By Prof Dr Noor Azuan Abu Osman

THE EDGE, 22 May 2023

As we move towards the next milestone of advancement for
global development, the role and impact of higher education and universities have never
been more profound, and the stakes for tertiary institutions have never been higher.

With rising global challenges, ranging from disease to wars that increasingly affect the future of civilisations, the role of universities has never been more crucial and relevant, with a constant pressing need for change, growth and the reima-gination of purpose and values.

Universiti Tenaga Nasional (Uniten) is an Energy University focused on transforming visions and plans towards the next great leap in the energy field. It is also focused on the internationalisation and industrialisation of Uniten, revitalis-ing its strategic direction and embracing the spirit of transformation for the better.

The effort towards upward mobility in ranking and increased global recognition, underscored by the focus on the building of internal capacities and strengths, will be derailed if there is no projected and consistent support and investment in the appropriate structure and phases of growth of the university, as well as maintenance of improvements that have been accomplished.

This is especially important in relation to a university's three critical focal points, of research, academies, and services through talent empowerment, all of which aim to positively impact humanity and the world. Generating this kind of impact gives credence and value to the effort to achieve the desired position in the university rankings and sets the bar high.

The absence of a focused and well-defined financial aid programme will negatively affect the university's ecosystem and hinder Malaysia's efforts to become a leading education hub. The journey has been challenging, and the support needed is massive and multifaceted in ensuring an agile, resilient and sustainable drive to this end.

Making it to the top tier of university rankings means adopting the highest of stand ards from the world's best uni-versities, reflecting different ball games in sourcing funding support, establishing systemic structures of growth and the sustainable cultivation and maximisation of resources in maintaining crucial success levels.

While many question the need for the ranking system as the ultimate yardstick of a university's success, we argue that it remains fundamental in elevating the university in reaching for the right impact on society in general.

We need to seriously rethink and remake archaic development models and structures of finance to fuel our acquisition of the necessary capital to fund expansion and progress, which is crucial to make the giant leap into the elite tier of the world's best universities.

This requires not only the participation of the entire campus community and its immediate circle of stakeholders but, more importantly, also needs future-driven and visionary insights and commitments from the main contributors and backers in ensuring that the process is given consistent attention and impetus to enable us to cross the finish line with our heads held high.

A university well-recognised in the rankings will have the advantage of being fuelled by exceptional incentives to be at the forefront of knowledge, despite the overwhelming competition to be leaders in the field.

Elite universities such as Stanford University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the US, for example, utilise the established magnetism of brand power to their full advantage in galvanising and attracting research expertise and fund-ing, the world's brightest talent and the best technology and resources.

Rankings will provide a clear pathway for benchmarking against the world's best, particularly in the quest to improve vulnerabilities and enhance areas that will need further improvement.

The absence of a central evaluation and assessment tool for comparing the data, achievements and aspects of growth of our institution will deny us the opportunity to have a holistic overview of its direction and insight into the strategic planning of the vision ahead to outline the steps that must be taken for improvement and progress.

A university's status, value and worth are not degraded by the effort to incorporate fundamental processes for gauging its performance and by using existing guides, inspirations and best practices from the foremost institutions to shore up its capacities and readiness to achieve the highest standards.

Being in a favourable position and with the proper support to climb further in the rankings builds and complements confidence levels not just among the various stakeholders, ranging from the community to the researchers, but also among both the public and private sectors, in gaining the high expectation of a lasting positive impact to the community as well as national and global development.

In terms of outcome negotiation, with more excellent bargaining chips from the higher rankings and the subsequent positive implications, an increased level of favourable deals and partnerships for the benefit of the university and the community will be in the picture.

Specific and broad-based strategic tie-ups and partnerships with global and regional firms and institutions, especially in the critical areas of development; creation of tools of tomorrow's drivers of growth through science and technology; and ideas and innovations that will change lives and feed the hungry will create new openings and ventures that will have an immense and monumental impact for the country.

With the significant challenges of the changing times and demands of the future in the increasingly competitive and changing field of higher education, the great leap forward requires a bold re-imagination of purpose and values, propelled by the proper focus and resources that will embody the rejuvenation and transformation of culture, capacity and capability.

The opportunities to make that happen are here and now, for this is a critical juncture in our joint quest to make Malaysia stand tall in the eyes of the world through our legacy, impact and contributions to the future of the world and humanity.

This is the period of reckoning for making the big leap.