Forces Shaping PostgraduateEducation:Academic Credentials

in a Global Context

Mary-Louise KearneyDirector, UNESCO Forum on Higher Education Research and Knowledge

ml.kearney@unesco.org

Academic Credentials in the Context of the Knowledge Society and the Knowledge Economy

Issues regarding Doctoral/Master Degrees : Renewing the academic profession Assuring the future of research communities Other career paths Lifelong learning Redefining the content of PhD/Masters degrees Assessing the required skills/competences acquired via these

academic credentials

Result: The need to re-examine postgraduate education inmassifed HE systems

The Importance of Knowledge Today

The knowledge dividend Promoting knowledge for social

development Integrated higher education, research,

innovation (HERI)systems : the key motor driving the Knowledge Society/Economy

UNESCO Forum on Higher Education, Research and Knowledge :

Builds a critical mass of data and experiences for accrued benefits

Documents the principal components of knowledge systems

Anticipates the evolution of knowledge (HERI) systems - i.e. the Forum's foresight role

High Level Knowledge Requires Investment in 3 Key Areas:

Intellectual capital

( i.e. via advanced academic credentials)

A robust R and D sector

(fostering innovation for economic growth)

Strong CIT capacity

Essential National Research Capacity

Improved teaching-questioning minds

Asking nationally relevant questions

National commitment to research

Innovation systems

Agents of Change: Using evidence to question

Capacity to be part of international research community

Skills for carrying out researchNationalresearch capacity

Capacity to generate own knowledge

Research

University as a hub

Capacity to utilise external research/knowledge

Capacity for evaluation

Capacity for analysis

Culture of inquiry

Budget line for National research

National research policy & strategy

Assuring the Global/Local Balance in Knowledge Production

Research towards local application of global knowledge pool.

accessibilityaffordability

Research for understanding

of one’s own situation and problems.

GLOBAL KNOWLEDGE POOL

acceptabilityfeasibility

LOCAL APPLICATION

Local situationsLocal problemsNature

AutonomyAcademic Freedom

StudentsTeaching StaffResearchers

Research Output

Technology Transfer

Concentration of Talent

Abundant

ResourcesFavorable Governance

Leadership TeamStrategic VisionCulture of Excellence

Public Budget Resources

Endowment Revenues

Tuition Fees

Research Grants

Excellence Supportive Regulatory Framework

Graduates

Source: Elaborated by Jamil Salmi World Bank

Excellence in Postgraduate Education Alignment of Key Factors

The LAC Doctorate in LAC : 3 Main Regional Leaders

80% { 5

1

1

Top 200 of the world

Brazil, Mexio and Argentina concentrated 80% of the PhD programs in the region

University of Trinidad and Tobago:Interdisciplinary Research at the Centre for Marine Sciences (Mode 2 Knowledge)

h

EnvironmentAnd Health

Biodiversity and Conservation

Marine Governance

PolicyAnd Law

EcosystemDynamics and

CoastalProcesses

Physical andGeological

Oceanography

Research Clusters

Singapore 1990-2004 : Building Capacity in Research Scientists and Engineers

Year RESs Private Sector RSEs PhD RSEs PG Students FPGRSs

1990 4329 1363 970 -

1995 8340 4163 1887 -

2000 14483 7997 3111 2570

2004 18935 11596 4063 3705

Source: Special Initative: Singapore country study, page 80

Pakistan: Science, Technology and Engineering Programme ( STEP)

STEP programme with 8 RUs in ENA and Asia Aim: 2000 PhDs per annum before 2020 +6000% investment in SETI +2300% investment in HE Large faculty salary and tax incentives HE Minister appointed direct by the PM STI investment for the K-Economy

Science PhDS: Evolving Trends in the USA, EU and China 1970: 50%+ Science/Engineering doctorates came from the USA

2001: EU graduated 40% more SE doctorates that the USA

2010: EU will produce double the USA SE doctorates

2003: 13.000 doctorates in China. 70% in SE

(Harvard Magazine: Nov/Dec 2005

Scientific Research in China: Building Global Collaboration

Chinese research papers 2001-2005

0

10000

20000

30000

40000

50000

60000

70000

80000

90000

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005

Co-authored

Chinese only

Top co-authorship countries & Regions for 2005

Country # of papersUSA 6940JAPAN 2575ENGLAND 1577GERMANY 1536CANADA 1294AUSTRALIA 1144FRANCE 960TAIWAN,CHINA 951SINGAPORE 855SOUTH KOREA 757

Source: Thomson Web of Science data

Investing in Research: GRD as percentage of GDP by region

3%

2.5 %

2 %

1,5 %

1 %

0,5 %

0 %

1992 19941996/1997

1999/2000

2,7% 2,7%

1,9%

1,3 %

1,2 %

1,7%

1,5%

0,5 % 0,6%

0,4%

0,3%

North America

Europe

Asia

Asia Pacific

LAC

Africa

Source:UIS S&T database June 2005

Rising Investment in S&T and Research in Brazil

Qatar: Building R and D and STI Capacity

Leading gulf country in spending on higher education & Scientific Research:

Spends 2.8 % on scientific research Infrastructure (internat’l standards) Role of private sector cooperation with banks – companies -

institutions scholarships Mentoring students Loans with marginal interest

Source:Dr. El Kaffas, Seminar Rabat, Marocco, 2007

Strong Public/Private Investment in Research : R and D in Australia

SOURCE: Australian Research Council (2006:15)

CIT Connectivity in the World:Access vs The Digital Divide

(i) Distribution of Internet Hosts

Developing Countries (5.9%)

Australia, Japan & New Zealand

(6.4%)

Europe 22.4%

Canada & United States

(65.3%)

(ii) Distribution of World Population

Canada & United States (5.1%)

Europe (12.0%)

Australia, Japan & New Zealand

(2.5%)

Developing Countries (80.4%)

Source: Dr. Salmi, UNESCO Forum Workshop Dublin, Ireland 2008

Research University Networks: Changing Geo-Political Alliances to address common research priorities (with strong CIT links)

Universitas 21 APRU: Pacific Rim Universities WUN: World University Network LERU: League of European Research

Universities IARU: International Alliance of Research

Universities Academic Consortium 21

Strategic Options for Tertiary Education in Middle/Low IncomeCountries ( Source: The World Bank)

• capacity-building for managing and improving basic and secondary education

education (including teacher training and school governance)

increased production of qualified professional and technicians through a cost-effective combination of public and private non –university institutions

targeted investment in advanced training and research in areas of comparative advantage

Major Challenges Ahead Assuring excellence in the academy

(Via Brain Circulation?) More globally equitable R and D systems

(A social justice issue?) Reviewing current ranking systems

(Balancing quantity and quality?) Enhanced networking of research universities

(Inclusive networking across all regions?)

The Baby Boomers Retire:A Faculty Crisis for OECD Academia

2000-2010: OECD universities will lose 20-33% of their academics

Australia, Austria, France, Germany, UK, Netherlands, Sweden:40-60% of academics are aged 55+

UK:19.000 academics needed by 2020 Canada: needs to recruit 3000 academics per

annum x 10 years ( cf 900 currently recruited per annum )

R&D Expenditures: Towards greater equity worldwide

Source: www.worldmapper.org © Copyright 2006 SASI Group (University of Sheffield)

International Strategies for Research Universities (RUs)

Long term investment in knowledge capital

Bilateral partnerships New alliances ( U21, LERU etc) Targeted student and faculty mobility Research collaboration Emphasis on postgraduate research……

International Strategies for RUs

Connecting life sciences,technology, social sciences and humanities around global questions (cf Mode 2 Knowledge)

Inspiring students to engage in life-long intellectual activity

Academic reform and flexibility to strengthen international connectedness

CIT capacity to facilitate these strategies

University Ranking Systems: A New Reference for Research Universitiessince 2000 and Science/Technology Driven

Shanghai Jiao Tong

Times QA World University Ranking

HE Evaluation and Accreditation Council of Taiwan China

Shanghai Jiao Tong Rankings: The World ’s Top 50 Research Universities may change if STI Capacity Increases…..

2005 2050 USA 37 15 UK 5 4 Russia 0 3 India 0 3 China 0 7 Brazil 0 2 Singapore 0 1 Rep.of Korea 0 1

University Rankings: Wider Issues To Resolve ST-driven rankings are quantative and easier to measure

Qualitative indicators are harder to assess ( eg teaching standards, impact of international students etc)

Areas often disregarded: humanities, social sciences

Different « world class » objectives:

Top research university (= an institutional goal)

vs

Top HE system ( = a government goal)

Top

The Bologna Process in Europe

A European Higher Education Area(EHEA)

Social, economic and cultural dimensions

Aspects: academic mobility, quality HE, recognition of HE credentials, public/private HE, internationalization, graduate employment, HERI systems

The Bologna Process Globally: Linkages and Impact for Brain Circulation

EC: 46 countries and the world

What linkages are desirable and relevant?

OECD: North America/Nafta, Asia BRIC countries ( Brazil, Russia, India, China) MICs: South Africa, Singapore, Chile, Gulf States: an emerging context Bologna Process: what connections to LICs ( low

income countries)?

Conclusion : Postgraduate education for building dynamic and equitable knowledge systems

Challenges for all regions:

Understanding the contextual challenges where HERI ( higher education, research, innovation) systems operate to assure optimal design

Documenting HERI systems and their components at national and wider levels to share good practice

Assuring strong and context- relevant research universities and academic credentials