Dear Students,
LAST WEEK WE ASKED: Do you think inducting foreign faculty will be enough to enhance research quality at B-schools?
BEST RESPONSE
By merely bringing in foreign faculty cannot suffice the need for quality research. Though the faculty appointed from offshore at B-schools may serve as a medium for conducting efficient research process but it cannot be a sole criterion to depend on for improved research. The fact of the matter is that faculty based out of India provides global experience in boosting the quality of research but this added advantage will be diminished due to lack of adequate research facilities.
- Shivam Chhabra, Integral University, Lucknow.
OTHER RESPONSES:
Research quality at B-school depends on many factor viz. Quality faculty interested in research and teaching; Institute fund allocation towards research,operation and instruction;Quality students interested in research or advanced expertise, An intellectual climate that encourages scholarship, Facilities in which teaching and research can be performed effectively like Good research Lab with state of art equipment and infrastructure, overall environment of research in the institute, past legacy of the institute in the research. ability to attract scholars and students around the world. Thus,foreign faculty along with above mentioned attributes are necessary for quality research at B-school.
- Nilaya Mitash Shanker, Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee.
The foreign faculty will not only bring immense experience and a global outlook to the research environment. but it will also strengthen and enhance research visibility in international forums. However,there is a need to nurture and mentor the local talent towards research,setting up of ultra modern laboratories, good compensation packages and higher allocation of fund for research, industry interface with researchers, regular attending of international conferences and making presentations there and lastly sending the researchers to foreign institutions to acquaint them with latest techniques and orientation to become absolutely world class.
- Debayan Daw, ITM University, Gurgaon.
Interchanging knowledge between two business cultures will enhance the view and scope of students and they get exposure to the different scenarios in the world rather than home country. Management is a field where you are a good management guy if you update yourself with world's current scenario and inducting foreign faculty just does that so it will provide a great base for the b school students.
- Jimit Parikh, St. Kabir Institute of Professional Studies, Ahmedabad.
Research in any nation flourishes once mentor and student is acclimatized with the socio economic and ethnographic ambience. Mere arrival of foreign faculty without commensurate development of students tilts the balance unfavorably. Better quality of research benefits the nation and the society. An Indian search committee to finalise subjects of research and panel of guides and scholar aspirants with an assurance of unabated financial assistance absence of which compromises quality. Arrival of foreign faculty is akin to foreign coaches who continues to battle for excellence in an ambience and infrastructure perpetually at cross heads with the goal and available skill.
- Soma Dutta, Jadavpur University, Kolkata.
An Indian faculty would have an upper hand over his foreign counterpart in terms of culture and understanding of an Indian student's needs. I don't think a foreign faculty would have so much understanding with regards to an Indian student. This becomes important when comparing foreign faculty with domestic, apart from research strengths.
- Parva Desai, Indus University, Ahmedabad.
If the quality of research has to be enhanced, what should merit our consideration is the quality, not the nationality of the researcher/faculty. There has to be a paradigm shift in attitude towards pedagogy and policy framework of B-schools in India if they at all want to be at par with their counterparts overseas. However,one can not discount the fact that inducting foreign faculty enhances the brand value of the institution in so far as the public perception in India is concerned which is precisely the reason responsible for B-schools in India going all out to induct foreign faculty.
- Chinmayanand Paul, V.N.Autonomous College, Odisha.
Inducting foreign faculty will surely ensure the presence of Indian B-schools in journals of international repute. But we need to push our counterparts and give them a conducive environment. Perhaps the most complex part of the puzzle is the lack of interest by the Indian faculty to engage themselves in creating intellectual properties. B-schools should make it mandatory that faculty has to devote a part of their job in research which can be liked to their compensation as well. Faculty should be allowed to go on sabbaticals so that they can probe and devise solutions to industry problems.
- Ankita Ojha, Birla Institute of Management Technology (BIMTECH), Greater Noida.
B-schools must develop their research in line with their mission. This will enhance the quality of the faculty members which in-turn will result in better trained and research-oriented students. To enhance the quality of research at B-schools, inducting foreign faculty is not the 'only solution'. Change is required in the research and development opportunities offered to the existing faculty members. Ensuring an up-to-date curriculum can serve the purpose to some extent.
- Kavita Oswal, Vishwakarma Institute of Management (VIM), Pune.
The curriculum in foreign B-schools focuses on both academic and research opportunities, whereas it is heavily oriented towards academic studies alone. Hence the foreign faculty with years of experience, expertise and knowledge in the area of research will boost the research quality and improve the unfavorable research environment. This will further improve the infrastructure for research in India and will provide strong incentive for students to pursue research opportunities.
- Akshay Chadha, NSIT, New Delhi.
Research is a field where you need practical examples and understanding on every aspect of the subject. In India as we know the scope for research is wide but looking at the level of teaching in B-schools, the students suffer in the corporate field when they practically implement their learning. Foreign faculties may come up with some new methods of teaching the research but the question is whether the authorities are ready to implement those methods?
- Vishal Rajai, St. Kabir Institute of Professional Studies, Ahmedabad.
One of the bitter truth is that Indian B-schools lacks availability of foreign faculty which ultimately hinders the growth of best minds of India. Having a flavor of foreign faculty will not only bring international exposure but a depth knowledge of research too. In order to take full advantage of foreign faculty, we should provide them a nurturing environment, which will allow a quality research in the country. If we fail to provide a nurturing environment, all the efforts will be in vain.
- Harsh Mehta, St. Kabir Institute of Professional Studies, Ahmedabad.
Your responses should reach us at edu@business-standard.com by Monday evening every week. Please ensure that your responses do not exceed 100 words. Avoid attachments and email your full name, institute's name, batch and complete mailing address. The student who gives the 'Best Response' will be awarded Rs 500.
THIS WEEK'S QUESTION: Do you think IITs should go in for a fee increase every year like other engineering institutes?
