Professor Tim O. Mosaku

THE IDEA OF A UNIVERSITY
By Professor Tim O. Mosaku Department of Building Technology

Introduction
The concept of a University from historical perspective and its traditional ideas gives one the impression of a big-bang theory in creating an environment which is distinct  from the society it is meant to serve. The emphasis appears to be more on the individuals within the environment who are given the freedom to develop their own intellectual capacities and to develop  others to make free and voluntary contributions for the benefit of the society.

Whatever came out of the university in this manner for the benefit of the society therefore was left to chance depending on the way the individuals within the environment perceived their environment and, of course, the status of their intellectual capacities. Some of the early discoveries and inventions adopted or adapted for societal needs provide ample examples to confirm this view.

The examples include:

Marie Curie - Radioactive

Henry Becquerel - Radioactive

James Watts - Locomotive, Electric   Bulbs

Isaac Newton - Law of Motion

Graham Bell - Telephone, Telegram

Micheal Faraday - Electricity

Our dynamic society is getting turned upside down and needs specific prescriptions for specific changes required for stability and progress. Universities, to my mind, hold the key to providing those specific prescriptions to stabilize and set the society on the path of progress.

Based on this assumption that the universities hold the key to our stability, development and progress, I have tried to look at a university from the perspective of a company that is rendering a service to the society locally and internationally.

As a company there are two basic things that a university must do to organise efficiently and manage effectively.

It must have a goal/ or sets of goals in view and a plan to attain the goal as typified by the products.

Both the goal and the plan will dictate the level of resources required to succeed.

I have therefore configured my idea of a university on most of the theoretical and practical views that can create uniqueness, growth, and be service oriented.

TWO ISSUES ARE INVOLVED
- The Goal/Goals of a
University
- Planning, Organising and Administration to accomplish the
goals.

Traditional Ideas of A University
University as a generic idea
- Institution of higher education
- Ivory tower
- Egg head environment
- A publish or perish environment
- An entity disconnected from society
- An unquantifiable return on investment venture

A New University Paradigm
A University as a service-differentiated entity in a globalized economy
A university as a rapid response service provider in a competitive environment
A university as an extension and a microcosm of larger society
A university as a citadel of moral discipline and excellence

A University: Main Components
Physical Infrastructure
Curriculum
Administration
Pedagogy
Linkages
Research and Development, Demonstration and Deployment (RADDAD)
Special Projects.

Curriculum
Rapidly upgradeable to cater for emerging ideas and needs of a dynamic society
Socially Relevant Student projects
Introduce a Student Project Rolling Development Strategy – SPRDP
Project matures to marketability through the rolling plan of several generations of students
Highest class/part undergraduate works on project topic while other team members (lower class/part students) understudy as apprentices

Administration
Departmental Financial Independence / Autonomy
- Research Budgeting by Department
- Department budgets will be based on
number of groundbreaking discoveries
and patented inventions generated

Lecturer Performance Assessment
- Student Assessment Input
- Peer Review Mechanism
- World Class Prizing System for rewarding deserving lecturers

Administration
12-month salary incentive for 11-month work
13-month salary incentive for 12-month work
1 month compulsory industrial experience acquisition (Paid)
Extra earnings from the industry welcome by the university
Plus other options
Lecturer Skill Upgrading

Differentiating Pedagogy
Introduce Interdisciplinary approach to problem solving
All Graduating Students to contribute to one of several socially-relevant Team Project and Personal Project as criteria for graduating from CU
Extend curriculum to include Team Building Skills
Teaching / Lecture Delivery
All Lectures to be given in Microsoft PowerPoint
All Lectures should be available on Podcasts server
Examination Online as now being done for admission screening to reduce examination processing time.

Differentiating Pedagogy
Videoconferencing facilities to enable CU source for the best minds (as faculty) from all over the globe.
Outsourced / Non In-situ faculty interact with students in real time, online mode via videoconferencing media

Linkages
Strategic Alliances with
Local, National and Global Institutions
Universities, Multinationals,
Alumni, Public and Private Sectors, NGOs, NGIs
Beyond SIWES, CU should be a clearing house for industry and society’s problems
CU campus must include Technology and Business Parks

RADDAD
Traditional Research and Development (R&D) are no longer adequate.
Traditional R&D are hiding places for non performance
Emphasis must shift to:
Demonstration (Product Prototyping) and
Deployment (Product Patenting, Product Market Entry and Penetration)
R&D MUST result in PATENTS with World Intellectual Property organization (WIPO)

RADDAD
Patents registered with WIPO are globally tradable commodities.
Department budgets will be based on number of groundbreaking discoveries and patented inventions generated.
Special Projects
Active and Virile Town and Gown projects

Conclusions
Are the goals well defined?
How well are we meeting our expectations?
On what grounds can we compete with others?
What more do we have to do?
What more do we need?

Just like companies, universities are experiencing constantly changing demands and pressures, to which they must respond accordingly.
To remain competitive and relevant, Universities must undergo major improvement to cope with the changing situations.

Too much is changing for anyone to be complacent. Objectives and plan must be reviewed as required to remain relevant. Today’s essential quest for constant improvement of everything only comes from constant adjustment of routines both trivial and great. To adjust any process means dealing with new conditions.

A university that does not build on the principles of competitive management and create uniqueness will soon drop out of the universities “league table” or at best may remain in the “relegation or drop zone”

The process of seeking constant quality improvement or enhanced flexibility requires us to break some silly rules that impede communication and fast action.

University must be responsive to change and grow upwards in the manner of an inverted pyramid. If Harvard had reached a peak over the several years it had been at the summit of the “league table” others would have caught up with it. There is no end to the growth of a university in a dynamic world. A university must grow from Glory to Glory. Our current level of attainment becomes the platform for the new generation to take-off.

The world is not stagnant, therefore, the law of constant change applies to the idea of a university.

Finally, if we have all learned one thing with respect to successful establishment, it’s that brilliant execution is more important than brilliant strategy. The right approach to brilliant execution is that:
Everyone knows which way the boat is heading
The course is being consistently steered and,
The route is an exciting one worthy of enlistment.