INDIA: Key elements of a university

Dr Rajeev Shorey (pictured) is President of NIIT University, a not-for-profit institution in Rajasthan sponsored by NIIT Limited. He has worked variously for General Motors India, IBM, GM Research and as an academic at IIT Delhi and the National University of Singapore. Dr Rahul Choudaha* spoke with him for University World News.

RC: NIIT University formally started last year and has already gained prominence. Now the university has also launched an MBA programme. What is your assessment of the university so far and what are the key priorities for the next three years?

RS: NIIT University or NU is based on the four core principles of industry-linked, research-driven, technology-based and seamlessness. It is these four principles that define the ethos of NU and in everything we do, from faculty hiring to admitting students, we keep the core principles in mind.

The key priorities for the next three years are to continue to recruit reputed faculty members from all over the world, to build strong ties with industry and R&D labs in India and abroad, and to inculcate a culture of research at all levels in the university.

RC: Warren Bennis, chairman of the Leadership Institute at the University of Southern California, notes that "...running a major research university today is far more complex and demanding than running any large, global corporation". You are also building a higher education institution of eminence, what are the key challenges you faced or are facing in institution building?

RS: Some of the key challenges faced by any 'quality' driven institutions are attracting world-class and global faculty to the university. This is particularly challenging in India because salaries in industry and R&D labs are typically higher than that in educational institutions. Thus, only the highly motivated people join a university environment.

Second, ensuring 'self sustainability' of the university. This means that in the long run the university should ideally be generating funds from private companies and government sources. This again will only happen when the faculty are research oriented and driven by excellence.

Third, ensuring a global nature for the university. This is a huge challenge because attracting foreign nationals with excellent credentials needs a lot of work and convincing.

Fourth, adaptability in curriculum, policies and practices. The curriculum needs to adapt to ever changing knowledge/technologies.

RC: Based on your experiences, what are the top two competencies required to lead a higher education institution?

RS: Outstanding leadership skills in addition to being highly focused, energetic and goal oriented. Second, being research driven and industry-linked. These two are so essential for any university that wants to make a mark in today's knowledge society.

* This interview was first published on Rahul Choudaha's blog Dr Education

Comment:
There are two elements in Dr Shorey's way that will surely bring NIIT to greatness: First, an emphasis on the importance of leadership, and, secondly, seamless programmes. The challenges of the times can effectively be addressed by ensuring that the two elements are well enshrined in the institution.

Leodegardo M. Pruna