EDUCATION TIMES AT A TIME WHEN BORDERS ARE · PDF fileAT A TIME WHEN BORDERS ARE GETTING...
1
10 EDUCATION TIMES MONDAY JUNE 8, 2009 The will to win is worthless if you do not have the will to prepare ~ Thane Yost BEYOND BORDERS By Amrit Dhir Alumnus, Maastricht University, The Netherlands H aving studied in both the US and the Netherlands, I have experienced two dif- ferent higher education systems. I was born and raised in Los Angeles to par- ents of the East African Indian Diaspora and grandparents hailing from Punjab. I completed my primary and secondary schooling in the US, followed by a Bachelor’s of Arts (BA) in interna- tional studies from Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. The programme taught me to engage in discussions in the classroom, to undertake my own research during study and to be comfortable in any classroom setting. In part, that is what eased my transition to a postgraduate pro- gramme at Maastricht University (UM) in the Netherlands. I applied to UM because I was looking for an international educational experience. And my experience of studying there was rich and engag- ing, far surpassing all expectations I had while applying. The students were intelligent, diverse, and motivated; the curriculum was relevant and stimulating. The professors were experts yet approachable; they were our teachers yet friends. I also received the UM High Potential Scholarship, which not only covered my tuition, visa, registration, and travel expenses, but also my living costs. Indeed, a significant part of the reason I considered UM in the first place was that it offers more attractive scholarship pack- ages than any other university I could find. My programme — Master’s of Arts (MA) in Media Culture — had 21 students representing 11 different countries and even more cultures and perspectives. This diversity added flavour to our discussions both inside and outside the class- room. Such diversity is remarkably typical of UM programmes, both because of its location in the heart of Europe and because of the universi- ty’s efforts to attract students from all over the world and be a truly international institution. Also, particularly noteworthy is the small size of the programme; even the 21 students in my programme were further divided into two groups. The faculties at UM restrict their class sizes intentionally to foster the kind of intimacy and attention that is most conducive to a stimu- lating and healthy educational environment. I have seen first-hand how every voice is heard and every individual is challenged to contribute and be constructive. In addition, with the univer- sity’s distinctive Problem-Based Learning (PBL) system, students and professors interact as peers, structuring discussions and research together. This breakdown of the traditional educational hierarchy ensures a closer relation- ship with faculty members. In fact, there isn’t a single one of my profes- sors with whom I haven’t shared a drink or snack over a conversation outside the classroom. Furthermore, a considerable part of the learning took place outside the classroom since there were no ‘prescribed textbooks’ for our programme. This also meant spending a lot of time in the library reading through various articles and self-selecting research materials. I found this approach to student-centred learn- ing particularly appealing. Our professors would introduce a problem in the classroom and tell us: “Let’s all try and find a solution and meet back here in two days.” It wasn’t a setting where the professor tells you what’s right and wrong. At UM, the professors assist you as you find your own answers. Currently, through an Indicorps Fellowship, I am part of a group of 21 non-resident Indians (NRIs) working with NGOs across India. As the only fellow based in Delhi, I am working with Manzil, a learning and empowerment centre for local youth from low-income backgrounds. My primary objective is to facilitate a transition within the organisation such that all manage- ment and administrative responsibility is placed in the hands of a group of capable student lead- ers with structures and practices that are sus- tainable, efficient, and still authentic and organ- ic. In addition, I have been teaching classes, organising activities and interacting with stu- dents and teachers to build leadership and encourage initiative. I came to India for three basic reasons. I want- ed to live and work here and not just visit as a tourist. I also wanted to learn Hindi. And, simply stated, I wanted to do something good, something beyond my self. Through Indicorps and through Manzil, all three of these have been made possi- ble. For me, the purpose of education is to devel- op an individual and not just make him/her industry-ready. WITH TEACHERS AS PEERS By Kabir Singh Bedi Student, University of Pennsylvania, US I opted for the commerce stream after class X not because I loved accounting or busi- ness studies, but because I disliked science subjects. And even though I thoroughly enjoyed commerce, I remained curious about other subjects; I wanted to broaden my horizon. So, while applying to Delhi University,I was keen on pursuing history or political science or perhaps even science subjects. But, our education system does not cater to such curiosity. As a result I was left wondering why I couldn’t mix and match subjects I wanted to study. Unimpressed by my options in India, I decided to look overseas and eventually decided to apply to the US. Now, having spent two years at University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School, I have realised that the two education systems are polar opposites. Educationists in the US don’t want to impart knowledge that you don’t want to learn, rather they allow you to decide what you want to learn. Knowledge is seen as free flowing water; it is allowed to go anywhere and never restricted to one particular channel. To my surprise (and delight), I found that science could go beyond physics, chemistry and biology — contrary to the scenario in India. Here, I have pursued and enjoyed sci- ence subjects as diverse as astronomy and geology. Colleges, here, require students to com- plete a particular number of sciences, arts and mathematics courses before they can graduate. These subjects are in addition to a student’s area of specialisation (or major). In the fields of arts, I have ventured into unknown territory and studied unique courses in Egyptian history, film-making, and French culture. My subjects in school were in no way a determinant of my subjects in college; I can still pursue a physics major or prepare for medical school (in the US). Further, US colleges also allow students to take time off to complete internships or to travel. For example, I recently took six months off and returned to India to volun- teer and teach underprivileged children. This experience allowed me to try new activities that I always wanted to try but never had time for. Having said that, I believe the Indian education system also has its distinct strengths. Indians, in the US, have among the strongest mathematical and scientific minds. No matter how much one shuns the rote-learning system, one cannot deny that the system does train Indians to be hard- working and fast learners. Each system has its pros and cons; the idea is to learn from one another and to find that perfect balance between hard-work and curiousity. AT A TIME WHEN BORDERS ARE GETTING BLURRED, EDUCATION NEEDS TO BE INCREASINGLY TRANSCULTURAL.THE ROLE OF AN EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTE,THUS, IS TO DEVELOP GLOBAL TALENT THAT CAN LIVE,WORK AND STUDY ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD.TWO STUDENTS SHARE THEIR INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE FIRST PERSON Ganesh Chandra Amrit came to India to ‘do something good.’ He is currently working with an NGO based in Delhi Kabir took six months off from his programme to return to India and volunteer Learn what you want Sakshi Khattar/TNN A common question that we often ask is ‘can we be truthful, and still succeed in whatever we do?’ In other words, can following our ethics lead us to success in whatever we pur- sue? To this, Paul Palmarozza says, “Yes, we can.” In fact, he strongly believes that if one goes by ‘principles,’ it is bound to lead to ‘profits.’ And this is what he has tried to reiterate through his book — From Principles to Profits - The Art of Moral Management. “In recent years, what has been sorely lacking in business, on a global basis, is a lack of true values. By values, I am referring to universal, eternal human qualities — love, truth, justice and freedom,” says Palmarozza, adding that, “most business people choose to go for short-term results, usually monetary- based, instead of working according to principles. The consequences have been a loss of trust and the inevitable reac- tion in the form of external regulation or cumbersome bureaucracy.” Three years back, Palmarozza and his friend Chris Rees, both businessmen with over 40 years of work experience, felt the need to write a book on the sub- ject of values in business. The underly- ing theme of the book and their work is that if one works according to princi- ples, success is bound to follow, which is of prime benefit to all. Currently, they are working with a team of business people from around the world to develop value-based train- ing materials. The current subject in focus is ‘truth in business,’ which embraces subjects like honesty, integri- ty, ethics and trust, informed Palmarozza. “Courses in ethical deci- sion-making are also being developed which we hope to make readily available to the business community to help remind them that it is ‘natural’ to tell the truth and 'un-natural' to lie,” he adds. Exploring ways by which applying ethical principles of honesty and integrity can build a work environment and culture based on trust, they have launched a five-day programme for working professionals that includes top- ics like natural power of honesty, pillars of integrity, roadmap for building a company on core values, among others. Palmarozza says, “The course leaders are business people who have been attempting to apply fine principles in their businesses for many years.” NURTURING VALUES Palmarozza, who is also the manager of St James Publishing, a school-based publisher of children’s books, strongly believes that values should be inculcat- ed from an early age. He says, “Our St James’ Schools, catering to four to 18- year-olds, were founded in 1975 with the aim of providing a value-based educa- tion that would bring out the best in each child. Students are taught through a variety of means to respect, honour and care for everyone and to discover the importance of a spiritual dimension in their lives.” The learning materials that are used have been prepared by St James’ teach- ers to reflect the fundamental principles of each subject followed by graded exer- cises in the practical application of these principles. Citing an example on the curriculum followed, Palmarozza says, “Our books on maths establish the nature of numbers and the regulations governing the play of numbers. Some principles of Vedic maths have also been introduced to demonstrate the utter simplicity of calculations when laws are followed. Similarly, a compre- hensive course in geometry has been developed over 10 years, which reveals the beauty of pattern and order in num- bers. The idea is that to achieve fine pre- cision in the construction of these forms requires fine attention on the part of students. This means that in many schools today, this fundamental subject is not taught with fine details since it is time-consuming and teachers want quick results with minimal efforts.” Similarly, he adds that language is approached through three main dimen- sions — reading, grammar/language and speech. Each of these aspects of lan- guage is addressed from the view of basic principles. The reading scheme begins when the child enters a school and consists of fine material and stories drawn from cultures — Eeast and West. English language is firmly grounded on principles, assisted through the comple- mentary teaching of Sanskrit for the first seven years. Talking about the importance of teaching Sanskrit, he says, “Sanskrit, commonly considered to be the base of all Indo-European languages, provides a good understanding of the principles of language which can then be applied in the study of other languages, classical and modern, which are also offered. Besides, the children are encouraged to learn how to speak and how to express themselves effectively, which is a crucial skill that is too often ignored.” PRINCIPLES OF PROFIT TURK TALK PAUL PALMAROZZA In `Turk Talk’ we provide an inside view of the world of business education. Send us your feedback at [email protected] Paul Palmarozza, co-author of the book From Principles to Profits - The Art of Moral Management , says following principles can lead to successful business models EFFORT TO LINK RESEARCH AND MEDIA Asia Research News 2009, a magazine that will focus on cur- rent on-going research in Asia has been launched by ResearchSEA — a research media promotion platform ded- icated to Asian research. The magazine features on-going research from selected research institutions, with contact details of researchers. Some highlights include seeking the essence of Islam across regional diversity, a 3,000 year old Egyptian princess, climate change vulnerability and robotic help for ageing popula- tion, to mention a few. In its effort to link research and the media, ResearchSEA also organised international media workshops for scientists in Southeast Asia in May. The workshop, held in Universiti Sains Malaysia was attended by researchers from Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand. ResearchSEA is now planning to hold more workshops in other Asian countries. ON A DIFFERENT PITCH According to reports in an Australian daily, cricketer Brett Lee has voiced his concerns over the attacks on Indian stu- dents in Melbourne. According to the report, Lee — an ambassador for Deakin University — has moved to calm growing anger in India over the violence. The paceman said he had spoken to Sally Walker, vice- chancellor of Deakin, about the issue of student safety.Both Lee and Deakin University have long-standing ties with India — Deakin was the first foreign university to open an office in India and Lee is involved in charitable work through the Deakin India Research Institute. IN BRIEF
Transcript of EDUCATION TIMES AT A TIME WHEN BORDERS ARE · PDF fileAT A TIME WHEN BORDERS ARE GETTING...
CMYK
10
E D U C AT I O N T I M E S
M O N DAYJ U N E 8 , 2 0 0 9
The will to win is worthless if you do not have the will to prepare ~Thane YostBEYONDBORDERS
*EduD80609/ /10/K/1*
*EduD80609/ /10/K/1*EduD80609/CR1/10/K/1
*EduD80609/ /10/Y/1*
*EduD80609/ /10/Y/1*EduD80609/CR1/10/Y/1
*EduD80609/ /10/M/1*
*EduD80609/ /10/M/1*EduD80609/CR1/10/M/1
*EduD80609/ /10/C/1*
*EduD80609/ /10/C/1*EduD80609/CR1/10/C/1
By Amrit DhirAlumnus, Maastricht University, The Netherlands
Having studied in both the US and theNetherlands, I have experienced two dif-ferent higher education systems.
I was born and raised in Los Angeles to par-ents of the East African Indian Diaspora andgrandparents hailing from Punjab. I completedmy primary and secondary schooling in the US,followed by a Bachelor’s of Arts (BA) in interna-tional studies from Emory University in Atlanta,Georgia. The programme taught me to engage indiscussions in the classroom, to undertake myown research during study and to be comfortablein any classroom setting. In part, that is whateased my transition to a postgraduate pro-gramme at Maastricht University (UM) in theNetherlands.
I applied to UM because I was looking for aninternational educational experience. And my
experience of studying there was rich and engag-ing, far surpassing all expectations I had whileapplying. The students were intelligent, diverse,and motivated; the curriculum was relevant andstimulating. The professors were experts yetapproachable; they were our teachers yet friends.
I also received the UM High PotentialScholarship, which not only covered my tuition,visa, registration, and travel expenses, but alsomy living costs. Indeed, a significant part of thereason I considered UM in the first place wasthat it offers more attractive scholarship pack-ages than any other university I could find.
My programme — Master’s of Arts (MA) inMedia Culture — had 21 students representing 11different countries and even more cultures andperspectives. This diversity added flavour to ourdiscussions both inside and outside the class-room. Such diversity is remarkably typical ofUM programmes, both because of its location inthe heart of Europe and because of the universi-
ty’s efforts to attract students from all over theworld and be a truly international institution.
Also, particularly noteworthy is the small sizeof the programme; even the 21 students in myprogramme were further divided into twogroups. The faculties at UM restrict their classsizes intentionally to foster the kind of intimacyand attention that is most conducive to a stimu-lating and healthy educational environment. Ihave seen first-hand how every voice is heardand every individual is challenged to contributeand be constructive. In addition, with the univer-sity’s distinctive Problem-Based Learning (PBL)system, students and professors interact aspeers, structuring discussions and researchtogether.
This breakdown of the traditional educationalhierarchy ensures a closer relation-ship with faculty members. In fact,there isn’t a single one of my profes-sors with whom I haven’t shared adrink or snack over a conversation outside theclassroom. Furthermore, a considerable part ofthe learning took place outside the classroomsince there were no ‘prescribed textbooks’ forour programme. This also meant spending a lotof time in the library reading through variousarticles and self-selecting research materials.
I found this approach to student-centred learn-ing particularly appealing. Our professors wouldintroduce a problem in the classroom and tell us:“Let’s all try and find a solution and meet backhere in two days.” It wasn’t a setting where theprofessor tells you what’s right and wrong. AtUM, the professors assist you as you find yourown answers.
Currently, through an Indicorps Fellowship, Iam part of a group of 21 non-resident Indians(NRIs) working with NGOs across India. As theonly fellow based in Delhi, I am working withManzil, a learning and empowerment centre forlocal youth from low-income backgrounds. Myprimary objective is to facilitate a transitionwithin the organisation such that all manage-ment and administrative responsibility is placedin the hands of a group of capable student lead-ers with structures and practices that are sus-tainable, efficient, and still authentic and organ-ic. In addition, I have been teaching classes,organising activities and interacting with stu-dents and teachers to build leadership andencourage initiative.
I came to India for three basic reasons. I want-ed to live and work here and not just visit as atourist. I also wanted to learn Hindi. And, simplystated, I wanted to do something good, somethingbeyond my self. Through Indicorps and throughManzil, all three of these have been made possi-ble. For me, the purpose of education is to devel-op an individual and not just make him/herindustry-ready.
WITH TEACHERS AS PEERSBy Kabir Singh Bedi
Student, University of Pennsylvania, US
I opted for the commerce stream after classX not because I loved accounting or busi-ness studies, but because I disliked sciencesubjects. And even though I thoroughlyenjoyed commerce, I remained curiousabout other subjects; I wanted to broadenmy horizon. So, while applying to DelhiUniversity, I was keen on pursuing historyor political science or perhaps even sciencesubjects. But, our education system doesnot cater to such curiosity. As a result I wasleft wondering why I couldn’t mix andmatch subjects I wanted to study.
Unimpressed by my options in India, Idecided to look overseas and eventually
decided to apply to the US. Now,having spent two years atUniversity of Pennsylvania’sWharton School, I have realised
that the two education systems are polaropposites. Educationists in the US don’twant to impart knowledge that you don’twant to learn, rather they allow you todecide what you want to learn. Knowledgeis seen as free flowing water; it is allowed togo anywhere and never restricted to oneparticular channel.
To my surprise (and delight), I found thatscience could go beyond physics, chemistryand biology — contrary to the scenario inIndia. Here, I have pursued and enjoyed sci-
ence subjects as diverse as astronomy andgeology.
Colleges, here, require students to com-plete a particular number of sciences, artsand mathematics courses before they cangraduate. These subjects are in addition toa student’s area of specialisation (ormajor). In the fields of arts, I have venturedinto unknown territory and studied uniquecourses in Egyptian history, film-making,and French culture. My subjects in schoolwere in no way a determinant of my subjects in college; I can still pursue aphysics major or prepare for medicalschool (in the US).
Further, US colleges also allow studentsto take time off to complete internships orto travel. For example, I recently took sixmonths off and returned to India to volun-teer and teach underprivileged children.This experience allowed me to try newactivities that I always wanted to try butnever had time for.
Having said that, I believe the Indianeducation system also has its distinctstrengths. Indians, in the US, have amongthe strongest mathematical and scientificminds. No matter how much one shuns therote-learning system, one cannot deny thatthe system does train Indians to be hard-working and fast learners. Each system hasits pros and cons; the idea is to learn fromone another and to find that perfect balancebetween hard-work and curiousity.
AT A TIME WHEN BORDERS ARE GETTING BLURRED,EDUCATION NEEDS TO BE INCREASINGLY TRANSCULTURAL.THE ROLE OF AN EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTE,THUS,IS TO DEVELOP GLOBAL TALENT THAT CAN LIVE,WORK AND STUDY ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD.TWO STUDENTS SHARE THEIR INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE
FIRST PERSON
Ganesh Chandra
Amrit came to India to ‘do something good.’ He is currently working with an NGO based in Delhi
Kabir took six months off from his programme to return to India and volunteer
Learn what you want
Sakshi Khattar/TNN
Acommon question that we oftenask is ‘can we be truthful, andstill succeed in whatever we do?’
In other words, can following our ethicslead us to success in whatever we pur-sue? To this, Paul Palmarozza says, “Yes,we can.” In fact, he strongly believesthat if one goes by ‘principles,’ it isbound to lead to ‘profits.’ And this iswhat he has tried to reiterate throughhis book — From Principles to Profits -The Art of Moral Management.
“In recent years, what has been sorelylacking in business, on a global basis, isa lack of true values. By values, I amreferring to universal, eternal humanqualities — love, truth, justice and freedom,” says Palmarozza, adding that,“most business people choose to go forshort-term results, usually monetary-based, instead of working according toprinciples. The consequences have beena loss of trust and the inevitable reac-tion in the form of external regulationor cumbersome bureaucracy.”
Three years back, Palmarozza and hisfriend Chris Rees, both businessmenwith over 40 years of work experience,felt the need to write a book on the sub-ject of values in business. The underly-ing theme of the book and their work isthat if one works according to princi-ples, success is bound to follow, which isof prime benefit to all.
Currently, they are working with ateam of business people from aroundthe world to develop value-based train-ing materials. The current subject infocus is ‘truth in business,’ whichembraces subjects like honesty, integri-ty, ethics and trust, informedPalmarozza. “Courses in ethical deci-sion-making are also being developedwhich we hope to make readily availableto the business community to helpremind them that it is ‘natural’ to tellthe truth and 'un-natural' to lie,” headds.
Exploring ways by which applyingethical principles of honesty and
integrity can build a work environmentand culture based on trust, they havelaunched a five-day programme forworking professionals that includes top-ics like natural power of honesty, pillarsof integrity, roadmap for building acompany on core values, among others.Palmarozza says, “The course leadersare business people who have beenattempting to apply fine principles intheir businesses for many years.”
NURTURING VALUES Palmarozza, who is also the manager ofSt James Publishing, a school-basedpublisher of children’s books, stronglybelieves that values should be inculcat-ed from an early age. He says, “Our StJames’ Schools, catering to four to 18-year-olds, were founded in 1975 with theaim of providing a value-based educa-tion that would bring out the best ineach child. Students are taught througha variety of means to respect, honourand care for everyone and to discoverthe importance of a spiritual dimensionin their lives.”
The learning materials that are usedhave been prepared by St James’ teach-ers to reflect the fundamental principlesof each subject followed by graded exer-cises in the practical application of
these principles. Citing an example onthe curriculum followed, Palmarozzasays, “Our books on maths establish thenature of numbers and the regulationsgoverning the play of numbers. Someprinciples of Vedic maths have alsobeen introduced to demonstrate theutter simplicity of calculations whenlaws are followed. Similarly, a compre-hensive course in geometry has beendeveloped over 10 years, which revealsthe beauty of pattern and order in num-bers. The idea is that to achieve fine pre-cision in the construction of theseforms requires fine attention on the partof students. This means that in manyschools today, this fundamental subjectis not taught with fine details since it istime-consuming and teachers wantquick results with minimal efforts.”
Similarly, he adds that language isapproached through three main dimen-sions — reading, grammar/languageand speech. Each of these aspects of lan-guage is addressed from the view ofbasic principles. The reading schemebegins when the child enters a schooland consists of fine material and storiesdrawn from cultures — Eeast and West.English language is firmly grounded onprinciples, assisted through the comple-mentary teaching of Sanskrit for thefirst seven years.
Talking about the importance ofteaching Sanskrit, he says, “Sanskrit,commonly considered to be the base ofall Indo-European languages, provides agood understanding of the principles oflanguage which can then be applied inthe study of other languages, classicaland modern, which are also offered.Besides, the children are encouraged tolearn how to speak and how to expressthemselves effectively, which is a crucialskill that is too often ignored.”
PRINCIPLES OF PROFIT
TURK TALK
PAUL PALMAROZZA
In `Turk Talk’ we provide an inside view of the world of business education. Send
us your feedback [email protected]
Paul Palmarozza, co-author of the book From Principles to Profits - The Art of MoralManagement, says following principles can lead to successful business models
EFFORT TO LINK RESEARCH AND MEDIAAsia Research News 2009, a magazine that will focus on cur-rent on-going research in Asia has been launched byResearchSEA — a research media promotion platform ded-icated to Asian research. The magazine features on-goingresearch from selected research institutions, with contactdetails of researchers. Some highlights include seekingthe essence of Islam across regional diversity, a3,000 year old Egyptian princess, climate changevulnerability and robotic help for ageing popula-tion, to mention a few. In its effort to link researchand the media, ResearchSEA also organised internationalmedia workshops for scientists in Southeast Asia in May.The workshop, held in Universiti Sains Malaysia wasattended by researchers from Indonesia, Malaysia,
Singapore and Thailand. ResearchSEA is now planning tohold more workshops in other Asian countries.
ON A DIFFERENT PITCHAccording to reports in an Australian daily, cricketer BrettLee has voiced his concerns over the attacks on Indian stu-dents in Melbourne. According to the report, Lee — an
ambassador for Deakin University — has moved tocalm growing anger in India over the violence. Thepaceman said he had spoken to Sally Walker, vice-chancellor of Deakin, about the issue of student
safety. Both Lee and Deakin University have long-standingties with India — Deakin was the first foreign university toopen an office in India and Lee is involved in charitable workthrough the Deakin India Research Institute.
IN BRIEF
![When Borders Cross People: Whose [Who’s] Poor, or The ...](https://static.fdocuments.net/doc/165x107/6287f3f0aeeb4847456cfee6/when-borders-cross-people-whose-whos-poor-or-the-.jpg)
