Universities in the Islamic World

Introduction & Prevailing Situation 

The situation is grave in the Islamic World. Allocation of funds to health and education in are abysmally low which acts as serious brake on national development. The Islamic World represents one fifth of the world with 57 OIC countries, possessing 70 per cent of the world’s energy resources and nearly 50 per cent of world’s raw materials. Instead of being an economic giant the Muslim World contributes only 5 per cent to the global GDP -- thus reducing it to an inconsequential entity in global political, economic and social affairs. No wonder, this is strongly correlated with the current social issues of intolerance, violence, and militancy in Muslim societies. With dire technological and educational backwardness the latter cannot blame the West all long, nor nostalgically dwell on their past glories alone.

There are some caveats, however, as the Islamic world is not monolithic: there are e.g., counties which are relatively developed in education (Malaysia, Turkey, some Central Asian Republics, Iran, and Egypt) whereas there are extremely poor counties such as Somalia, Mali, Afghanistan, Upper Volta, and Chad. Significantly, many parts of the Muslim world now fall in the categorization of ‘Fourth World’ rather than the Third World. The former are characterized with low population, very scarce resources and low technical manpower. Pakistan is a nuclear power and possesses technical manpower; it has a relatively better infrastructure and has linkages with the West -- yet its educational level leaves much to be desired.

It is said that the total number of universities in the Muslim world (nearly 674 or so) are less than Japan alone. The appalling fact is that due to fragile and poor economies most of these Islamic governments are inept, ill-equipped or ill-motivated to improve educational sectors. Mal-administration, lack of merit and wrong priorities are other factors that contribute to this educational malaise.

Ideally, the universities should be houses of learning, knowledge, innovation and research; besides promoting high quality and state- of art education and research they should assist in overall national growth and development through research, innovation and co-operation with industry. According to UN requirement, the earmarking of budget for education should be a minimum of four percent. Some experts recommend at least 10 per cent allocation to education for the next decade or so (like Indonesia) to free societies from the heavy albatross of illiteracy, poverty and ill-health—which act as major impediments to national development.

In Pakistan, the HEC budget has been considerably axed and a lucrative source for funding for universities has been consequently diminished. Poor funding and misplaced priorities have hit the education sector and universities. No wonder, illiteracy and militancy have spawned in Muslim societies in general and our society. In fact, it has become rampant, of course, allied with other adverse international factors.

Pakistan has a low literacy rate of 30 per cent. According to UN Report (2012-2013), its ranking is 146 amongst 187 countries. In the FY (2013-14) the national budget for education was 1.9 per cent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and 8 per cent of total expenditure. If allocation to research is concerned the figure plummets further. Situation in FY20414-15 and 2015-2016 is almost the same with slight raise in federal budget on higher education. Tellingly, Pakistan education expenditure is the lowest in South Asia. It is less than its South Asian peers such as India and Nepal who spend 3.3 and 4.7 of their respective GDPs on education.

Policy Suggestions 

University Leadership

Ideally, the university should be headed by a respected and renowned scholar who is also a competent administrator with a visionary and entrepreneurial outlook. Political appointments become the curse of all institutions, thereby sapping their strength. A competent head with solid linkages with industry, technical centers, foreign institutions, defense establishment, and government is essential in galvanizing the university system. A leadership with effective, motivated staff is an asset for the organizational health and progress of a university.

Serious Funding Challenges 

With the overall economic crunch that is hitting nationally and globally, attracting of funds and resources has become a crying necessity. The head should be blessed with qualities of head and heart: requiring experience, persuasion and many other skills -- just like any progressive entrepreneur.

As we know, the HEC budget has been recently heavily axed and thus a lucrative source of funding for the universities has been considerably diminished. Therefore, in order to mobilize and generate funds the universities have to conjure up bold and innovative techniques and methodologies that would uplift the stagnant educational system and morph it into a dynamic agent of socio-economic growth and human development.

Pakistanis are generally altruistic by nature. When the crunch comes, and if and when their heart strings are tugged, they have little hesitation in opening up purses for noble causes like charity and alms in times of natural or man-made disasters. Likewise, if the cause for education can be turned into a national cause through the right narrative discourse, it would appeal and galvanize them.

Short-Term Measures 

Besides regular teaching, the starting evening classes/training courses/workshops with suitable fees should be offered. These could be in e.g., civic education program; basic engineering skills; secretarial services; basic computer skills; project designing; proposal writing; resume writing; speech training; building social and conflict resolution skills; interviewing; relaxation and stress-coping techniques; language workshops, and creative writing skills; offering workshop for civil service exams; diploma courses for overseas workers in e.g., plumbing, carpentry, motor mechanic, masonry, telephone operators, electricians and refrigeration. In addition, driving, gardening, and medical attendants could be trained with expertise available from within universities. Of course, the staff earmarked for training should be drawn from the university pool and given financial incentive.

An active internship program for students should be launched whereby different offices/ bureaus/department/ and sections of universities could cut down hiring of regular and redundant staff and instead employ students. This will not only equip the latter with some financial support, practical experience for future jobs but also impart them dignity of labor. This is practiced in most of the Western universities. These could be part-time jobs in sports complexes, libraries, security duties, administration, cafeteria etc. Upon completion, the students could get a certificate of experience which would be helpful in securing jobs in the market.

Granted, the above tasks are not meant to be performed exclusively by the universities alone; the civil society, government, and press have to do their bit. But many foreign universities have developed the concept of evening classes/open distance learning and devising special workshops on a range of practical themes as given above to generate funds.

Medium--Long-Term 

Besides some universities, as in the West could try setting up small businesses on their campuses such as constructing small malls; modest business complexes, building halls and theatres; conference /lecture halls and properties for leasing and small farms etc. This could generate extra income which would make them less reliant and lighten the burden on the government. The universities could also establish small hospitals; undertake on-campus cleanliness campaign; owning parks/trees thus saving cost. These could be combined with visiting SOS Villages/orphanages/old homes and charity walks on voluntary basis.

Employing ‘Disruptive Innovations 

According to a physicist, Muslim nations do not do fundamental research—they go more into experimental science. There is need for value addition; to spend time with entrepreneurs; emphasis on laboratories; new generation technologies; super-computers, food and biotechnology and Nano-technology. Besides, planning and implementation in policies are crucial important as South Korea has vividly demonstrated. 

Imbibing Latest Technologies 

According to a Pakistani physicist, Muslim nations do not concentrate seriously on fundamental research — they instead go more into experimental sciences. There is a need for value- added products; to spend time with entrepreneurs; emphasis on laboratories; new generation technologies; super-computers, food and biotechnology and Nano-technologies. Besides, planning and implementation in policies are crucially important as South Koreans have very ably demonstrated.

It is important to shift from low-valued added agriculture to knowledge-based economy, Nano-technology, bio-informatics, genomics, effective linkage of university with industry, tapping of technical professional Diaspora, creation of technical parks, incentives to private sector to undertake R&D. These are some of the means to lift the level of academic/technical level of universities.

Good Governance in Universities 

Impact of education investment and allocation of funds should not be considered as simple linear function of inputs and outputs. This applies equally at national level and in the universities. The entire process by which outcomes occur need to be addressed: emphasizing good governance viz., performance benchmarks; system of monitoring and accountability; and revamping of accounting and budgeting formulae for allocation of funds. The system should go beyond the criteria of mere apportionment of funds, number of student enrollment and student results etc. 

Performance should be judged at different tiers through online systems as e.g. instituted in Mexico and Colombia in providing updates to decision makers. In this regard, statistical and data-collection systems have to be continuously updated for providing accurate and latest information to the policy planners.

What Next? 

Desperate times call for desperate remedies,” is an old saying. Universities need to attract endowments, undertake bold financial investments and generate own finances through pro-active collaboration with industries, technological centers and collaboration with foreign universities. University degrees should only be offered to students that are linked with industrial-technical development. 

The sad fact is that universities in the Muslim world are today adrift and have lost grip over the wrenching changes occurring in their societies. Hence it is imperative that they should be in sync with contemporary demands and times. Economic growth and technological development are quite important -- yet hardly enough for national development. Education in science and humanities are not mutually exclusive entities -- as commonly thought. In raising a balanced, humane and socially vibrant citizenry-- hard sciences and liberal sciences ought to go hand in hand. 

In conclusion, it is important to remain patient, consistent and optimistically futuristic in outlook. The motto should be to keep on striving for the noble objective of an ‘educational renaissance’ in the Islamic World and in Pakistan with a missionary spirit -- despite all intervening odds and challenges.