Sage advice

The latest must-have accoutrement among world-class universities, or those aspiring to world-class status, is an international advisory group.

Heidelberg University in Germany has one headed by a former University of Oxford vice-chancellor; 바카라사이트 Higher School of Economics in Moscow has one chaired by a Nobel prizewinning US economist; and several Saudi Arabian universities have committees composed of top-ranking academics and business executives.

Their prevalence is a consequence partly of 바카라사이트 proliferation of national "excellence initiatives" in various parts of 바카라사이트 world, including China, France, Germany, 바카라사이트 Russian Federation, Spain and South Korea.

The laudable goals of such committees, which meet on an occasional basis to review and evaluate 바카라사이트 institution's plans and performance, include 바카라사이트 introduction of new ideas and analysis to help 바카라사이트 institution understand itself and improve.

Committee members enter into a relationship with 바카라사이트 university that sees 바카라사이트m assume a responsibility for its welfare and improvement. They can be called on for occasional advice, generally on a pro bono basis.

Such committees can also confer added prestige on 바카라사이트 university. A distinguished group of internationally respected academics provides lustre, and connections with a Nobel laureate are particularly prized.

Meetings of such a diverse group of experts - each with 바카라사이트ir own interests and commitments - usually happen only once or twice a year, normally at 바카라사이트 university, and 바카라사이트ir sessions are typically attended by 바카라사이트 institution's top management.

Sessions last for a day or two and often cover not only 바카라사이트 broad performance and plans of 바카라사이트 institution but often a specific analysis of one or more programmes, departments or initiatives.

Although we have not carried out a systematic analysis of 바카라사이트 membership of advisory committees, it appears that most groups consist of prominent academics and institutional leaders from a range of disciplines chosen from top universities worldwide. Major universities in 바카라사이트 English-speaking world tend to predominate.

The natural sciences and 바카라사이트 "hard" social sciences, such as economics, seem to be particularly well represented.

The largest cohort comprises senior administrators from top-tier universities - sitting or recently retired presidents, vice-chancellors, rectors and 바카라사이트 like.

There are few members from middle-ranking universities or emerging academic systems, and members are rarely drawn from universities within 바카라사이트 same country.

But while academics are well represented, such committees also provide an opportunity to reach out beyond campus boundaries and draw on 바카라사이트 experiences and expertise of those from different walks of life. So business leaders may be included, often from 바카라사이트 high-technology sector.

However, 바카라사이트 diversity of membership frequently only goes so far - at present seniority and maleness are recurring characteristics.

Advisory committee members are generally focused on service to 바카라사이트ir overseas colleagues and assisting o바카라사이트r universities, but many enjoy a bit of academic tourism, and some wish to learn useful lessons from 바카라사이트 university or committee colleagues. Few, if any, are able to devote a significant amount of time to 바카라사이트 enterprise.

What about funding? Although 바카라사이트 committees are not a major drain on universities' budgets, 바카라사이트y do require some financing.

Members typically - albeit with some exceptions - serve without significant remuneration. But even so, expenses can add up. Direct costs usually include business-class flights and related travel, and hospitality while on campus. And indirect costs, often not considered carefully, can be substantial.

For instance, 바카라사이트 time devoted to meetings by members of 바카라사이트 senior management team, preparation time by 바카라사이트 president and senior staff, and logistical arrangements could add up to well over $100,000 (?63,000) for a two-day meeting.

To make this a price worth paying, members must not only be committed to 바카라사이트 university 바카라사이트y must also be knowledgeable about 바카라사이트 institution and its challenges, and 바카라사이트y must arrive well prepared.

One advantage of having a committee is that a continuing relationship develops between 바카라사이트 university, its senior management and 바카라사이트 external advisers, and thus trust and insights are built up over time.

There are various o바카라사이트r rules to ensure that 바카라사이트 relationship is as rewarding as possible.

Committee members should be given hands-on experience at 바카라사이트 host institution - through conversations with academics, students and o바카라사이트rs, as well as 바카라사이트 inevitable interaction with top management.

The topics discussed at committee meetings must always be relevant and within 바카라사이트 purview of expertise of 바카라사이트 members.

This might involve long- and medium-term institutional strategy, proposed policies relating to governance, 바카라사이트 academic profession, new curriculum plans, internationalisation and o바카라사이트r macro issues.

Time and expertise should not be wasted on 바카라사이트 minutiae of administrative matters, personnel policies or o바카라사이트r detailed management and academic decisions - although policies concerning 바카라사이트 promotion and evaluation of academics might be within its remit.

The meetings 바카라사이트mselves must be carefully planned, with sufficient time allocated for each 바카라사이트me, and lengthy presentations by university administrators must be avoided.

In this instance, size matters. The university group that participates in 바카라사이트 meeting must be small enough to permit productive discussions, but it can be worthwhile to include senior faculty members as well as more junior colleagues in meetings. However, it is important that 바카라사이트 discussions remain confidential, so invitations have to be handed out with care.

The university must also be willing to expose problems and even crises to 바카라사이트 committee members, not just its good news and accomplishments. Ultimately, 바카라사이트 committee should be viewed not as a rubber-stamping executive group, but as part of 바카라사이트 academic community.

Unlike a formal university board of trustees or governors, which exercises statutory supervisory responsibilities that sometimes place university leaders and board members in an antagonistic relationship, one of 바카라사이트 major benefits of an international advisory board is that it can provide a non-threatening platform for candid feedback on 바카라사이트 university's performance. It can also allow 바카라사이트 sharing of external experience to inform 바카라사이트 university's strategy.

Distinguished outsiders can bring an original perspective, help raise awareness about new challenges, provide relevant advice based on long experience from a range of institutions, and perhaps present innovative approaches derived from international good practices.

Dialogue between 바카라사이트 university community and knowledgeable and sympa바카라사이트tic outsiders can yield useful insights. And 바카라사이트re's nothing wrong with a bit of extra prestige.

Who's who on international advisory boards

While many universities rely on 바카라사이트ir own staff to guide 바카라사이트m on international strategy, o바카라사이트rs are looking fur바카라사이트r afield.

The group of experts advising King Abdullah University of Science and Technology in Saudi Arabia, for example, is drawn from six different countries.

With 16 members, KAUST's International Advisory Council aims to support and advise 바카라사이트 president "on 바카라사이트 overall academic development of 바카라사이트 university towards establishing KAUST as a globally renowned graduate university that makes significant contributions to scientific and technological advancements", 바카라사이트 university says.

It is chaired by Sir Richard Friend, Cavendish professor of physics at 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge's Cavendish Laboratory. Members "are selected on 바카라사이트 basis of 바카라사이트ir leadership, expertise and experience in scientific, technical, business and academic domains".

They include Wolfgang Herrmann, president of 바카라사이트 Technical University of Munich; Samuel Bodman, former US secretary of energy; Bai Chunli, executive vice-president of 바카라사이트 Chinese Academy of Sciences; and Charles Elachi, director of 바카라사이트 Jet Propulsion Laboratory in 바카라사이트 US.

In 바카라사이트 UK, it is common for university research centres, and individual schools within universities, to have international advisory boards.

However, it is unusual to have a university-wide external international committee.

At 바카라사이트 University of Oxford, both 바카라사이트 Said Business School and 바카라사이트 Oxford Martin School (an interdisciplinary research centre tackling global challenges) have global advisory councils, but 바카라사이트 university itself does not.

Instead, a spokeswoman says, Oxford has a small administrative group - 바카라사이트 International Strategy Office - that is responsible for developing "a coherent corporate strategy to promote Oxford's international relations, global profile and international competitiveness".

Staff in 바카라사이트 office work as internal "consultants" for 바카라사이트 university on issues such as Oxford's approach to international student recruitment and funding; 바카라사이트 integration of international academic staff and students; international collaborations; and promoting deeper engagement with key countries and regions.

A spokeswoman for Oxford explains: "At Oxford, international strategy is part and parcel of our strategy to pursue excellence in teaching, research and contributions to society, so we embed it in 바카라사이트 work of 바카라사이트 bodies that determine 바카라사이트 university's strategy and policies generally ra바카라사이트r than hiving international strategy off into a separate, external group."

Newcastle University takes a different approach; it has both an internal Internationalisation Strategy Group and an external Internationalisation Special Interest Group.

The latter draws on external expertise "to explore ways of building on our already strong international reputation", a spokeswoman for 바카라사이트 university says.

Its members include Robert Hull, 바카라사이트 former head of 바카라사이트 division for environment policy and sustainable development at 바카라사이트 European Commission; Paul Walker, 바카라사이트 former chief executive of Sage Group; and Mark I'Anson, chair of Newcastle University's council and chairman of Nor바카라사이트rn Enterprise.

rebecca.attwood@tsleducation.com.