AS Malaysian education became more demo-cratised, it expanded into new areas of learning beyond the traditional ones, with emphasis on science and mathematics as the core of studies for manpower planning. Arts subjects, however, were given due recognition.
During these early years after independence, universities were confined within their campus parameters, supposedly inhabited by the wise and the learned. It was an exclusive commune estranged from the larger community beyond the campus cerebral walls.
Between the 1970s and 1980s, the walls and facade of the Ivory Tower were slowly dismantled, and the university began to engage the community by extending its expertise in relevant fields and inviting the community to enter its hallowed grounds of knowledge. And, more important is the engagement with the industry.
University education was no longer for the elitist. It was democratised to accept students from various backgrounds and qualifications. At the same time, university education changed from equipping students with critical and creative faculties to one that is mechanistic and realistic to fulfil the requirements of the industry. Formalised education with a rigid curriculum became the norm; more conformity than explorative.
From a community engagement university that was perceptive to the needs of industry, the university morphed into an entity that is preoccupied with fulfilling external perceptions, such as ranking, citation, most influential scientists and the population of foreign students, as indicators of a world-class university.
The quality of a university is now reflected in these external determinants, which are based on Western criteria and perception of excellence in education. Malaysian universities are stepping over each other to play this numbers game. Teaching and research must be geared to achieve prominence in international and local rankings.
Meanwhile, the cut in government funding for universities saw the termination of almost 6,000 lecturers, many of whom are crucial in research and teaching. There are attempts to reemploy them through the non-monetary positions of honorary professors and a flexible honorarium scheme in teaching and research.
As a result of this financial dire straits, the universities have now evolved into yet another entity — the entrepreneurial institute of learning. It is no longer confined to generating and transferring of knowledge, but has an added function of generating income through purveying of its research products, services and rentals.
The days of contemplating and reflecting on the wonderment of creation and its myriad manifestations are over. Universities can no longer afford this luxury. They now have to contemplate ways and means to create revenue and realise the income to be accrued from research products and services.
In this new scenario, lecturers have to change their mindset, perception and modus operandi. It is no longer enough to be passionate about teaching and research. They must also be entrepreneurial to source revenue for the university.
Therefore, a PhD alone is no longer sufficient to serve in the new university setup. One must also need a business degree, preferably an MBA to allow him to function as an entrepreneur. He is required to source funds for the university. In addition, he must also fulfil his responsibility as a researcher par excellence. Not only that, he must be an adept researcher and be able to communicate his ideas through writings, like journals and book publications, and conference presentations. He would also be required to source external funding for his research as the university will be extremely selective in approving research projects. At the same time, he must be proficient in supervising postgraduate students, and shouldering administrative responsibilities. Lecturers will have to adapt to the borderless concept of “university of the future”. As such, they have to attend courses for retooling to equip them with digital technology, and to grapple with destructive technology.
In future the campus we know today may not exist. Teaching will be online, using virtual reality and life-like simulations. Students can take classes at their own time and pace. Physical interaction will be a thing of the past.
However, in certain disciplines, especially in the performing and visual arts, and those which focus on skill developments, such as surgery, direct physical instruction and engagement is necessary.
The future university education would move away from being mechanistic, focusing on data absorption and replication, to data dissection and reconstruction and their applications in real and hypothetical situations, even in fantasy and absurd configurations.
Developing a keen innovative intellect and creativity should be the goal of university education rather than a pursuit of meaningless paper qualifications. Future employment prospects will focus less on degree scrolls than ability, experience and creativity.
Current university graduation merely indicates a specified time spent in pursuing a programme. The gown and mortarboard that used to symbolise academic and professional achievement beyond the norm is today merely a ceremonial costume.
University education of the future will focus on the development of individuals of intellect who can dissect knowledge to perceive its architectonic structure, construct, deconstruct and reconstruct information and data into meaningful tangible and intangible spectrums, and apply and transform them in real life as well in hypothetical situations.
Mohamed Ghouse Nasuruddin is an emeritus professor at the School of Arts Universiti Sains Malaysia and honorary fellow at the Center for Policy Research and International Studies Universiti Sains Malaysia