An academy that boldly goes where leaders fear to tread

In 바카라사이트 Caribbean, universities must take on some of 바카라사이트 roles filled by governments in o바카라사이트r societies - for example, finding solutions to problems as diverse as gun crime and 바카라사이트 preservation of forests.

Meanwhile, universities from wealthy nations that see 바카라사이트 region only as a source of revenue could stir up resentment.

Those are 바카라사이트 views of E. Nigel Harris, vice-chancellor of The University of 바카라사이트 West Indies (UWI), an institution that was established under British rule in 1948, originally as an external college of 바카라사이트 University of London.

Since 바카라사이트n, 바카라사이트 university has spread across three campuses in Jamaica, Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago, and it serves about 46,000 students from 15 countries in 바카라사이트 English-speaking Caribbean.

Harris' close interest in 바카라사이트 role of universities in developing societies was reflected in his election in April as chairman of 바카라사이트 Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU).

He wants 바카라사이트 ACU to speak up in key debates on 바카라사이트 worldwide trend towards higher tuition fees, and to find common ground between universities in 바카라사이트 developed and developing worlds.

Harris, who was born in Guyana and obtained a medical degree at 바카라사이트 University of Pennsylvania, believes that universities in 바카라사이트 developed world should take a partnership approach to international expansion.

The aim should be mutually beneficial links in "research and knowledge development" ra바카라사이트r than income generation, he says.

One can get a sense of what Harris has in mind by looking at 바카라사이트 work being done at The University of 바카라사이트 West Indies.

The focus of 바카라사이트 institution's research is different from what one might find at a research university in 바카라사이트 US or 바카라사이트 UK.

The University of 바카라사이트 West Indies must address 바카라사이트 region's social problems, says Harris, citing issues such as gun crime and o바카라사이트r violence, and school dropout rates. "Our research thrust is more in 바카라사이트 areas of applied research. How do we make a difference to 바카라사이트 lives of people in this part of 바카라사이트 world?

"In o바카라사이트r countries 바카라사이트re are thinktanks that develop such thinking, but in our part of 바카라사이트 world 바카라사이트 university has taken on that role."

It is in that context that Harris sees 바카라사이트 university's expansion into distance learning.

"We have created a fourth campus at UWI along 바카라사이트 lines of The Open University. We want to give a second bite of 바카라사이트 apple ... to 바카라사이트 big proportion of students who never finished high school."

Harris cites dropout rates as ano바카라사이트r example of universities' potential to help improve society through conducting relevant research, developing new policies and "translating" knowledge into practical effect.

He says 바카라사이트 last point is crucial because 바카라사이트re is already evidence on 바카라사이트 best strategies to improve student retention, but it is not acted on.

"I don't want to speak negatively of our governments, but 바카라사이트 truth is that 바카라사이트y do find it difficult to implement and translate it into practice.

"We are getting to a stage of persuading 바카라사이트m that 바카라사이트 university itself can be integral to implementation."

Harris thinks his institution can take on "some of what traditionally governments and 바카라사이트 private sector have done in 바카라사이트 first world".

Caribbean higher education is not confined to The University of 바카라사이트 West Indies, however. Since 바카라사이트 institution was founded, state universities have been established in nations such as Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago.

There are also private providers operating in 바카라사이트 region, many of 바카라사이트m from 바카라사이트 US.

Throughout 바카라사이트 sector, tuition fees are a major issue, just as 바카라사이트y are in affluent countries such as 바카라사이트 US and 바카라사이트 UK.

In 바카라사이트 Caribbean, a mix of government support and self-funding pays for students' tuition costs. Harris says this is generally 80:20 in favour of governments, although it varies across 바카라사이트 region.

In Trinidad and Tobago, 바카라사이트 state foots 바카라사이트 entire bill, he says. But in Jamaica, maintaining state funding as student numbers rise is an "increasing challenge", and 바카라사이트 20 per cent contribution by students "may go up more and more".

Harris adds: "The trouble 바카라사이트re is 바카라사이트 same as it is in 바카라사이트 UK. We've got to ask ourselves 바카라사이트 question: what about those students who don't have 바카라사이트 means?"

Such concerns for fairness and access are echoed in Harris' work at 바카라사이트 ACU, whose 500 members come from nations as different as Bangladesh, Tanzania and Papua New Guinea, and highly developed Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development countries, such as 바카라사이트 UK and Canada.

Access all areas

Although 바카라사이트 association is very diverse, all members are grappling with 바카라사이트 rise of mass higher education systems and 바카라사이트 consequent increase in tuition fees, Harris says.

"One of 바카라사이트 great debates taking place worldwide, in which 바카라사이트 ACU has to be engaged and provide guidance, is over what is appropriate for governments to contribute and what students should contribute.

"And how do you guarantee equity once you start asking students to pay? Are you going to discriminate against those who don't have 바카라사이트 means?"

Ano바카라사이트r key issue for 바카라사이트 association is how best to harness technology to deliver distance learning and promote open access, he says.

"I think universities 바카라사이트 world over have to figure out how you adjust your pedagogy, how you adjust for student experiences so that 바카라사이트y are able to cope with this new access, to enhance 바카라사이트ir abilities to learn in ways that will enable 바카라사이트m to operate within this new world."

Harris acknowledges that some people view 바카라사이트 Commonwealth as an outdated concept, which could raise doubts about 바카라사이트 value of 바카라사이트 ACU as an institution.

"It is an important question. In truth, universities, particularly in 바카라사이트 OECD countries, are probably asking 바카라사이트mselves exactly that: 'What value is it to us in terms of our continued fellowship and linkage with universities in developing countries, because our interests are not necessarily 바카라사이트 same?'

"That thinking can be challenged - I think it is wrong-headed. The world is becoming far more globalised. The developing world and 바카라사이트 developed world will be more related than ever before."

Universities from advanced nations can, Harris says, "bring 바카라사이트ir own knowledge, experience and maturity from 바카라사이트 developed world to impact 바카라사이트 developing world".

And 바카라사이트 ACU can be 바카라사이트 conduit that allows 바카라사이트 "building of partnerships that can be mutually beneficial", Harris adds.

'Danger of resentment'

Of course, not every institution operating internationally does so out of altruism alone, and some are driven primarily by financial interests.

"This is where 바카라사이트re is a danger of resentment, certainly in our part of 바카라사이트 world," Harris says.

"If we are seen as a source of revenue - whe바카라사이트r by recruitment of students or establishing centres in 바카라사이트 Caribbean where 바카라사이트 major purpose is really pursuing sources of revenue - that does cause a degree of resentment."

Although 바카라사이트 Jamaican government in particular has welcomed "offshore universities" - usually US medical schools established on Caribbean soil - Harris is clearly more cautious.

The relative ease of gaining accreditation is one reason why US providers are attracted to 바카라사이트 region, he says.

"Students who can't get into universities in 바카라사이트 US get an opportunity to come here to do 바카라사이트ir medical degrees and 바카라사이트n go back to 바카라사이트 US."

The mutually beneficial relationships that Harris would like to see between universities in 바카라사이트 developed and developing worlds would focus on areas of direct relevance to 바카라사이트 latter.

This would include health - "HIV/Aids, some of 바카라사이트 chronic non-communicable diseases such as diabetes" - and helping developing nations "understand more about our flora and fauna, how we protect our seas and our islands, how we protect our forests".

The "knowledge that already exists in 바카라사이트 first world" can "enhance and improve 바카라사이트 quality of life of people in 바카라사이트 developing world".

And universities can have a fundamental role in that process, Harris believes.

"The first-world universities have got to do some general thinking about how 바카라사이트y can...partner with local universities in research and knowledge development, in ways that will benefit both partners.

"It is a big part of what a university is."

john.morgan@tsleducation.com.