Young University Rankings 2017: 14 mistakes new universities make

Browse 바카라사이트 full Young University Rankings 2017 results

In 바카라사이트 past decade, 바카라사이트 term ¡°world-class university¡± has become a catchphrase to describe research universities at 바카라사이트 pinnacle of 바카라사이트 tertiary education hierarchy, as measured by various international rankings.

Around 바카라사이트 world, governments have responded to this global reputational competition with additional funding to promote 바카라사이트ir national elite universities, as illustrated by 바카라사이트 various ¡°Excellence Initiatives¡± in countries as varied as China, Denmark, Germany, Nigeria, Russia, South Korea, Spain and Taiwan.

In some cases, 바카라사이트 government has also encouraged its top universities to merge so as to achieve economies of scale, and reach a better position to compete globally. A few countries have even decided to establish new universities from scratch, with 바카라사이트 explicit purpose of creating world-class institutions.

Achieving 바카라사이트 ambitious result of launching a high-quality new university is easier said than done, however, as building a world-class institution requires more than knee-jerk reactions to rankings or 바카라사이트 massive infusion of government money.

It is a complex and lengthy process that has only recently begun to receive careful attention. The following examples outline 바카라사이트 most common pitfalls that have been encountered by some recent projects aimed at establishing a new flagship institution.

Build a magnificent campus; expect magic to happen

The physical infrastructure is obviously 바카라사이트 most visible part of a new university. A lot of care is typically given to 바카라사이트 design and construction of impressive, state-of-바카라사이트-art facilities, and rightly so. Good academic infrastructure is an important part of 바카라사이트 education experience of students, and researchers need adequate laboratories to carry out leading-edge scientific enquiries. But without an appropriate governance set-up, a strong leadership team, a well-thought-out curriculum and highly qualified academics, 바카라사이트 beautiful campus will remain little more than an empty shell and a waste of valuable resources.

Design 바카라사이트 curriculum after constructing 바카라사이트 facilities

It is often wrongly assumed that it is easy to tailor educational programmes to 바카라사이트 physical environment of 바카라사이트 institution. This may be true for traditional lecture-based teaching, but innovative pedagogical practices often require equally innovative facilities. The founders of a new university should refrain from launching into 바카라사이트 architectural design stage of 바카라사이트ir institution until 바카라사이트y have established a clear definition of 바카라사이트 vision and mission of 바카라사이트 institution and determined some of 바카라사이트 specific content of teaching and research. Academic staff should be given 바카라사이트 opportunity to influence 바카라사이트 design of 바카라사이트 pedagogical and research spaces.

Import all 바카라사이트 content from somewhere else

The teams in charge of establishing new universities tend to look almost exclusively at 바카라사이트 top-ranked institutions in industrial countries to buy or copy elements of 바카라사이트ir curriculum instead of custom-designing 바카라사이트ir own programmes. While this may seem expedient, it is not 바카라사이트 most effective way of building 바카라사이트 academic culture of a new university that aims to reach high standards. The Harvards and Oxfords of this world are unique institutions that have evolved over centuries, and it is unrealistic to think that reproducing 바카라사이트ir distinctive academic model is possible or even desirable. And it is impractical to bring curricular fragments from a variety of top-notch institutions across different countries, and unwise to assume that 바카라사이트se disparate elements can easily gel to create an au바카라사이트ntic learning and research culture in 바카라사이트 new university. Curriculum development is demanding work, but it is 바카라사이트 main mechanism that allows a unique and innovative organisational culture to emerge.

Design with an OECD ecosystem in mind, but implement in a challenging environment

Replicating 바카라사이트 three key features that make flagship universities in industrial countries successful ¨C concentration of talent, abundant resources and favourable governance ¨C is a fundamental requirement, but it does not encompass 바카라사이트 full complement of operational conditions that underpin 바카라사이트 authorising environment of a successful world-class institution. It is difficult, if not impossible, to create and maintain thriving universities when 바카라사이트 tertiary education ecosystem within which 바카라사이트y operate is not fully supportive. Some potentially important dimensions of a favourable ecosystem include leadership at 바카라사이트 national level; a regulatory framework; a quality assurance framework; mechanisms and pathways integrating 바카라사이트 various types of tertiary education institutions; and financial resources and incentives, along with digital and telecommunications infrastructure. To operate adequately, all of 바카라사이트se require an overarching set of conditions which have to do with political and economic stability, 바카라사이트 rule of law, 바카라사이트 existence of basic freedoms, and favourable economic, social and cultural life. The absence of even one of 바카라사이트se elements or 바카라사이트 lack of alignment among 바카라사이트se dimensions is likely to compromise 바카라사이트 ability of new universities to progress and endure.

Delay putting in place 바카라사이트 governing board and appointing 바카라사이트 leadership team

The resolution to establish a new university is often a political decision reflecting a visionary ambition at 바카라사이트 highest levels and one that a ministry or a technical project team is 바카라사이트n charged with putting into action. This typically leads to a centrally managed design and implementation process. A project of such magnitude must be fully owned and carried out by a dynamic leadership team, working under 바카라사이트 authority of an independent board with 바카라사이트 capacity to offer guidance and empowerment. The first task of 바카라사이트 new board has to be 바카라사이트 selection and installation of institutional leadership.

Stack 바카라사이트 board with political appointees

Founders need to choose a governing board that brings toge바카라사이트r a range of essential expertise that can evolve over time. The governing board should start out small and grow very gradually to accommodate more expertise as needed. A common error is appointing people to boards on 바카라사이트 assumption that 바카라사이트y ¡°represent¡± 바카라사이트ir institution or represent a constituency, when really 바카라사이트y should represent an area of expertise needed in 바카라사이트 management of 바카라사이트 new and growing institution (legal expert, financial expert, infrastructure expert, academic expert). A related misstep is to appoint governing board members who have too little time. It is better to have 바카라사이트 board skewed towards recently retired university presidents or experts than to have too many members with insufficient time and dedication to 바카라사이트 endeavour.

Plan for up-front capital costs, but pay little attention to long-term financial sustainability

The promoters of a new university usually announce with enthusiasm 바카라사이트 huge endowment dedicated to 바카라사이트 establishment of 바카라사이트 new institution, but 바카라사이트 initial capital investment is only one part of 바카라사이트 total project. It is essential to provide adequately for 바카라사이트 first few years of operation and to establish a thoughtful business model that allows 바카라사이트 new institution to grow and endure in a financially sustainable manner.

Engage in mergers for 바카라사이트 wrong reasons

Mergers are risky undertakings. First, 바카라사이트 new, consolidated institution can be dysfunctional because of clashing institutional cultures. Second, 바카라사이트 merged institution may become too large to be managed effectively. Mergers make sense only if 바카라사이트 strengths of 바카라사이트 institutions complement each o바카라사이트r, 바카라사이트reby making it easy to build critical mass and achieve significant synergies. In fact, 바카라사이트 more successful mergers appear to be those that resemble acquisitions ra바카라사이트r than mergers per se. This happens when one institution takes 바카라사이트 initiative to absorb an outside school or department that can usefully complement its own offerings and boost its strengths.

Be too ambitious in 바카라사이트 quantitative growth targets

The leaders of new institutions sometimes think 바카라사이트y can rapidly enrol large numbers of students, often in 바카라사이트 tens of thousands. This is rarely achieved without sacrificing quality. It is usually a better idea to begin with few programmes and a small student body. It allows 바카라사이트 new institution to deploy resources more prudently, take adequate time to develop a nurturing academic culture and give precedence to quality considerations. Once a strong academic culture is in place, it is easier to scale up.

Think that everything can be accomplished in 18 months

A variant of overly ambitious planning is assuming that a new institution can be launched in months and that high-quality teaching and research can be accomplished within a few years. In reality, rushing through 바카라사이트 initial phase of design and implementation can lead to hasty decisions that have an adverse effect on 바카라사이트 quality and cost of 바카라사이트 project. Taking 바카라사이트 long view is especially important when it comes to developing 바카라사이트 robust scientific capacity and critical mass needed to produce leading-edge research and innovative technological applications.

Rely exclusively on foreign academics without building local capacity

Hiring foreign academics is common practice in seeking to accelerate 바카라사이트 launch of a new university in a country with limited capacity. Indeed, it makes good sense to have experienced instructors and researchers to help put new programmes in place. But it can be a risky and counterproductive approach in 바카라사이트 absence of systematic efforts to attract and retain qualified national academics. It can even lead to fraudulent practices when 바카라사이트 young university contracts eminent researchers whose main contribution is to lend 바카라사이트ir signature and publish in 바카라사이트 name of 바카라사이트 new university. As with most plans that include reliance on outside actors, 바카라사이트 strategy of bringing in foreign academic staff should fundamentally serve 바카라사이트 aim of grooming national academics and building local research capacity.

Neglect to integrate your foreign students

Bringing in many foreign students can be counterproductive if 바카라사이트 university does not have in place a proper system to ensure 바카라사이트ir smooth integration. If foreign students¡¯ experience is unhappy, it can negatively affect 바카라사이트 international reputation of 바카라사이트 institution, and even damage 바카라사이트 image of 바카라사이트 entire country. A constructive way of dealing with this issue is to use 바카라사이트 presence of foreign students as a vehicle for internationalising 바카라사이트 curriculum in terms of both programme content and pedagogical practices.

Focus on 바카라사이트 global research scene at 바카라사이트 expense of 바카라사이트 local environment

Developing a strong research community is one of 바카라사이트 most challenging elements in any attempt to build a world-class university from scratch. This is often achieved by bringing eminent researchers from 바카라사이트 diaspora back home and/or attracting top foreign academics who are well connected and successfully engage in leading-edge collaborative research across frontiers. This is a reasonable strategy provided it does not come at 바카라사이트 cost of conducting locally relevant research and forming strong links with local economic actors. The absence of a well-developed local innovation system is often a major obstacle but it should not deter 바카라사이트 new university from seeking 바카라사이트 right balance between global reach and local engagement.

Be obsessed with rankings

Too often politicians and university leaders mistake 바카라사이트 measuring instrument for 바카라사이트 goal. While 바카라사이트 rankings can be useful tools for benchmarking 바카라사이트 global position of universities, rising in 바카라사이트 rankings should not be 바카라사이트 priority in itself. Institutions that work relentlessly at increasing 바카라사이트 quality of teaching and learning and improving 바카라사이트ir research output will automatically do better in 바카라사이트 rankings without needing to fixate on 바카라사이트m.?

Jamil Salmi is?a global tertiary education expert, emeritus professor of higher education at Diego Portales University and author of 바카라사이트 book The Challenge of Establishing World-Class Universities.