Must prioritise merit to bring back DU’s glory
On the occasion of DU's birth centenary, noted academic Prof SMA Faiz, who served as the 26th vice-chancellor (VC) of Dhaka University (DU) from September 2002 till January 2009, recently talked with The Daily Star, discussing different issues including decline of the university's position in various international rankings, teacher and student politics, teachers' appointment, and role of the administration.
The Daily Star (DS): DU was considered to be the "Oxford of the East". Where does it stand after 100 years of its journey?
Prof Faiz: DU not only contributed to the country's education but also played a significant role in trying times like the Language Movement and Liberation War. There's no other university in the world that has done so.
Here, I'd say there is a misinterpretation regarding the "Oxford of the East" term. From day one, DU was considered the Oxford of the East, because we had followed the Oxford model, which was residential in nature. Every student would have to reside at the institute and no college would be affiliated with it. Students would have to interact with teachers in university halls, which Oxford University follows.
But later, we lost characteristics of the Oxford model.
When Pakistan was created, 14 colleges under Kolkata University got affiliated to DU, and the university lost its residential nature. That's why, DU cannot be called Oxford of the East anymore, in that sense.
Of course, there is a quality aspect to it. People think we move forward with DU, keeping the quality of Oxford University, but we couldn't maintain that quality. This is because we couldn't keep the best teachers at DU at the beginning of the university's journey; they went abroad on professional grounds. Maybe we're not recruiting the best teachers for the university; we couldn't attract the best teachers.
DS: We are seeing a decline in DU's position in various international rankings. What should be done to bring back the university's glorious past and improve education quality?
Prof Faiz: One of the reasons (for the decline) is that we're lagging behind in conducting research. This is because we never got adequate funds from the government in this regard. Despite this, different departments have carried out good research in collaboration with outside sources.
But the fact is we couldn't convey this information to authorities who are involved in ranking universities globally.
We'll have to go a long way, regardless of whether we get recognition or not. There is no denying that we're way behind in the field of research.
Regarding bringing back its glory, the VC has a tremendous role to play. The VC may be appointed by a government, but they must be neutral when carrying out their job. They will have to play their role by going beyond the identity of political parties and opinions.
They must prioritise merit -- especially when recruiting teachers and admitting students.
There should be no political consideration, and opportunities in university halls must be provided only on the basis of merit.
Just by keeping these in mind, we can improve the quality of the university considerably.
After that, we'll have to increase facilities for students. We couldn't increase the required infrastructure for the increasing number of students.
The halls, where many students stay in one room, don't provide a proper environment for studying. There are not enough facilities in the library, and the quality of food must be improved. We are also not being able to meet necessary mental health requirements for students in the halls.
DS: How should a modern and progressive university administration work?
Prof Faiz: The university administration will have to prove that they are working neutrally and taking decisions on the basis of merit. It should be accepted and respected by teachers and students, and consequently, receive cooperation from all.
DS: Why is teacher and student politics necessary at university?
Prof Faiz: Teachers may possess certain political thoughts, which is normal, but politics should not make them blind. They must consider what is good as good and bad as bad, and their political ideologies cannot adversely affect the students.
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