As the world is evolving and growing, so is the status of education. Competition is stronger and broader than ever. Every educational institution is on the look-out to widen its exposure and change the system of education. The main purpose is to promote personal growth and development, boosting levels of self-confidence, and enhancing the quality of life.
“The whole purpose of education is to turn mirrors into windows”, said Sydney J. Harris, American journalist for the Chicago Daily News and later the Chicago Sun-Times.
The similarity of such thought could be seen in the speech of Joseph E. Aoun, President of Northeastern University in his keynote address on Saturday at the College Board Colloquium in California, “The stakes are high and the opportunity is great.” He addressed an audience of 240 educators and administrators from colleges and universities nationwide and school district superintendents from the West Coast. He termed the U.S. higher education system as an “open, meritocratic, innovative and risk-taking model.”
Referring to the money-based teaching being provided in this system Aoun cautioned the audience about the ‘gold-rush mentality’ which is the most harmful effect of privatised tuition or teaching. This not only corrodes the essence of higher education but also makes it impossible for people choose quantity over quality learning. Aoun quoted an education advisor to the Indian prime minister who said the American model of higher education “is not scalable, not affordable, not sustainable, and not adaptable.” But the point is to understand, analyze, and inculcate which trends and guidelines we should adopt from the foreign countries which will make a collective effort to raise the quality of higher education. It is important to mention that the Northeastern University is trying to make changes where the campuses will offer flexible, “hybrid” master’s degree programs that integrate both online and classroom learning, a global view and customizable curricula.
This annual discussion event themed as “Embracing the ‘New Normal’” put forth the questions that not only the world leaders but also everyone should raise about the future of higher education and the ways through which it is executed.
“Let us think of education as the means of developing our greatest abilities, because in each of us there is a private hope and dream which, fulfilled, can be translated into benefit for everyone and greater strength for our nation.” – John F. Kennedy, 35th President of the United States
Dibyasha Das
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