It is a very well known fact that universities have multiple responsibilities so as to achieve a smooth functioning environment and ensure proper growth and development. They are also entitled to a vast range of stakeholders, but the extent to which they need to satisfy the stakeholders varies a lot. In
July 2016, executive heads from various universities across the Commonwealth will meet in Accra, Ghana to discuss on this matter and explore new dimensions so as to redefine the responsibilities of a university. It is a very difficult task to balance and satisfy all the needs of the stakeholders.
There are funders and trustees of the university. The politicians will be having an involvement as well as interest if these are public bodies. However in case of private funds the donors have an inclination towards it. Both undergraduate and postgraduate students will always have a query regarding their subjects, about topics on which they are trained, regarding the availability of jobs on the basis of their subject matters. These are various kinds of responsibilities which a university has to fulfill in order to recognize itself as a reputed one.
There are staffs both teaching as well as non-teaching who have a certain level of expectation and demands which the university has to fulfill.
The support of the students as well as the staff is what makes a responsible university; if the students and staff themselves are dissatisfied with the working management and administration of the university then it fails to gain recognition and hence not recognized as a reputed university. There are various requirements from the councils and governing bodies which the university needs to fulfill to a certain extent. In order to achieve a balance among all the above mention factors the university must pay equal attention to all the areas.
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| Pic credit: uow.edu.au |
Teaching and research facilities must be updated so as to achieve the latest working and teaching culture environment. Wide range of disciplines must be introduced ensuring a successful development of the university. The university is also responsible to instill a sense of social and corporate responsibility among the students. Knowledge and understanding should be given prime importance. Various dimensions must be introduced in every field so as to arouse the need of debates and putting forth challenges. Bringing in and developing new innovations so that the society benefits from these developments. Young minds must be
encouraged in developing something innovative and creative. The university must also maximize the external investment in their research and development for the benefit of the students as well as the society.
The university is supposed to have the entire control of its management and administration without the interference and involvement of any external bodies. Any university must be prepared always in order to face calamities so that it cannot be overpowered by any external body. It is the responsibility of the students, staffs, councils and the management to ensure smooth
development of the university without any kind of external hindrance be it political, social, or from any other field.
Article by Anisha Dutta
She is a content evangelist who believes that the Science of today is the Technology of tomorrow.
She can be reached at https://twitter.com/Anisha_Dutta29
