Without a doubt , it can be claimed that British Universities are some of the best in the world. I know some of you may not agree with me but the majority does think that these are places where development and dissemination of ideas takes place, logical and lateral thinking is encouraged, competitiveness, confrontation and collaboration is a ritual turning these institutions into scholastic Nirvanas.
These are undisputed facts , at least as far as the league tables are concerned but are these institutions really provoking intellectual stimulation, appreciating the freedom to speech and allowing room for contradiction.
With such rapid technological changes taking place and rising Asians ...(you know who I'm talking about .... yes... the Chinese and the Indians) will our universities be able to maintain the same awe and aura? Not only that but what is it that brings our institutions in line with America's universities considering their size and their finances.
Through this blog we shall explore the extent to which these claims are true comparing and contrasting British universities current standing with its glorious past and the unseen competition which lies ahead.
Having studied in a developing country myself, at times I truly feel I'm blessed but there are those moments when I am forced to think that things are really really laid back here and if only these resources and facilities were available to some of the people in developing nations maybe things would have been different today.
I maybe completely wrong but that's what we're here to find out!!!
4 comments:
Thank you for this post, but are things really laidback for students in the UK? Where there is high quality, there are high standrds for students to follow. Though I agree that the accessibility of resources available to students in the UK is a factor that sets apart standards internationally. If these resources were made available in LEDC's, the ranks would tell another story.
I completely agree with you that if these resources wer made available to LEDC's, the story map would be very much differrent. However, having studied in a developed country myself I can say this with much greater authority that the standards here seem to be much lower than those of developed counrtries.
Now, here I'm referring to the level of work,effort and ambition being put in by students themselves.You are right in claiming that high quality is precedented by high standards which students must follow but you must keep in mind that this is not obligatory.
I observe around myself the laidback and irresponsible attitude of many university students who are unaware of the fact that every day that passes by is taking them closer to who or what they want to be in their lives which is why many have so casual attitudes whereas in many developing countries students know that it is EDUCATION alone which can help them survive in this world and whatever they do in these precious academic years will become their fate in the later years to come.
But i'm sure you must be thinking then why do the ranks tell a differrent story ... the explanation for that is the system of education that prevails in such countries. The students do make the effort but their systems are corrupt and exploit them which is why they then prefer to put in the same amount of effort in a developed country i.e. USA or U.K and the following articles bear testament to my asertions.
http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=26&storycode=401182
Another intresting article which again highlights the future's academic tangent.
http://www.newkerala.com/one.php?action=fullnews&id=40929
Higher education demands commitment and devotion from students. The aim to get a degree does not suffice. The facilities available to developed world students is still unparallel to under developed or developing world. But the level of interest apart from degree seeking students, is incresing in countries like Pakistan. I think the developed world students might be losing the interest to travel to distant horizens.
What I'd like to point out here, is that there is no system in the world which is able to seperate degree seeking students apart from academically intrested and motivated students.
Prospective graduates, are the future of any country's economy but distinguishing between these two kinds of species is impossible, atleast at the point of recruitment.
The trend which prevails worldwide now is to gain a degree for the sake of getting a WELL PAID JOB and fulfilling the Americab Dream !.... now whether be be students of the developed world or the developing.... the scenario is pretty much the same!
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