VP and Dean Karachi Institute of Economics and Technology Myths 1. Our backwardness is because of science and technology 2. There is mushrooming of educational institutions in Pakistan 3. Public universities cost lower than private universities 4. Bigger infrastructure (land, building, equipment) means better education Myth #1: We are backward because we lag in science & technology • Myth: Society to • We are backward because magically transform we lack when when we have – Principles: Honesty, – X’000 S&T PhDs, commitment, fairness, – Y’000 high impact integrity… professors – “Principles centered – N’000 SIS publications leadership” – Z’000 State of the art • Emphasize social sciences labs for – Etc., etc,…. – character building, – societal change • Movements, mobilizations for – justice, honesty, Myth #2: Mushrooming of HEI in Pakistan Population HEI Students • Pakistan (2005-6) ~ 160 m ~ 400 k • Texas (1990s) ~ 25 m ~ 900 k
• India: Number of engineering HEI (2006): ~
24 k – Engineering HEI students: ~ 400 k • Measures to debilitate the nascent private sector – High entry barriers – Financial, non-financial barriers Myth #3: Public universities cost lower than private universities • Public sector subsidized by tax money – HEC funding per student (2005-6) ~ Rs 75 k – Student pays per year additionally • Typically: ~ 25 k (KU) • Exorbitantly: ~ 150 k (IBA, NUST) – Total Average cost per year = 100k – 225k – Land dole out extra Myth #4 : Bigger Infrastructure Means Better Education • Better quality • Not emphasized or means under emphasized – Bigger buildings in HEC Criteria (brick and mortar) – Processes – More equipment – Systems – More budget – Culture – More faculty – Quality of – More numbers graduates • More input than output oriented Myth #5: Impact factor measures impact • Impact factor is the • Group of researchers holy grail. A game can collude researchers play – you scratch my back, I scratch yours – More references to a • Relevance for Pakistan paper means greater impact – Impact on the industry; new ventures, new • Is this impact factor products, new relevant to opportunities, new jobs, .. – Steven Spiegelberg, – Social change, Disney, Steve Jobs, Bill economic change, Gates, Sam Walton, change movements – Edhi, Musharraf, Aitizaz – Impact factor should be Ahsan? enhanced to measure concrete change
