach to business. They support entrepreneurship. They promote user-driven research and development. They give credits for business internship. They are, therefore, different from the older academic-facing UK universities such as Oxford and Cambridge. However, most universities now are a mixture of both.
Richard Levine, writing in the August 2006 issue of Newsweek magazine, described a number of "global universities".
"They seek students from around the world. They send their students abroad. They offer courses that address the challenges of an interconnected world. They undertake collaborative research programmes to benefit all humanity."
The top five global universities were American. Cambridge and Oxford came in sixth and eighth respectively. Two Japanese and two Australian universities were in the top 40. The only Asean representative was the National University of Singapore, at 31st position.
Similar to the global-university concept is the third generation university (3GU). This was described by Professor J.G. Wissema of Delft University of Technology, Netherlands, in his 2009 book Towards the Third Generation University.
3GUs are characterised by active competition globally for the best students, academics and research contracts, undertaking interdisciplinary research focusing on global issues, pursuing active R&D commercialisation and encouraging the development of technostarters from among students and faculty.
Because of the importance attached to commercialisation, they have an elaborate organisation and management structure. Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Cambridge are among the 3GUs, while Institut Teknologi Bandung is an example of a university in transition to a 3GU.
There was also an argument for UK universities to focus more on the local community.
Professor John Goddard of Newcastle University had in 2009 called for reinventing the civic university in a publication by the national endowment for science, technology and the arts.
What then is the situation in Malaysia? UPM was modelled after the United States land-grant colleges whose functions were teaching, research and extension. Extension was a major activity of UPM. Facilities for practical aspects were extensive in order to serve well its constituency -- the farming community.
When UPM changed its name to Putra, the facilities were largely dismantled and the extension service discontinued. UPM became just like any other Malaysian university. However, UPM is now repositioning itself to lead again in the new agriculture, implying the application of hi-tech and modern management, high value-added agribusiness and sustainability.
Five Malaysian public institutions of higher learning are now research universities, one of which is the apex university. All have strengthened their infrastructure for science, technology and innovation (STI) and their effort in research, development and commercialisation (R,D&C).
They are also developing the organisation and management structure for R,D&C in the manner of the 3GU described earlier, but with less global engagement.
Our research universities are, therefore, in a good position to contribute directly to the national socio-economic transformation programme. This is one major attribute of a transformational university, the other being holistic human capital development.
Holistic human capital development means the development of the full human potential comprising "a portfolio of different skills and assets" required by both government and industry.
The concept embraces intellectual capital (strategic thought process), skill capital (technical competency), social capital (inter-personal skill, communication, cooperativeness, smart partnership), entrepreneurial capital (creativity, innovativeness, entrepreneurship, managerial), physiological capital (commitment, passion, dedication, self-belief) and spiritual capital which includes ethical values and integrity.
The holistic human capital components can be delivered either formally as part of the courses or non-formally through a conducive campus environment. For example, elements of entrepreneurship and management can be incorporated as part of the core of all courses.
The ethnic composition of our students together with the presence of foreign students can be harnessed to enhance the social and physiological capital.
Success in developing holistic human capital will produce superior knowledge workers. These are people who can provide solutions to problems, working alone or in a team; are equipped with core competency; be highly motivated, adaptable and possess the capacity for life-long learning to master new skills; and become risk-taking technostarter, with smart partnership work ethics.
The holistic human capital development will create an innovative and creative workforce, critical for success in the innovation economy.
Unfortunately, the task of developing holistic human capital cannot be left to the university alone. It has to begin at home, through the school system and eventually, at work. However, the TU does not have to wait. It can start designing programmes and create the ecosystem immediately.
A transformational role for our public universities implies a commitment to the national socio-economic transformation programme through two major initiatives. First, a holistic human capital development contributing to a creative, innovative and civilised workforce; second, an enhanced capacity for excellence in STI and R,D&C contributing to capacity building and wealth creation.
Universities in the country are under pressure to change. The pressure from global ranking is one. But there are concerns also on the declining quality of graduates as expressed by the industry community and the public at large. It's time to transform, to be transformational.
Tan Sri Omar Abdul Rahman is senior fellow and founding president, Academy of Sciences Malaysia
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