Dear All,
This is a very sensitive issue and I am writing this after giving due diligence. I believe the solution proposed by Prof. Jafri seems very simplistic and perhaps make more connection with the ethics and ethos of middle twentieth century. If you look around the best institutions around the world, there is hardly any security, other then basic minimum.This means great institution are built on some fundamentals which bring excellence at the core of of its existence. If I put it like this:
" Wisdom through excellence"
I believe, instead of entering this endless debate of VC's etc, AMU needs to a take a bit
of a pause and think " what's its current role is and what role she wishes to carve out for future ". It needs to clearly define its vision statement and finds its meaning for existence which will clearly put it on path to achieve leadership though excellence. in achieving great institution status of the sub-continent. I find a statement embedded in the AMU logo" Allamal Insaana Malam Yalam". Does anyone in AMU really know in real sense what does it really means in this changed world? And if yes, then how do they really feel they have achived it during the time they have spend at AMU, be it teacher, student, administrator etc. ? This may look very irrelevant but a a brief introspection of why we as institution are there will develop a clear understanding of it? As we are embarking on to expand the boundaries of AMU, I believe a lack of vision would shrink its appeal instead of expanding it. Surely, vision statements needs to be flexible, realistic, cater to the ever changing demands of the society, and should be collectively achievable. The role of the higher up- VC, Deans, Professors, etc, to collectively achieve this statement. There must be an inculcation of the vision statement at every level of AMU. This would surely infuse dynamism and lift the confidence of the people to achieve high productivity, purposefulness and quality through excellence. A sense of purpose is needed to achieve excellence, and that is what a collective leadership of the institution gives. The office of the VC should be the torch bearer of this and lead it from the front.Instead of boggling down in the repetitive administrative tasks, the office of VC should strive to achieve to provide a meaningful means to the community under it so that the defined vision statement is achieved in all truthfulness. Once this culture is developed, most problems evaporates and every organ of the institution work with collective approach to achieve excellence.
If we keep looking at the problems without going into the genesis of it, we would continue to find only temporary solutions.
Open to Debate.....
Best regards,
Dr Lubna Siddiqui
MBBS (1999)
Brighton.UK
** I must acknowledge that some of the ideas presented in this mail were collected over the discussion on dinner table involving following people:
1. Prof. A Clarke
2. Dr Khizer Saeed
3. Dr D Lawrence
4. Dr Sarrah Stone.
5. Dr M Butt