If we accept these criteria as valid, what then can be done to achieve it?

   Universities are not hampers

Universities are not rewards to be handed out. It has happened in
Terengganu and the same has been promised to Kelantan. “Vote for us and
we will give you a university.” 

This may make political sense, but it does not make any academic sense.
A lot of planning is needed to ensure that the resources are sufficient
to create a university of quality. 

Malaysia is not a very rich country – we can’t afford petrol subsidies,
for goodness’ sake – and we definitely can’t afford to stretch our
limited economic and intellectual resources to build universities in
such a blasé manner.

  Universities are not fast-food joints

They should instead be high-class restaurants. Universities have to be
elitist in order to produce quality research and graduates. 

An elitist university means that only the best candidates are taken in
as students and only the best staff are hired. Classes and exams can
then be pitched at a higher standard. 

Furthermore, the resulting smaller student numbers mean seminars and
tutorials can be truly conducive to discussions, and lecturers will
have less of a teaching burden in order to concentrate on research. 

This is not to say that higher education as a whole must be elitist.
There are other forms of higher education institutions that can cater
to school leavers who don’t make the cut, such as polytechnics and
community colleges.

  If you love your universities, you must set them free

  Academics and students must be free to think and to express themselves. 

Yes, I understand that this is Malaysia and freedom is seen as a dirty
word by some, but without it, there is little hope of achieving
“world-class” universities.

Intellectualism cannot grow in a repressive atmosphere. 

We all know that in this country, there are many laws that restrict our
freedom to express ourselves, but the irony is that for lecturers and
students there are additional laws levelled at them. 

You must be aware of the University and University Colleges Act – that
wonderful piece of legislation designed to ensure that university
students are little more than secondary school pupils. 

You may not be aware, however, of the Statutory Bodies Discipline and
Surcharge Act which affects academics who are the employees of
statutory bodies.

  According to this law, we can’t say anything for or against government policy without getting ministerial permission first.

Now, this may be all right for a mathematician quietly thinking up new
formulae with which to calculate the possibility of Malaysia ever
qualifying for the World Cup. 

But for social scientists, it is akin to having the Malaysian football
team play football without using their feet (which is perhaps something
that they do anyway, looking at previous results). 

The simple fact of the matter is that universities should first and
foremost be the birthplace of ideas and original thought, discussion
and debate, and this can’t be achieved with such laws hung around our
necks.

And in case you’re worried that greater freedom will make our campuses
hotbeds of radicalism, please let me put your fears to rest. 

The number of students in this day and age who really care about matters beyond Akademi Fantasia is very small indeed.

Most students just want to graduate and as quickly as possible get into
debt to pay for their three-bedroom flat and Proton Waja. 

  Universities need Mandelas

If there is one thing that Malaysian universities need, it is good
leadership. And by a good leader, I mean a Vice-Chancellor who has the
qualities of an outstanding intellectual, manager and diplomat, who can
ensure that academic principles are paramount, not political
expediency.

That promotions are given based on merit, not patronage. That students
are treated like adults, not children. And finally, that the university
is run on the highest ideals of civilisation and intellectualism, not
self-aggrandisement and base toadying. 

An outstanding academic leader, someone who can efficiently organise
the place, represent the institution with dignity and command the
respect of those working under him, or her, is a rare creature indeed.

To seek out such a person, may I suggest that the search committee your predecessor was talking about be made a reality. 

This search committee, however, must be independent and transparent. It
must not be hiHndered by any political agenda and must instead pick the
candidates based on ability – and ability alone. Factors such as race,
creed, gender and nationality should not be a consideration.

Perhaps we’d like to take lessons from elsewhere. Oh, before you think
I’m suggesting a “study trip” abroad (with the usual sightseeing and
cultural diversions), let me make it clear that I think the taxpayers’
money need not be wasted in such a fashion. After all, writing an
e-mail is probably all you need to do to get the necessary information.

You may wish to start with New Zealand universities. I say New Zealand
because the VC of Auckland University was recently poached by Oxford to
be its Vice-Chancellor. The first non-English VC of Oxford since, well,
since forever. 

Now, that’s world-class, don’t you think? And from a country much
smaller than us where the sheep outnumber the humans. Amazing.Well
then, Sir, I think I’d best sign off now. You must have loads to do.
Oh, before I forget, if you want to lighten the workload of your
officers, may I make a last suggestion? 

Why don’t you just leave the day-to-day running of the universities in
the hands of the universities? I bet the Ministry has enough on its
plate without having to decide about trivial things like professorial
promotions and the approving of leave for academics to go to
conferences and holidays overseas.

Anyway, thanks for taking the time to read my letter. Good luck with your endeavours. Until next time, I remain, 

  Yours sincerely,
AZMI SHAROM