Rapporteurs’ Report on Blueprint UG 2040 FINAL VERSION Encounter 1: Examining Context George Walcott Lecture Theatre July 10 – 11, 2019 1.0
INTRODUCTION Blueprint UG 2040: Encounter 1: Examining Context was a focused gathering of
stakeholders from inside and outside of UG who were there to initiate the process of creating a Blueprint of The University of Guyana of the future. The forum was divided into seven sessions over the two-day period and saw presentations from persons of varying disciplines.
The
presentations provided robust discussions on the way forward for UG, where there was an exchange of fruitful comments and mind-blowing questions. 1.1
Participants The two days of activities saw a total of ninety-one (91) registered participants of diverse
backgrounds. Participants were drawn from representatives of the Arizona State University; Council members; members of the University of Guyana TMC; academic and non-academic staff of the University of Guyana; University of Guyana Resource Ambassadors; and students of the University of Guyana, Ohio University and Harvard University.
1
2.0
DAY ONE – WEDNESDAY, JULY 10, 2019
2.1
Introduction The first day of the University of Guyana Blueprint Forum was hosted on Wednesday, July
10, 2019, in the George Walcott Lecture Theatre, Turkeyen Campus. There were 54 registered participants, among who were representatives from Arizona State University, Members of the TMC, Pro-Chancellor, Council Members, students from Ohio State University and Harvard, Resource Ambassadors, UG students and staff. There were six presentations which generated lively discussions as some common themes resonated throughout the day. 2.2
Opening Session The Opening Session, chaired by Dr. Nigel Gravesande, Registrar and Secretary to the
TMC and Council, saw presentations by Major General Joe Singh (Ret’d), Pro-Chancellor and Chair of the Council; and Professor Paloma Mohamed, DVC─PACE and Deputy Chair, TMC. 2.2.1 Welcome Remarks - Dr. Michael Scott, DVC─AE and Chair, TMC Dr. Michael Scott, DVC─AE and Chair, TMC, welcomed all and gave the Opening Remarks. He also extended special thanks to Professor Paloma Mohamed and her team for planning the event. Professor Michael Scott expressed gratitude to all present for embarking on the exercise. 2.2.2 Presentation - Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Council, Major General Joe Singh (Ret’d) Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Council, Major General Joe Singh (Ret’d) presented to the audience on “Guyana’s Strategic Opportunities for the Present and the Future”, and addressed three keys pillars in his discourse: the legal crises that stymied Guyana’s development,
2
the current drivers that will influence how Guyana is going to change and opportunities that can shape the future of Guyana. In the first part of his dialogue, he discussed some of the main issues, in his opinion, that were responsible for preventing Guyana’s development: lack of political will to implement national development plans; the failure to achieve consensus among political parties; and the lack of financial capital to implement transformational projects, among other things. ProChancellor Singh’s presentation did not only highlight the developmental struggles of the country but also spoke about the current drivers that will catalyze change in Guyana’s growth trajectory. The Pro-Chancellor, in his presentation, identified some Geo-Strategic Opportunities, not only for Guyana, but also the Caribbean as a whole and Northern South America and shared some ideas of what he believes can assist in pushing Guyana to the forefront in the near future as follow: •
The need for a plan that would be transformative in realizing Guyana’s development potential through the National Resources Fund to a Green Economy
•
The need to harness the opportunities provided by Guyana’s Geo-Strategic position and comparative advantage
•
The need for advocacy for good governance, accountability, justice and security, equity and access, and social cohesion
•
Last but not least, the need for Guyana to learn from the lesson of the ‘Curse of Oil’ so as to ensure that the country does not suffer from the same demise
The Pro-Chancellor also recommended some strategic actions that Guyana can take to grasp the available opportunities such as: •
Guyana with its vast Agricultural landscape can be a producer of food for the regional market. It can also be the regional transportation hub as a conduit to the Atlantic for manufactured goods and agricultural products from Amazonas and Roraima.
3
•
Guyana as the only English-speaking country in South America can provide a bridge for the north (North America, Europe and the Caribbean) to the State of Roraima and Amazonas and bridge from the south to the north.
•
Guyana should upgrade the CJIA and Ogle Airports, which will provide great facilities for larger aircrafts and faster turnaround for persons transiting Guyana to the hinterland and bordering states
2.2.3 UG Blueprint Overview - Professor Paloma Mohamed, DVC-PACE and Deputy Chair of the TMC Professor Mohamed gave an overview of what UG Blueprint is about and hastened to point out that UG Blueprint would not take the form of previous studies that were conducted on various issues plagued by the university. Professor Mohamed explained that the Blueprint exercise was aimed at answering three focused questions which will be transferred into mapping out a University of Guyana of the future and document specific steps needed to accomplish the organization’s future goals and the goals of Guyana as a whole. Professor Mohamed opined that the project is needed to examine what exists presently at UG, particularly to review and refine the process with the necessary design and resources in order to make the needed recommendation to implement change. She made an important distinction between a Blueprint and a Strategic Plan – The Blue Print is a higher order goal directed futuristic planning tool while the Strategic Plan is a step by step plan to achieve the higher order goals in the short to medium term. According to Professor Mohamed, some of the anticipated benefits of the Blueprint exercise are as follow: •
Scalability and flexibility
•
Comparability
4
•
Cross-functionality, communication and knowledge transferability
•
Analysis and refinement
•
Consonance and congruence
•
Vision fixation
•
Benefits of a Blueprint A road map was also provided mapping the way forward to create a UG of the future that
would cater for the needs of UG and the country as a whole, with a clear vision with one mission, creating success for everyone. The roadmap defined 4 major changes for Guyana in the future to which the UG will have to respond- expanding population size and diversity ; expanding and differentiated economy ; rapid global trends in technology; climate and environment change. 2.3
Discussion The following issues/points/questions were raised after the Opening Session: •
One of the university’s main problem is trust, and we have to deal with this issue.
•
University of Guyana is a national university, therefore what we do should be showcased nationally
•
Guyana’s politics has to change; there is need for more accountability; we need more efficiency at the government level; we need cohesion on the skills set that that are needed by public and private sector and the training provided by the university; and greater collaboration is needed between the government and the University of Guyana.
•
Given the climate the country is presently in, if the government should change what will we do with the blueprint?
5
•
The University needs to position things in both the near term and future term, both on the campus and then in the country. Great emphasis should be placed on making the campus comfortable for staff members presently
•
The University should be responsible for shaping the direction of the country
•
We need to determine what UG is now. UG needs to define its culture now to manifest the change in the future. UG is a state institution and not a government institution. Responses were as followed:
•
The University should position itself to achieve both short and long-term goals and not temper its planning around the country’s political environment
•
We need to protect our heritage at UG. The institution needs to examine its role in the country and decide whether or not it is addressing the needs of the country adequately and if not, how it can to do so.
•
The St. Augustine Campus, University of the West Indies was responsible for planning national development, therefore avoiding political interferences. University of Guyana can take a pattern from the University of the West Indies.
2.4
Session 2: What are we Facing?
2.4.1 Guyana’s Green State Development Strategy – Mr. Norwell Hinds, Co-Chair, GSDS Thematic Group 5 – Education and Wellbeing Mr. Norwell Hinds, Civic Engagement Officer, UG PACE and Co-Chair of the Green State Development Strategy Thematic Group ─ Education and Wellbeing, was the sole presenter in Session 2. In his presentation, Mr. Hinds selected abstracts from the Green State Development Strategy that gave important strategic directions for education and discussed the role of the university in upscaling and retraining persons in order to realize the objectives of the Green State Development Strategy. This presentation was well received and attracted responses which focused 6
mainly on UG’s current role in society and the need to reposition the university so as to align it with the labor market.
2.4.2 Discussion: •
It was pointed out that even though the Green State Development Strategy contained strategic directions for education and the role of the university, and staff members sat on various panels, the University of Guyana was not named in the document. Efforts are being made to correct this.
•
The University of Guyana was mentioned exclusively in the Natural Resources Fund and this was realized through the efforts of the Professor Mohamed.
•
The Green State Development Strategy has a spending strategy and not a development strategy.
•
The information presented in the document dealt with education and wellbeing but not labor demands and forecasting, which is critical and pivotal indicators for the University of Guyana to be aligned with the labour market.
•
In the past University of Guyana staff produced large quantities of research and prototypes that are useful to the country. The problem is not the capacity to produce but what is done with what is produced. The real problem is the building and securing of intellectual capacity.
•
There is no platform between the University of Guyana and the private/public sector and other universities to promote innovation and there is no money assigned by the university to finance projects.
7
•
Staff must have a stake into the funding at the university. There should be a different model where society and staff have stakes in the university which might lead to less dependency on the government for funding.
•
UG being the national university should inform how we deal with national industries. There needs to be some legal basis and function of a national university and how it functions in order to relate in a structural manner to external stakeholders.
•
What is the role of the university in addressing societal issues? How are these issues factored into the curriculum? We are currently a national university with unrealistic subventions and these things must be factored into policy.
•
The University of Guyana needs to engage in scholarship. We must recognize that we are national and ensure that we are doing enough to connect with national goals.
•
Education is the largest of the sectors addressed in the Green State Development Strategy. The high-level objectives are good but still does address the future of the university. The University of Guyana is in a position to help in bringing the plan from a lofty position to actual development.
•
The University of Guyana should position itself to benefit from the oil revenue. It is now a great opportunity for the university to act as a fulcrum and take the country forward.
•
There must be a radical change in the way the university has been planning for self. In the past, the university was planning around what the government gives to the university and was confined by annual budgets. The university’s 2019 budget seeks to map out what it would really take to fix issues at the university. The university needs to be a budget agency and not a subvention agency.
•
UG needs to define training/research/staff needs to push the nation forward.
8
•
The university needs to influence the feeding mechanism from planning and sector level of education. Political parties should be engaged for their manifestos and the university should influence their manifestos to reflect this.
•
There should be a connection between Students Projects from the Faculty of Engineering and Technology and the School of Entrepreneurship and Business Innovation which should lead to the connection between ideas and implementation.
2.5
Session 3 – Where are we Heading? Session 3 had four presentations: Ms. Sonya Roopnauth, Director of Budget, Ministry of
Finance; Professor Gary Dirks, Director, The Ann Wrigley School of Sustainability, Arizona State University; Dr. Jewel Thomas, Chair, University of Guyana Senior Staff Association and Ms. Devta Ramroop, President, University of Guyana Students’ Society. Ms. Roopnauth outlined the areas in the national budget that are aligned with the goals and objectives of the Green State Development Strategy. The discussions that followed saw several proposals for a change in the way UG’s subvention is allocated. The general feeling was that the University of Guyana is not being treated as a priority for funding when it comes to the Ministry of Education’s budget which results in the university being grossly underfunded. 2.5.1 Guyana: A Macroeconomic Outlook – Ms. Sonya Roopnauth, Director of Budgets, Ministry of Finance, Guyana Ms. Roopnauth described UG’s Blueprint exercise as exceptional and realistic if it allows the university to stay on path and develop as the environment changes. Ms. Roopnauth stated that as much as the Blueprint focuses on a twenty-year goal and forecast, the Ministry of Finance only
9
does a one-year forecast. She pointed out that Guyana’s expected growth in the next twenty years will be significant even without the impact of the oil sector. Ms. Roopnauth defined macroeconomics as the branch of economics concerned with largescale or general economic factors such as interest rates and national productivity and said that Guyana currently has several sectors that generate revenue thus providing growth for the economy. Guyana needs not only focus on the oil sector but develop and invest in all other sectors so as to avoid suffering from the ‘Dutch Disease’. Investments in industries are crucial especially that of education, agriculture, infrastructure, research, manufacturing and production. The university must produce students who can come out and assist in the development and expansion of the agricultural sector. Students must be innovative and/or entrepreneurial. These are key assets in finding and creating new ways for growth and expansion of any industry.
Ms. Roopnauth stressed the importance of investments in the economy. Growth for an economy needs investments and the best investment is in education. Investing in quality education from the nursery level to tertiary is desperately needed in Guyana. She emphasized that the core subjects need more investments, especially in remote areas of Guyana. According to Ms. Roopnauth, the recently released results for Common Entrance shows how poor the students have performed in these subjects. Ms. Roopnauth pointed out that infrastructure is important to facilitate in the growth of a country and as such the University of Guyana must produce students with adequate skill sets to manage this sector. The country needs nationals who are capable of building roads and bridges, so as to stop the importation of foreigners to do the job. The University must produce individuals who are resourceful and fully equipped to function in the capacity of national development.
10
In the areas of health, the country needs more persons coming out of the University as specialists. The long-term growth of the economy that is non-oil sector needs enhancing and developing right now to maintain the already growing economy.
Currently, the country is
generating an insufficient number of health workers. Researchers are needed in all sections of the country and in every sector so that the government can better serve and develop communities. Survey information and data gathering are hard on the public sector. If the University provides the human resource required by the ministries, a lot of production and development will occur especially in those remote areas. In closing, Ms. Roopnauth urged participants to read the International Development Strategy. 2.5.2 Discussion Several questions/comments followed the presentation, most of which were responded to by Ms. Roopnauth. They were recorded as follow: Q:
What does it mean to go to a green state?
A:
It is something that is needed for Guyana, so as to avoid the ‘Dutch disease’. Guyana currently has several implementation issues of policies that need to be addressed.
Q:
When the population starts to increase in Guyana, we need to prepare new, better health care facilities for not only Georgetown but all the other regions. Currently, the laws need to change to accommodate this development plan because presently a specialist can only work in Georgetown. Infectious disease is a major issue in mining regions, especially Region 1 with the current high influx of Venezuelans. What do we have in place to deal with this heavy immigration? What are some the implications for the health care systems?
11
A:
The Ministry of Public Health is creating a health care strategy to better serve the growing population. The growth of the population is not only monitored by the Ministry of Public Health but also the Department of Immigration. More human resources are needed in the health sector. The Ministry of Public Health, based on the population and the community needs, creates and funds health facilities in communities. This is another area where researchers are needed, so as to better inform the Ministry on what is required of them to better serve the community and region.
Q:
Would it be easy to delink the University of Guyana’s budget from the Ministry of Education?
A:
The University of Guyana has to stay under the Education Ministry because of the government’s policy of grouping like-minded sectors. The University needs to figure out what are the reasons and the expected outcomes of delinking from the Ministry of Education then determine whether those same outcomes cannot be facilitated under the Ministry of Education’s umbrella.
C:
When the government is discussing or creating agendas, the University of Guyana needs a presence so as to have an input in policies and development. The university has molded and will continue to mold this nation and as such needs a voice in all platforms of decision making.
C:
When creating development strategies, the Government should use different plans based on geographic locations and regions.
A:
Strategic plans for every region is currently being undertaken. The issue leads back to the lack of and need for researchers. The Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission does not have proper mapping of these areas, so this deficiency is a major setback in creating an
12
effective strategic plan. Region Ten’s strategic plan has recently been completed and Region Nine is currently ongoing. It is a work in progress, slow but ongoing. Human resources from the university is needed to accelerate these processes. Q:
What percentage of the national budget is allocated to the University of Guyana?
A:
The Ministry of Finance avoids earmarking funds for industries, but more so provides funding to create growth and development of those industries. The University needs to find ways to be more self-sufficient by creating/pursuing other avenues to generate income. Funding of the University is not as important, if you do not fund and build the foundation of the generations that will be coming, especially those in the remote areas.
Q:
When investing in the education sector, emphasis needs to be placed on producing quality teachers.
A:
This investment goes full circle. The quality of teachers to teach the students is of utmost importance. We have to ensure that the needs of the teachers going in and coming out of the training institution are managed. Funding and equipping teachers to better serve the students in their care is a priority. Reevaluating the criteria of teachers entering CPCE and monitoring their achievement and development while there is very important.
C:
The university needs to device a model that can work that can be find income from elsewhere which will improve the quality of work and the image of the University.
2.5.3 The International University of the Future – Professor Gary Dirks, Director, Ann Wrigley School of Sustainability, Arizona State University Professor Dirk started his presentation by admitting that he was unable to fully describe Arizona’s Blueprint in fifteen minutes. Secondly, that the Arizona State University’s Blueprint is
13
not a perfect model for anyone much less UG. It is just something his University uses which is not really a success story. Arizona State University’s Blueprint was set up as an experiment; an experiment of what education ought to look like in the future. Arizona State University focuses a lot on inclusion and is governed by the following principle: “A university is measured not by whom we exclude, but rather by whom we include and how they succeed”. The University believes that it is their fundamental responsibility for the economic, social, cultural and overall health of the communities it serves. The University does believe that given the magnitude that the world is facing, no one university can do it all. There is a great need for collaborations that are broad, that should place emphasis on both local and international conversations. According to Professor Dirk, at the Arizona State University, there was a growth of students’ enrollment even though there was a slight decline due to immigration policy. The university, in its efforts to have the university demographics reflect that of the State, focuses on inclusion of all races, religions, ethnicity, social and economic status, and provides a way for students from lower demographics to finish college without a debt. The university does this by providing avenues for jobs and scholarships. Online education is a priority for the University with about 65 fully online masters’ courses, where the student does not have to be on campus to complete. Research has shown that online students are fully functioning in society and the work force. Some of the success rates are due to technology. By the application of technology, you can keep the interaction higher. The university created a device called the SolarSPELL, which is a Solar Powered Educational Learning Library that provides relevant, localized educational content to resource-constrained locations around the world. The SolarSPELL is a digital library which provides an offline WiFi hotspot–to which any WiFi-enabled device can connect. It can hold an
14
entire curriculum for primary schools. It mimics an online experience to build information literacy and technology skills in a safe, offline environment. Arizona State University’s model involves partnering with local organizations to offer continued support and training in implementation sites. There are digital libraries in eight countries across the Pacific Islands and East Africa. Professor Dirk stressed the importance as educators that we ought to be concerned about losing generations because they did not get access to good primary and secondary education. This device helps to combat this issue of losing generations. Arizona State University considers international relations with other universities as very important. ASU currently has two major projects set up in the South American region for the past three years. It is a partnership with Wells Fargo, PepsiCO and twelve members from eight different countries. All the projects are based on sustainability. These projects are not just for research but are for problem-solving. There also a second set of relations called the PLuSAlliance. The PLuSAlliance combines the strengths of three leading research universities on three continents – Arizona State University, King’s College London and the UNSW Sydney - to solve global challenges around health, social justice, sustainability, technology and innovation. The idea is to create the first truly Global University; whereby students can attend any of the three universities; this is yet to be realized due to some policies that need to be modified. Professor Dirk concluded by identifying four models for the future of education: •
Academy Model – which looks like a traditional University
•
State Control Model – which the Arizona State University came out of
•
Market Model – these are for profits Universities
15
•
Enterprise Model – where the University is a broad base enterprise which engages in education, social interaction and all other aspects relating to economic and social development.
The Enterprise Model is the one that the Arizona State University is currently pursuing.
2.5.4 Discussion The following questions/comments were derived from this presentation: Q:
When ASU decided to change from the state model to enterprise model, did they consider the job market?
A:
The University took into account that the State of Arizona was deeply committed to cutting their budget every year, so they were basically forced to find an alternative model to sustain and fund themselves. To continue serving that state and globe, they needed to find entrepreneurial avenues.
Q:
Do you have research-oriented programmes that focus on the impact of technology on social development in the sense of not only changing schools but the impact of changing social structure?
A:
The global future laboratory is that which the growth of the population is required to combat the global issues in order to deal with the problems that we will need fixing. It is not about getting rid of industrial and replacing with technology, it is about creating avenues so that we can save our environment and ourselves.
Q:
In terms of the role of national policy, what was the impact of moving away from state route?
16
A:
The President of ASU is not motivated by Legislators. He is quite comfortable with being at war with them about what he wants the education to be in Arizona. He is quite equipped with facts and figures and because of this information, politicians tend not to go after him.
Q:
What is the impact of technology with enrolling students and pursuing online degrees? How were you able to deal with those issues?
A:
ASU does not offer online as an alternative to classrooms. Persons pursuing online degrees are those who find it difficult to be on campus. ASU in partnership with Starbucks have students who may have issues with campus life. Starbucks pays for their education and they must remain employed with Starbucks throughout their study. As the technology improves, it creates a better learning environment.
Q:
What are your experiences or experiments with chartered schools?
A:
ASU adopted five chartered schools after trying to answer how secondary students are prepared for University. These schools are experimental schools with the expectation of everyone graduating and getting into any university. The first one was set up in the poorest city of State and has been a success. There are no demographic criteria for getting into university.
Q:
How does funding work to facilitate growth?
A:
Research budget comes from everywhere. ASU receives funding from federal government, corporate business, donations and income from innovations and also projects that generate income and research interest.
Q:
How do you maintain your standard and accreditation status?
A:
We create transparency of our data and make it available for persons to review.
17
2.5.5 Facts, Legacies and Histories: The University of Guyana Workers Union - Dr. Jewel Thomas, President, University of Guyana Senior Staff Association Dr. Thomas’s presentation sought to answer three key questions: What are we facing? Who are we? What do we want to change? According to Dr. Thomas, the contextual basis for the presentation is on documents that were prepared by the Unions and various Consultants in the past along with the lived experiences of UG staff. The lived experience is the foundation of the other reports. All reports were built on experiences of persons on both campuses, especially that of Turkeyen. These reports highlight what the University is currently facing with regards to staff benefits, information and communication technologies, security, infrastructure and health, just to name a few. These areas are not new issues, given that latest report was done in 2014, and five years later the University is still facing these same issues. Who are we? We must acknowledge the institution has the capacity to survive. When examining these reports, it can be recognized that the university is operating for decades on the bare minimum. The university has been able to continue to survive due to the persons who invest in the University. We must acknowledge the efforts of these staff. What do we need to change? Dr. Thomas when answering this question simply said, “many things�. Upon looking at the reports, we can notice a lot of stuff that needs changing and prioritizing. We need to have systems that allow us to garner more resources, but also be able to show investors exactly where the resources were used. Accountability and transparency are key factors in changing. From the reports it is clear that we as a university need to address governance, financial management and physical infrastructure on all of the campuses.
18
Governance The union has made attempts to allow the changing of policies. There are draft bills that have been created for the University and government to examine. How do we manage to convince politicians and the administration to be serious about our concerns?
Financial management We cannot ask for money until we can have better systems in place to manage funds. We need to manage our departments better and merge the Personnel and Bursary department and merge them into one Human Resource Management Department. Infrastructure There must be improved facilities for both staff and students. The University does not even have enough washrooms to facilitate the staff and student bodies. The staff and students need a better medical facility on campus. For staff, it is necessary to also increase medical insurance scheme and pension plans. Dr. Thomas stressed that if these basic things are looked into then the change and development that the University is seeking will occur. Dr. Thomas, in her presentation, referred to the Hamilton Report where it speaks about the senior administrative duties of persons in the university and the structure of how it ought to be. She went on further to point out that the University needs to have clear guidelines and description of why certain offices were created and justify their purposes and functions to better serve the institution. Currently, the University is without a Vice-Chancellor, and Dr. Thomas emphasized the need for a clear vision for the University before employing or rather seeking a replacement so as to hire someone that is in line with the University’s goals.
19
In closing Dr. Thomas stressed the importance of respect. Respect for fellow colleagues respective of their job title. The culture of the University needs to change with regards to mutual respect.
2.5.6 Discussion There was one comment following this presentation: C:
The university has moved to realm of ‘saviour in the form of the Vice-Chancellor,’ and
this is a practice that needs to be stopped if we are to achieve anything. Committees at the university has lost their value and power. For example, no new lecturers have been interviewed for the new academic year which begins in about two months. Some of these practices and procedures needs to be restarted by the Appointments Committee. The Vice-Chancellor cannot save us, has not and will not save us.
2.5.7 Facts, Legacies and Histories: The University of Guyana Student Union – Ms. Devta Ramroop, President, University of Guyana Students’ Society According to Ms. Ramroop, Guyana is facing population increase, society’s current ills with lack of focus on physical and mental health, the mentality to grow and the obscure role of the university. The President said that she is happy that the university is moving from chalk to paper and felt that focus must be given to students who try alternative routes in education. She also felt that the university should engage in more research and create changes in policies to foster growth. In conclusion, she said that the University of Guyana needs to make changes in the following areas: its image, the need to encouraging social and practical research, change in lecturer and student mentality and adequate funding.
20
2.5.8 Wrap Up – Professor Michael Scott, Chair, TMC In wrapping up the Day’s proceedings, Dr. Scott declared that the activities of the day were punctuated by bold and lucid thinking which resulted in a very enterprising day. He stated that there were several focal points during the day which highlighted funding, products/services, change and continuity and positioning of the university. According to Dr. Scott, the University of Guyana Blueprint Forum presents the opportunity to hear from all stakeholders.
21
3.0
DAY 2 – THURSDAY, JULY 11, 2019
3.1
Introduction Day 2 of the University of Guyana Blueprint Forum was hosted on Thursday, July 11,
2019, in the George Walcott Lecture Theatre, Turkeyen Campus. There were 37 registered participants, among who were representatives from Arizona State University, Members of the TMC, Pro-Chancellor, Council Members, students from Ohio State University and Harvard, Resource Ambassadors, UG students and staff. There was one presentation, two team-building exercises and two break-out sessions, where participants were worked in groups and presented their reports. 3.2
Session 1 – Moving Forward
3.2.1 Introduction This session was moderated by Mr. Calvin Bernard, Lecturer, Faculty of Natural Sciences who welcomed all to Day Two proceedings and this was followed by a team building exercise coordinated by Professor Paloma Mohamed. The final item of Session One was a Recap of Day 1 Proceedings which was presented by the Chair, Mr. Bernard. 3.3
Session 2 – North Star There was one presentation for this session which was done by Professor Gary Dirks,
Arizona State University.
22
3.3.1 Future Orientations: Interdisciplinarity, Cross-Disciplinarity and Post-Disciplinarity – Professor Gary Dirks, ASU Professor Dirks opened his presentation by providing working definitions for the varying forms of the disciplinarity spectrum. He defined the following as: •
Intradisciplinary (traditional disciplinarity) is whereby individuals in the same discipline working together to answers questions
•
Cross-disciplinary is when the individuals try to synthesize more than one discipline and apply that to the work that they do
•
Multi-disciplinarity is a group of persons working together from different disciplines working independently or sequentially on a topic, project or problem whilst staying within disciplinary boundaries; trying not synthesize across disciplines.
•
Inter-disciplinarity is when persons are working together on a problem all the while integrating their disciplinary interests without losing their disciplinary
•
Trans-disciplinarity is when a group of people working together where the disciplinary boundaries have substantially disappeared as they work together to resolve and achieve goals. Professor Dirks emphasized that there is a place for each discipline and there is no need to
completely remove them. However, moving to transdisciplinary is not easy because of its complexity. Professor Dirks went on to discuss about the post disciplinarity future. This is whereby researchers and specialists are allowed to cross barriers and borders by moving toward a goal which accommodates the elimination of disciplinary parameters; organizes a more fluid, adaptive way around changing themes, ideas, and collective problem-solving; promotes an evolving
23
institutional design grounded in use-inspired innovation; and engages scholarship that bridges the gaps between co-creative teaching, research, and practice. Professor Dirk used the examples of Polynesian Navigators, Nainoa Thompson, Mau and Lehua, who have employed the post disciplinarity as a way to better travel the oceans and seas safely and successfully. These persons found solutions to their problems by employing over nine different disciplines. In conclusion, Professor Dirks stated that even with the employment and existence of post disciplinarity, some hard problems have no finite solutions. Professor Dirks defines solution as a collection of objects, processes, relationships and narratives that enable stakeholders to better articulate and govern opportunities and challenges. 3.3.2 Discussion Below are the discussions that were generated from this presentation: Q:
How do we create navigators?
A:
Navigators are needed to change the scope of progress. They allow flexibility and diversity.
Q:
How can you show post-disciplinarity using a diagram?
A:
A diagram would not be a good representation. Post-disciplinarity starts with a Polynesian framework. By using this example, it shows the complexity of decision making where persons just cannot see the connections and cannot see the way decisions made affect other sectors.
Q:
Guyana has a deep history of colonialism, and colonialist mentality which is still present in today’s society even if we do not want to acknowledge it. How does one change the mindset of race and colonial culture in a society?
A:
There is no clear-cut answer for the question but from experience the advice is to look at the solution and not focus on the relationships and narratives. Then is when the change
24
will occur. The narratives of colonialism are already set, but as a University we have the power to change that mindset.
3.4 Session 4: Vision Board, Blueprint Facilitating Team Participants were divided into ten thematic groups around the following questions: • • •
What is the time frame for the Blueprint? When to start and when to end? What describes the UG you envisage of the Future? What do we need to change to realise the potential of UG? There were seven groups and all of the groups agreed that the remainder of 2019 should be spent on the reviewing and finalizing the Blueprint. However, implementation of the Blueprint should be in 2020 with 2040 being the year when successful implementation should end. Below please find the groups’ responses:
Group 1: Group 1 envisions a future UG with the following characteristics: -
International Accreditation
-
Rounded students (both theory and practical)
-
Strategic decentralization of campus
-
2-5% of Guyana’s population being graduates of the University of Guyana
-
Investment of human resources
-
Commercialization of research output. More marketable research aimed at meeting the needs of society
-
Graduates fit for purpose
-
Ecofriendly classrooms
Group 2: 25
Group 2’s vision for the future UG is described as: -
UG being a Center for Excellence
-
40% on our way to a green state
-
Transformation of infrastructure
-
Increase of student population by 300%
-
Robust monitoring and evaluation framework to maintain success
Group 3: Group 3’s vision for the future UG is as follow: -
A research university arrived at through teamwork, fair treatment of staff, merit and qualifications
-
Commitment of funding
-
Commitment to what we want and what is needed.
-
Need for dedicated staff
Group 3 felt that the following changes were needed: -
Change in environment
-
Change of mindset and culture
Group 4: Group 4’s vision included the following: •
A safer environment for both students and staff
•
More comfortable and beautiful physical conditions
•
Improved customer service and staff being more customer friendly
•
Biometric security introduced to the campus
•
International accreditation to make students become more world -relevant
26
•
More international student applicants which would enlarge UG’s territory in the Caribbean
•
Have an institution of global consultancy studies and collaborate with other universities
•
Have a forum for ongoing staff and students’ discussion on the way forward
•
Have a greater degree of freedom where lecturers can speak their minds without punishment
•
Create a better learning environment
Group 5: These were the views of Group 5: •
UG should have annual evaluation with five (5) review intervals
•
Strengthening of weak areas:
•
Human capitol staff and students
•
Make staff more comfortable
•
Provide adequate working tool and other resources
•
Have graduate schools to cater to governmental demands for human resource needs
•
Strive to become a first-class university and also endeavor to have our unique image (brand)
•
Achieve objectives as a group of people who are focused on a single goal
•
A bottom-up approach to management
Group 6: The views of Group 6 were as followed: •
UG of the future should be a premier tertiary institution where walls do not define the learning space
•
The university should be one with a completely overhauled governance structure
•
There should be a Vice-Chancellor with a 10-year contract
•
There should be a master plan to achieve objectives 27
•
More scholarships should be secured for staff
•
There should be better student-friendly systems
Group 7: According to Group 7, the future UG should possess the following characteristics: •
A community spirit with involvement of all which would promote belongingness
•
Better HR Management
•
Beautification of the environment and better drainage
•
More smart classrooms
•
Trained and professional security
3.5 Discussion Discussions arising from the group presentations are as follow: •
There should be an evolving infrastructure across campus with more people-friendly classrooms
•
There should be more comfortable working areas for staff
•
There should be an improvement in the IT infrastructure on the campus
•
There should be mutual respect between staff and administrators
•
A distinction should be made between accreditation and recognition
•
There must a commitment for funding towards the future University of Guyana.
28
•
There must be a commitment to what we want and we need to pursue it steadfastly. The pathway must be one of dedication regardless of whatever is happening
•
There is a lot of uncertainty in the external environment there in framing the Blueprint, some of these things must drive what the faculties respond to
•
UG was established prior to independence and has seen several governments. While politics might be important, the university has to focus pas it or it will be paralyzed. UG needs to drive through it and drive others out in a non-political way because that is the reason for our existence.
3.6 Vision Board 2: Mapping the Future Orientations: Thematic Group Work: Disciplines, Systems and Services There were six working groups who focused on the following questions: •
Who will our students be?
•
How will we grow student population?
•
Which disciplines? Any disciplines?
•
Location?
•
Which problems will be expecting to solve?
•
Where will we live?
•
What and how will we teach?
•
Who will teach and who will be taught?
Below are the summaries of their discourses: Group 1: •
The university should cater for programmes for everyone regardless of physical abilities 29
•
The university should create programmes that can meet the needs of industries, who can provide financial aid and employment for students.
Group 2: •
The university will see a natural growth in its student population over time
•
The university should fix and update its curriculum to match reality
•
The university should integrate sense of learning across disciplinary lines
•
There should be policy and cultural change
•
The university should offer scholarships
•
Disciplines should be taught as groups as oppose to individual. Thus, creating entrepreneurial and survival skills for students
•
The university should strive to have technology to match the rest of the world
•
There is a need to change everything from transportation to infrastructure and telecommunications, and to expand the campus to outer regions
•
The university should adopt ASU solarSPELLS for remote areas
Group 3: •
UG needs to offer robust programmes from a more regional and national view
•
UG should cater for sustainable development in medicine and other areas
•
The institution should be decentralized, having colleges to cater to each of the core needs in each region for urban and rural development
•
UG should have cross-disciplinary training of core courses across the board
•
UG should have regional centres and three major campuses with the main campus being somewhere on the coastline
•
UG should have smart classrooms to teach students 30
•
Everyone would be responsible for moving the process forward
•
There is need for housing, recreational and sport facilities
•
A UG Building Code is needed
•
Policies must be put in place to assist everyone
•
There should be a Human Resource policy
Group 4: •
UG should employ people who are highly technological
•
UG should have technologically driven programmes in agriculture and oil sectors
•
UG needs effective conflict resolution strategies
•
The Blueprint should be financed by subvention, commercialized research output, sponsorship, grants and other commercial ventures
•
There should be a committed, excited Planning Committee to execute the Blueprint project
Group 5: •
There should be a merging of some departments to maximize the capacity of all resources
•
Foreign languages should be taught as part of every programme because with the influx of immigrants Guyana is becoming a highly multilingual society
•
New and specialized programmes should be introduced in keeping with changes in the society, for example Procurement Management, Proposal Writing, Human Resource Management and Packaging and Labelling for small businesses
•
Teaching should be a blend of physical, online, case studies and simulation
31
•
There be comprehensive systems for bandwidth, facilities for the differently-abled, modern library facilities, improved campus security and quality management systems and policies
•
There should be collaboration among national and international stakeholders and cooperation among academic and non-academic staff to drive the Blueprint Project
Group 6: •
The university should be able to attract 75% university-aged local students and 25% international students.
•
There should be more continuing education for physically absent students
•
A growing student population needs better infrastructure and this should be closely tied to national development, where regional centres will become basic access points to the university.
•
UG should strive to become a specialist in ESL (Teaching English as a Second Language) and develop more online courses.
•
UG should develop itself as a research university. The idea of financing is important
•
The process of change should be moved forward by a delegated team while normal activities should continue.
3.7 Discussion The presentations generated the following discussions: •
The facilities at all of the campuses and at IDCE should be upgraded
•
There is need to market the university so that persons can become interested
•
There should be standardization of teaching materials across all the campuses
•
The development aspect of research should be nurtured 32
•
A relocation of the main campus should be visualized given the conditions on the coast as it relates to climate change. Turkeyen can still exist but only to accommodate the policy and management aspect of the university.
•
The university needs to study the special potential in each region and integrate itself national development plans
3.8 Closing Remarks and Vote of Thanks – Professor Michael Scott, DVC-AE, Chair – TMC Professor Scott praised the team’s efforts over the two days and showed appreciation to all those who shared ideas and made Encounter 1 a success. According to Professor Scott, knowledge is power when shared. He urged participants to recognize that the university has a promising road ahead and concluded by saying that the University of Guyana must make a difference for the Guyanese society. The Blueprint exercise, therefore, is a national event.
33
34