Foreign Universities

Should foreign universities be allowed to function in India, and if so, what should be guidelines?

Inspite of a great vision by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, and establishment of many institutions that carried much hope and promise, India has neither produced a university that is truly world class nor a single Nobel Prize Winner. Are the Institutions to be blamed, or whether general circumstances have not been really conducive enough for talent to emerge. But we do see the same indians coming out in flying colours when they go to the world's premier universities. Therefore it is not the problem of intelligence or potential, but a system that has been sidetracked with an social agenda. 

Without going into the details of why the various institutions of India have failed, suffice it to say that the institutions of today have stopped being Knowledge Centres and have become Degree Dispensing  Units. These institutions do not instill a quest for knowledge. They just finish a curriculum so that the student is 'employable'. Better the institution, more employable the student. Better the institution, better the 'Pay Package'. Degrees themselves are based not on 'academics' but rather than 'social productivity'.

Can any of the existing institutions in India rise up and say, we do not dispense degrees, we are the centre for knowledge? May be. But I doubt it. 

Another aspect of Indian institutions, though they are run by non-profit 'Trusts' they rarely involve any social or industrial funding, guidance or teaching. Scholarships are for namesake and endowments are non-existent. The only scholarships are 'reservation' based rather than 'merit' based. Merit is an overrated quality in Indian Education Institutions.

Having said this, what is it that a foreign university can bring to India that will make a paradigm shift in Education. Well, potentially they have the power to change the education landscape. But realistically, all these universities will lend is just a name and it will be run in the 'Indian' model and make more cosmetic changes to the Indian educational scene. 

If we are to allow Foreign Universities, they have have to a self-sufficient, socially and industrially supported and guided, research oriented, meritocratic and should bring in best practices in education to India. 

What we Actually Need Foreign Universities To Bring to India

1. Funding Models including sponsored research

2. Excellence Models on how to produce Star Students

3. Management Models for Better administration (avoiding huge bureaucracy)

4. Assessment Models 

5. Research Driven Education 

6. Teaching Models

7. Academic Oriented Education Stream (For those interested)

8. Better and Best practices in Art & Culture Study 

9. Research Guides & Faculty at Research Level

These are some of the things that differentiate Foreign Universities and unless they come as a whole package, then we would be doing a great disservice to the youth of tomorrow and end up giving them only an increase in Brand Value of Education. Foreign Universities have to bring real value to Education in India. Without an implicit commitment by the Foreign universities to come as a whole package along with the infrastructure and research driven model, it fail to achieve its purpose.

This poses another dilemma to the regulators. Who will regulate these Foreign Universities. UGC? Well, under what rules? A special set of rules?

Which brings to the question whether it is fair to hold the Foreign Universities to a different standard than the Indian Ones. That would be totally unfair, both to the foreign university and the Indian counterparts. 

If we impose the new standards on local institutions under a new higher guidelines, Indian institutions cannot re-invent themselves quickly enough and will be eaten alive by these universities or will eventually tie up with some minor university providing no real change in qulaity of education.

So this becomes a catch 22. 

On the other hand, regarding these Foreign Universities attracting star students, the existing institutitions will further be depleted and standards drop, denying them any chance of global recognition. Ever. 

WHAT CAN BE DONE

1. Having delved into the problems of allowing foreign universities, let us see what are the opportunities in enhancing our existing universities to be world class. 
2. Rather than planning to bring foreign universities, we can hire world class academia and scientists even administrators and vice chancellors to modernise indian education institutions. They can bring the technology to make Indian Universities into world class facilities of research and excellence.
3. Social funding of Higher education Institutions. Industries create meritocratic scholarships and can have a right to pick top students to join their industry. Infact, if any company wants to do campus recruitment, they can only do so if they have created a scholarship and an endowment fund. Even these Higher education institutions also create meritocrtic scholarship funds in schools and the whole meritocracy trickles down. 
4. Cost of professional education is really prohibitive and it should not be. If India is to truly become globally competitive, then anybody should be able to atleast work their way through college, with some student loans and pay off the same within 3-5 years after completing their degree. Again this should be a meritocratic process.
5. Government Scholarship for the economically downtrodden to be followed up with a commitment from the student to serve 5 years in either the Army or 5 years in Teaching. Real Service to the nation. 
6. Academic Excellence to be made a priority and creating sponsored research to which the sponsor gets the right to any patent or invention. 
7. Shared reosoures and better utilization of facilities among colleges.
8. Just as College students go to Industry visits, School students should be encouraged to go to Institution visits to centres of higher education.
9. Branding and pride of belonging to schools & colleges should be enhanced with increased inter collegiate competitions across disciplines like academic, cultural and sports. 

These but just a few ideas, I am sure many many more constructive ideas are there for the world to see.