While talking to a delegate in the WISE 2012 event, I was asked the question of what would be my vision for my University over a 10-year period. This question left me in a reflective process for a few days. It is indeed very difficult to come up with a vision. But I will try.
I would like to see the University become the leading institution for research and development in national key priority areas –
- Renaissance of the Education System
- Renewable Energy
- Land Transportation Efficiency
- Healthcare improvement – diabetes, cardio-vascular diseases, hypertension, life hygiene
- Innovative Models for Poverty Reduction
- Water Treatment and Retention to solve drought problems and to diminish dependency on rainfall.
- Innovative ICT applications to improve the public services
- Innovative Economic Policies Development
- Other elements related to national priorities.
2. Replace the current promotion system which makes academics become individualists, egoists and research paper production machines with no or little real world applications and bulk education dispensers.
3. Improve the regional presence of the University through establishment of a dual-mode university system. This focuses on distance education through e-learning to increase access to foreign students and to enable them to learn without the need to be physically present on the university campus.
4. Encourage academics and students to become entrepreneurs and to make money out of their joint research and development activities and to set up their own enterprises.
5. Encourage mobility of academics through reduction of bureaucracy and increased academic freedom within an approved framework.
6. A fully decentralized system of education administration and management.This will allow the university to evolve at a much faster pace.
