Careers360 World-class universities: What can India learn?

From the Editor’s Desk

Academic leaders
Where are the great ones?

W

hile researching for this special issue on world class universities I came across
a speech by Prof. Drew Gilpin Faust, the President of Harvard University. It is
named “To seize an impatient future”. In a way it summarises what this issue is
all about. World class universities are rich, they have abundant resources, great
faculty, good and diverse student body, they publish a lot, patent their intellectual output well and have top alumni and scholars to fall back on. Each of these issues has
been dealt with in detail in this issue. But what we cannot capture and communicate is the
spirit of a great university. Prof Faust does that.

That speech was delivered at beginning of the campaign set by Harvard to raise a $6.5 billion
fund. Prof. Faust begins by speaking about 300 former alumni who came and rowed in the
Charles River in memory of the late and legendary Harry Parker, Harvard crew coach for more
than half a century. She then links that to the learnings that the university provides and what
makes such an experience special. An appeal is then woven to make the campaign a reality. An
ambitious target is set, with new schools, new bursaries, and news spaces as expected outcomes.
Prof. Faust again links it back to what the university stands for - its students. She cites a host of
luminaries from George Washington to Helen Keller to Ban ki Moon, and seeks the alumni’s help
to take the legacy forward. The speech shouted out what is lacking in India. Inspiring academic
leadership. I can’t think of a university leader speaking like that in India. I can’t think of
an IIT Director asking his alumni to donate 4000 crores, either.
The issue in your hand tells you how far Indian universities lag behind when it comes to world
standards. Building great institutions cost money. But that is not a constraint here. A billion dollars is not an impossible sum for a country of the size of India. There are enough corporate and
HNIs who can bring that kind of money on the table. Azim Premji has already done it. But it has a
different, equally worthy goal. What is lacking is a dynamic leader who will take up the challenge,
who will give a call for a world class university in India, and work to bring it to fruition. India
needs some ten visionaries who will set such lofty targets, and work towards achieving them.
To paraphrase Prof Faust we need ...
A University that is as wise as it is smart,
As restless as it is proud,
As bold as it is thoughtful,
As new as it is old,
As good as it is great...
And a leader who would make it happen!
Wish you a very happy New Year!
(*Read it at www.harvard.edu/president/the-harvard-campaign)

6

Careers

360

January 2014