Professors: Underutilised  treasure in our universities?

June 14, 2012, 6:44 pm ,the island


University of Colombo

by Professor Ranjith Senaratne,
Vice Chairman, University Grants Commission

Continued from yesterday

5. Expect all Professors to be intellectual leaders

Just as much as developing a set of criteria for appointment to the post of Professor, a role description linked to intellectual leadership is a must. Lack of such role description transmits the message that becoming a Professor is a career end-point, and not a new beginning with a fresh set of expectations and obligations. Thus it is necessary to clearly articulate the role with reference to administrative leadership or intellectual leadership or both. It is important to balance academic freedom with academic duties and responsibilities, and to encourage performance beyond academic productivity and income generation for the benefit of the wider academic community.

Taking into account the above suggestions and emerging new challenges and opportunities in the higher education landscape, Professors need to shoulder an onerous responsibility and play a pivotal role in the universities. Thus, in addition to promoting academic excellence, high impact research, creative enterprise and community development, they also need to be constructively engaged in, and actively contribute to, the internationalization of Sri Lankan universities, improvement of their world ranking and through commercialization of knowledge, a reduction of their dependence of the General Treasury for financial assistance.

However, in order for professors to discharge such duties and responsibilities effectively and efficiently, there should be structural facilitation when professors do not hold the position of Head of Department. It is evident from Table 1, only 21 % of such position is held by professors as opposed to more than 40% in UK. Therefore they should be empowered and strategically positioned in the University landscape by clearly identifying their role and creating an environment for them to play their designated role effectively without hindrance. I have come across several highly reputed and renowned professors who feel short-changed and dissatisfied and are not in the "happy frame of mind" necessary to contribute their might and talents to their institution’s development.

We do acknowledge the need for rotating the headship of a department at reasonable intervals to provide opportunities for able and mature academics to contribute towards departmental and institutional development. This could, among other things, bring in new perspectives and insights, ensure balanced growth of various "sub-divisions" of the Department, and improve the morale of the staff. However, professors should occupy their rightful place in a department of study, in keeping with their standing, knowledge, experience and expertise, irrespective of whether one is the Head or otherwise. Proliferation of professors in Universities in the recent past poses some problems in this regard. Nevertheless, what is important is to maintain and act in the right spirit.

Moreover, while professors account for only 11% of the academic community of the Universities, they "take away" a much bigger proportion of the recurrent budget on academic salaries. It is, therefore, incumbent upon the management to utilize them fully through creating an atmosphere conducive to their constructive engagement in activities that are in keeping with their position, potential and capacity. To this end, defining their role and job description assumes paramount importance, from the point of the professor and that of the university. Given below is a proposed role for a professor in a seat of higher learning, which could help meet the institutional and public expectations of a professor.

Role of a Professor in a higher educational institution (a proposal)

1. Leadership

* Leading a group of individuals in research centred around the professor and broader research leadership to develop the research talents of other academics;

* Leading staff members involved in developing undergraduate or graduate teaching;

* Leading the overall management of particular functions of the Department, such as teaching activities, coordination of research and undergraduate teaching activities in the Department ;

* Leading in an academic field as evidenced by publications in outstanding journals, editing of journals, authorship of books, monographs, artistic works, and invited papers and presentations at international conferences and by the organisation of such conferences;

* Leading in management particularly in assisting individuals and/or groups to channel and focus their efforts;

* Leading in the community beyond the University, particularly in professional organisations and institutions and in industrial and/or government and business activities.

2. Fostering Research

* Encouraging and supporting research activities in the professor’s own discipline and in related disciplines by other groups and individuals within the Department and, where possible, the Faculty and the University;

* Identifying new areas of research within the field of specialization and investigating the prospects for undertaking the research.

3. Research Funding

* Exploring funding opportunities in areas of research in the professor’s own discipline and in related disciplines;

* Applying for research grants, and encouraging members of the research group to apply;

* Seeking for and securing research contracts from the state and private sector, including foreign sources.

4. Enhancing Teaching and Assessment Skills

* Carrying out teaching and examination duties in an exemplary manner;

* Providing guidance and support to junior members of staff to improve their teaching examination skills and standards;

* Organising workshops and training programmes where teaching and examination experiences could be shared by teachers of related disciplines.

5. Enhancing Academic Standards

* Ensuring that existing academic standards do not decline, and endeavouring to improve the standards by updating and upgrading course content as well as quality of examination within the Department and the Faculty;

* Making a distinguished contribution to teaching in the Faculty and the University.

6. Contributing to Academic/Professional Bodies

* Regular and proactive participation in national and international organisations relating to the academic discipline and/or profession.

7. Contribution to Entrepreneurial Ventures

* Undertaking entrepreneurial ventures that will enrich the university fiscally, professionally and academically;

* Encouraging academic staff to orient their research towards projects that will generate income for the university as well as benefit the industry and the country;

* Promote consultancy work by members of the departmental staff, desirably as a team;

* Encourage students to be creative and enterprising in their undertakings such as project work.

8. Elevating the Image of the University

* Displaying exemplary conduct in academic, professional and personal matters that would enhance the image of the University in society at local, national and international level.

9. Organisational Development

* Contributing to policy development and management within the Department, the Faculty and the University as need arises.

10. Student Counselling and Support

* Serving as advisor to students on academic matters as well as matters of social conduct within the university and in society.

* Helping students to enhance their performance and encouraging students to seek higher learning at academic and/or professional level.

11. Popularisation of Academic and Professional Knowledge

* Writing to national and international magazines and newspapers on topics relating to areas of specialisation.

12. Promotion of Collaborative Activities

* Initiating and developing internal and external collaborative groups for the pursuit of research and other academic interests, with impact on events and policy decisions.

13. Serving as Academic and Research Arbitrator

* Acting as an external examiner for other institutions;

* Providing peer review of papers in scientific and professional journals

14. Serving as Academic Referee

* Providing honest and supportive references for academic colleagues and students seeking positions for research work in other universities, institutions of advanced learning and research organizations

It is hoped that this proposal will stimulate and provoke discussion among the academic community and other key stakeholders as to the role of a professor in the present context. It is urgent that a more fitting role can be developed in line with the current and emerging needs and challenges in the rapidly changing, dynamic landscape of higher education in a globalized environment. However, I must add that the ideas expressed herein are purely those of the author, and they do not any way reflect the views of the UGC nor its stand in regard to the subject at issue. The author would appreciate the comments and observations of readers on this subject.

Concluded