The Role Of A University Is Beyond The Production Of Human Capital

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IN TODAY’S reality, higher education, particularly university education worldwide, is aimed at producing ‘human capital’ who are primarily meant to contribute to a nation’s economic prosperity while serving the individual needs for financial salvation.
The human capital theory argues that education requires investment, which in turn yields future returns. At the individual level, these returns are estimated using the wage equation.
But despite a major influence of economists’ view of preparing future generations from the perspective of human capability or in the form of capital and wealth, the purpose and functions of university education remain broad.
Both classical and neoclassical economists addressed the role of education as empowering or enabling an individual for improved living conditions, to play an active role in society, and to get involved in the economic and political life.
At the same time, universities worldwide are now heavily engaged in securing a prestigious position in global university rankings.
The modus operandi of most of the universities is largely guided to fulfill performance indicators according to the global university ranking criteria, namely, but not limited to, academic and research excellence, such as number and citations of research publications, peer reputation, ratio of international students and academic staff, and graduate employability.
Keeping at the centre of their core strategies, universities then align recruitment and promotion exercises of the academic staff mainly by focusing on the ranking indicators.
Albeit the ranking criteria are not contrary to the core objective of a university, i.e., to generate and disseminate higher levels of knowledge and skills, that primarily is the outcome of pursuing research and publications.
Ironically, human capital/resource- and ranking-centric modus operandi, in a way, is proven counterproductive and compromises the holistic roles and responsibilities of universities.
Academic and research staff are often preoccupied with fulfilling the requirements for appointment and promotion, which are predominantly evaluated by indices similar to university ranking criteria.
At the same time, in today’s reality, universities largely aim to produce graduates whose knowledge and skills are aligned with current and emerging industrial needs for economic prosperity.
Furthermore, the competition and race for ranking requirements also lure academic staff and researchers into relying on unethical means to numerically fulfill the performance indicators imposed on them.
(Image: Pexels/Gu Ko)Unethical means and resulting scientific misconduct pushed the scientific endeavor to the brink of people’s trust in science.
In summary, having a sense of a mere ‘human capital’ and working to achieve a numerical target by the graduates and employees, respectively, the commitment to serve society and humanity at large is being lost.
Indeed, economic prosperity without the spirit of humanity is the last thing that we need amid sporadic yet frequent savage wars in the current world.
Needless to say, sole emphasis on ‘human capital’ development results in a loss of holistic competence that includes preparedness of a conscious being not only for a higher level of knowledge and skills but also as the protector of the environment and humanity.
Those deviations need to be critically analysed to stop marching to the beat of a different drum.
For a holistic revival of university education, it is therefore imperative that a university consider operating on the foundation of commitment, competence, and consciousness.
On these foundations, the university then builds three pillars: administrative justice, academic and research excellence, and professional integrity. The stronger these pillars are, the more productive and meaningful the university will be for society and humanity.
To make each pillar stronger and relevant, the university’s modus operandi could be based on pillar-specific strategic thrusts aimed at enabling or ensuring that the university instills the foundations of commitment, consciousness, and competence in everyone connected to the university, including students, academic staff, and administrative personnel.
Under each strategic thrust, the university would devise specific action plans to fulfill the goals of a university as an institute of higher education, which simultaneously play a critical role in the evolution of humanity.
This is done by elevating the employee’s potential and empowering new generations for continuous adjustment not only for the dynamic changes in technology but also with emerging needs for society and the environment.
It is rather inevitable than unavoidable that every university is guided by its own mission and vision. Simultaneously with the change and progress of time, universities must address and adapt to the emerging needs with necessary action plans.
It does not necessarily mean that there is any need to compromise the core objectives of having universities offering higher education.
All universities might need to revisit their modus operandi to evaluate if they have prioritised their roles beyond the production of mere ‘human capital’ for future generations.
Prof Mohammad is the Deputy Executive Director (Development, Research & Innovation) at International Institute of Public Policy and Management (INPUMA), Universiti Malaya.
The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of MMKtT. 
- Focus Malaysia

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