world class university

How do countries establish world-class universities while avoiding common pitfalls? In my previous postings about the Top 10 errors that universities most often make, I focused on obstacles usually encountered at the beginning of the enterprise. In today’s blog, I outline three common errors likely to happen at a later stage, once the new flagship institution has already been operating for a few years and has reached a sort of steady pace. Errors at this stage can impede progress not only in sustaining, but in growing an institution that is well-run and impactful.

What are those three common errors? And how can universities ultimately go the distance?

This is my last post sharing the top 10 common errors when building new world class universities based on my work over the past 17 years at the World Bank and reflecting on my observations from  working with colleagues involved in advising countries keen to establish new tertiary education institutions.  A full version of the lessons can be accessed at Ten Common Errors When Building a New World-Class University. 

8. Be too ambitious in enrollment targets.  The leaders of new institutions sometimes think that they can rapidly enroll large numbers of students, often in the tens of thousands.  This is rarely achieved without sacrificing quality.  In the 1970s, E.F. Schumacher wrote in his famous book “Small is Beautiful” that successful development projects were preferably of a small size. 

This week, I’m sharing the top 10 common errors when building new world class universities based on my work over the past 17 years at the World Bank and reflecting on my observations from  working with colleagues involved in advising countries keen to establish new tertiary education institutions.  Yesterday I focused on the magnificent campus and the expectation that magic will come from it; today, I delve into some other common errors when building a world class university.  Here are common errors number 2, 3 and-4. 

2. Design the curriculum after constructing the facilities.  It is often assumed that teaching and learning can easily adapt to the physical environment of the institution.  This may be true for traditional lecture-based teaching, but innovative pedagogical practices often require equally innovative facilities.For example, interactive approaches, problem-based learning or pedagogical methods relying heavily on teamwork and peer learning are constrained by the physical limitations of conventional lecture halls or even classrooms.