GEF Madrid 2024: Things University Presidents Don’t Like to Talk About
Summary
TLDRThe video script from the Global Education Forum features a discussion on the challenges and future of education. Key themes include the financial constraints, political influences, and the evolving role of students in universities. The speakers, Lazar and Ben Z, emphasize the need for institutions to specialize, innovate, and focus on producing well-rounded citizens. They also highlight the importance of embracing technology while maintaining the human element in learning.
Takeaways
- 🕒 The conversation reflects on the passage of time, indicating that it has been three years since a previous discussion, emphasizing the swift nature of time's passage.
- 🌍 The theme of the 2021 Global Education Forum is mentioned, suggesting a focus on worldwide educational issues and challenges.
- 🏛️ The speakers discuss the roles and challenges of university leadership, particularly the avoidance of commonly unaddressed topics such as finances, politics, and student expectations.
- 🎓 The script highlights the changing landscape of education, with a shift towards specialization and the need for institutions to define their unique purpose and identity.
- 💼 Ben Z, a career diplomat, brings his extensive experience in cultural and educational diplomacy to the conversation, emphasizing the global context of educational challenges.
- 👴 Lazar, a seasoned academic and university professor, stresses the importance of focusing on what doesn't work in academia to drive improvement and innovation.
- 🤔 The dialogue touches on the value proposition of education, questioning the cost and the return on investment for students, especially in light of the COVID-19 pandemic and the rise of remote learning.
- 💬 There is a call for transparency and honesty in university leadership, with a focus on addressing failures and shortcomings rather than仅仅 highlighting successes.
- 🔢 The script mentions the financial struggles of private colleges, with 25% operating at a deficit, and the average tenure of a university president being only 5 years, indicating instability and challenges in higher education leadership.
- 🌐 The conversation acknowledges the impact of technology on education, suggesting a need for teachers to adapt from being the source of knowledge to facilitators and mentors in a digital age.
- 🏆 The importance of educational institutions focusing on producing well-rounded citizens, not just professionals, is underscored, with a call to maintain a focus on morality and character building.
Q & A
What was the theme of the Global Education Forum in 2021?
-The theme of the Global Education Forum in 2021 was not specified in the script, but the discussion revolved around the challenges and future of education, particularly focusing on topics that university presidents don't usually like to talk about.
What is the title of the novel mentioned in the script and what is its relevance to the discussion?
-The novel mentioned is 'Our Man in Havana'. Its relevance to the discussion is not explicitly stated, but it could serve as a metaphor for the role of an ambassador or representative in a foreign context, similar to how an educator or university president navigates the international educational arena.
What does the term 'Greeno Contra' refer to in the script?
-The term 'Greeno Contra' seems to be a playful or colloquial expression used in the script, possibly referring to a person or role related to the discussion, but its exact meaning is not clarified in the transcript.
Why does the speaker suggest that university presidents should talk about what doesn't work in education?
-The speaker suggests that university presidents should talk about what doesn't work in education because it is important to identify and fix the problems in the system. Focusing on failures can lead to improvements and innovations in educational practices.
What is the role of the US Embassy Chief of Mission in Havana as discussed in the script?
-The role of the US Embassy Chief of Mission in Havana, as represented by the speaker Ben Z, involves dealing with cultural and educational issues, university administration, and foreign programs for American students, with a focus on the global phenomenon of education and its development.
What are the three things that the speaker believes are problematic in the context of university leadership?
-The three problematic things mentioned are money, politics, and the concept of students as 'customers'. Money is an issue due to scarcity, politics due to abundance and influence, and the 'customer' perspective changes the dynamic of education delivery and value.
What is the average tenure for a University President in the United States according to the script?
-According to the script, the average tenure for a University President in the United States is about 5 years.
How does the script suggest the role of technology in the future of education?
-The script suggests that technology, particularly AI, will play a significant role in the future of education, potentially changing the traditional models of teaching and learning, and requiring institutions to adapt to new forms of educational delivery.
What is the speaker's opinion on the tenure system in academia?
-The speaker expresses a negative view on the tenure system, suggesting it can lead to 'fat veins and very slim brains', implying that it may foster complacency and a lack of innovation among professors.
What advice does the speaker give for a new university president's approach to leadership?
-The speaker advises a new university president to not be a mini-manager, to focus on identifying what doesn't work, to be a dreamer with a strategic plan, and to conduct pilots or small-scale tests of new ideas to see what works effectively.
How does the script address the issue of specialization in education?
-The script addresses the issue of specialization by suggesting that successful institutions are those that specialize thoughtfully, focusing on their target audience and the specific needs and interests of that audience, rather than trying to cater to a wide range of often competing interests.
What is the importance of maintaining a balance between being a dreamer and a practical leader as discussed in the script?
-The importance of maintaining a balance between being a dreamer and a practical leader is emphasized as a key aspect of effective leadership. It involves having a vision and strategic plan while also being grounded in reality and focused on addressing what is not working.
Outlines
😀 Introductions and Setting the Stage
The video script begins with a casual and somewhat disjointed conversation among participants, hinting at a previous meeting two or three years prior. The theme of the 2021 Global Education Forum is mentioned, and there's a playful banter about the passage of time. The speakers introduce themselves, with Lazar mentioning his background in international education and his current role as a chairman. The conversation lightheartedly touches on the political reasons behind the use of certain titles, such as 'ambassador,' and the importance of transparency in the discussion that follows.
🏛️ The Challenges of University Leadership
This paragraph delves into the challenges faced by university presidents and leaders in the context of global education. Lazar expresses his preference for discussing what doesn't work in academia rather than focusing solely on successes. Ben Z, a career diplomat, highlights the importance of discussing the role of education in different cultural and institutional settings. The conversation touches on the financial struggles of private colleges, the average tenure of university presidents, and the evolving role of universities in light of recent campus protests and the impact of COVID-19 on education.
💼 Navigating Finances, Politics, and Students
The speakers identify three central issues that university presidents dislike discussing: finances, politics, and students. Money is a concern due to limited resources, politics due to the abundance of opinions and conflicts, and students, referred to pejoratively as 'customers' by one speaker, due to the changing expectations and demands. The paragraph emphasizes the need for university leadership to address these challenges and the difficulty of managing an institution with diverse and often competing interests.
🌐 The Evolving Landscape of Education
The discussion shifts to the broader context of education, considering the impact of technology and globalization. There's a debate about the value of traditional education versus the emerging models, such as online learning. The speakers ponder the future of education, considering the need for institutions to specialize and adapt to the changing needs of students and society. The conversation also touches on the role of AI and the importance of providing relevant educational experiences that lead to tangible outcomes.
🤔 Reflections on Education's Purpose and Identity
This paragraph focuses on the purpose and identity of educational institutions. The speakers discuss the tension between providing a broad education and forming well-informed citizens versus training professionals. They reflect on the historical context of education and how it has evolved from an elite exercise to a mass phenomenon. The conversation also considers the role of technology in shaping the future of education and the need for institutions to adapt to these changes while maintaining a focus on moral and character development.
🛠️ Strategies for Institutional Improvement
The speakers offer advice for new university presidents on how to approach their roles and tackle the challenges of institutional leadership. They emphasize the importance of not getting bogged down in minutiae, focusing on identifying and addressing what isn't working, and being strategic in decision-making. The paragraph also touches on the need for leaders to be dreamers, to have a vision, and to conduct pilot projects to test new ideas and approaches.
📚 The Role of Boards in Educational Institutions
In this paragraph, the discussion centers on the composition and role of boards within educational institutions. The speaker shares his recipe for an effective board, consisting of workers who pull the institution forward, door openers who guide and facilitate, and the less productive members who are politely encouraged to move on. The conversation underscores the importance of board members understanding their roles and contributing positively to the institution's mission.
🌟 Embracing Change and Adapting to New Educational Realities
The speakers acknowledge the dramatic changes in education due to technology and the current global situation. They stress the need for reevaluating the purpose of education and not just the methods. The conversation highlights the importance of leadership in curating educational experiences that align with the institution's goals and the community's needs. The speakers also emphasize the importance of maintaining a focus on character building and not losing sight of the moral aspects of education.
🌍 Conclusions on Global Education and the Path Forward
The final paragraph wraps up the discussion by reiterating the importance of understanding the purpose of education and being firm in one's mission. The speakers call for a reexamination of educational practices, especially in light of technological advancements and global challenges. They conclude by emphasizing the need for educational leaders to balance the demands of the present with the vision for the future, and to prioritize the development of well-rounded citizens over narrow professional training.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Global Education Forum
💡University Presidents
💡Cultural and Educational Issues
💡Academic Tenure
💡Educational Challenges
💡Role of Education
💡Covid-19 Impact
💡Specialization
💡Student as Customer
💡Technology and Education
💡Institution Building
Highlights
The conversation revisits a discussion from two years ago, indicating the passage of time and the evolution of topics.
The 2021 theme was a global education forum, setting the stage for discussions on the future of education.
The speakers introduce themselves, revealing their backgrounds in international education and diplomacy.
Lazar, as chairman and professor emeritus, emphasizes the importance of discussing what doesn't work in academia to drive improvement.
Ben Z, as the chief of mission of the US Embassy in Havana, brings a diplomatic perspective to the conversation on education.
The importance of discussing the role of education in a global context is underscored by the current global education forum.
Three key issues in university leadership are identified: money, politics, and the perception of students as customers.
The challenge of balancing the traditional role of universities with the modern demand for customized education is highlighted.
The speakers discuss the financial sustainability of private colleges and the average tenure of university presidents.
The role of technology in education and the shift from traditional classroom learning to online platforms is examined.
The importance of universities focusing on specialization and the identity of educational institutions is emphasized.
The speakers debate the value of tenure and its impact on academic freedom and institutional change.
The need for university presidents to be strategic, yet flexible and open to experimentation, is discussed.
The role of the board in university governance and the importance of a balanced composition of board members are highlighted.
The speakers call for a reevaluation of the purpose of education in the context of technological and societal changes.
The conversation concludes with a call to maintain the human element in education, despite technological advancements.
Transcripts
yeah we look at each other like this
sorry I thought we were in time but
maybe we were a bit late I'm not I don't
care so sorry about that oh no we have
fun already last here so I will have do
you know who the we are or what somebody
told well I
think I think I will and maybe let you
enjoy this
conversation we have done this two years
ago yes you know we thought it was you
know it it was I thought it was 2 years
ago but it was actually in 2021 I know
time flies so it's actually three yeah
okay um what was the theme of the
2021 it was a global education Forum
your question uh not a specific one
okay I think it's better in English
we will have please introduce us if you
do this is the this Grand Green Road of
novel about Kuba our man in Havana right
this is our man in Havana I'm a
Greeno Contra imig okay people Contra
and this is our our ambassador in Kuba
is called sh theair
because something that we're going to be
talking about I hope this they not
listen just no no I'm sorry I want
everybody has access to this information
I'm just saying
and all that this is the American
sh I mean everybody knows what that is
an ambassador who cannot be called an
ambassador for political reasons thank
you we have politics in the United
States it's called Miami and um
AOS and this is off the Record right no
we are live streaming
FYI yes we are so um let's let me just
very briefly please uh say that I don't
think you need me here uh because I
really hope you can enjoy the
conversation H you know follow um up
other On's comments and maybe get some
questions from the audience uh but I
would love to hear a little bit uh about
yourself uh to introduce yourself and
why do you think they have chosen this
title and things University presidents
don't like to talk about and why do you
think you are here being um you know
leading this
conversation let's start uh you first
okay well okay I'm
Lazar and I'm here because well I like
this institution and also I happen to be
chairman okay and I um
spent my whole life in the
international educational Arena I'm not
an educator I'm trained in politics and
and public policy and
economics and um but I spent um a a
great part of my um life
um being a university Professor I'm
Professor ameritus from the flater
School of Law and diplomacy America's
oldest Graduate School of International
affairs
um at TS
University uh but I joined the faculty
there I hate to see say that ladies and
gentlemen out there in the world I'm 200
years old uh when I joined the faculty
in 1967 it was still co-administered
with harbard um that doesn't
count just one thing um why is the title
called than you very president don't
don't like to talk about because
somebody asked me what should be the T
said why don't we two of us he a
diplomat and once about 30 years ago a
student of mine at fler now Ambassador
and um there are hundreds of them out
there in the world um ask me what should
we talk about it let's talk about it but
what people don't like to talk about I'm
sick and tired of good news let me tell
you what didn't work I spent 50 years in
Academia and I have to talk about what
doesn't work because that's important
that's what you have to
fix
aha please all right well I'm Ben Z I'm
the chief of mission of the US Embassy
in Havana Cuba I'm a career Diplomat
I've been working for the Foreign
Service for about 36 years most of that
time uh in 11 different countries deal
dealing with uh cultural and educational
issues dealing with universities
University Administration uh foreign
programs for American students uh and
have dealt with various versions of of
what university presidents do and don't
do under different cultural and uh
institutional circumstances and it uh
obviously I know the United States best
but I think it is now a moment given the
global uh education Forum that we're in
to discuss the global phenomenon of what
it is that education should be can be
should not be and how it should develop
for the future given all the things that
we're discussing at the conference so I
think it'll be an interesting
interesting conversation I hope and
obviously Dr vazar is uh is is not that
uh that not that not that old and
certainly not too old to bring his uh
Decades of experience uh to bear as well
don't you dare to call me drct Allan I'm
Mar let's try to let's try
okay let's try to find the answer to
that question why and uh according to
your experience what are those things
you were mentioning before people don't
really want to talk about you know let
me tell you three things just throw up
the table that presidents and the
leadership unless you're a leader of a
university you're not a leader period go
home do something else okay three things
that stink
uhhuh one
Money
Two politics
three uh I don't know what to call them
I call them students others call them
customers
something money because there always
very little of it politics because there
is always too much of it damn it
three the
customer the student at loss in the
world let's spin it there maybe a little
bit that's that's sort of absolutely
well I think our part has touched on
sort of some of the more relevant topics
that are challenging the educational
institutions of today uh some facts and
figures in the United States about 25%
of private colleges are deficit the
average tenure for University president
now in the United States is about 5
years uh and as we've seen recently uh
with the campus uh protests in the
United States the very role of the Ed of
the university in the United States and
around the world frankly is up for
discussion uh what is the value equation
for education if covid taught me that I
can sit at home in my pajamas and uh
learn uh anthropology why am I paying
$85,000 for a university that uh I'm not
able to use or attend or or take
advantage of I mean it reminds me our
part of the in the old days when we used
to have cable television packages right
you buy cable television package and
you'd get 162 channels whether you
wanted them or not and now today's
student SL customer wants to unbundle
that and have a streaming education I
want to choose one from column a one
from column B one from column C and I
will pay for that but I don't want to
pay for the uh the channels that I don't
use and really I think the educational
challenge of today the the fundamental
one is
helping individuals students adult
Learners essentially you're you're
trying to uh to cultivate and help them
choose what to choose yeah let me butt
in on that and say okay just picking up
strands and then coming back to sort of
the big picture one
okay he pushed a button which
says our B the truth is somebody ought
to ask the question are you there in
this building or at at home in your
pitas
because you want uh polish your brain or
are you there to get a
job hello uh open mouth walks around the
administrator and
says Where would someone give me a
napkin so I can blow my nose can't
answer it and you want everything or you
get nothing
ah you know just one strength keep that
in mind this is sort of an unad question
then pick up another strand like the
money and or the um the politics
strand he mentioned it customer says I'd
have to put all that D on the
table okay that was a slang so money on
the table to get this as a package what
if the world doesn't want this in five
years or 10 years or whatever years okay
and I'm not talking about you got to
think first of all thises here's the
problem the time frame problem also you
have to
think now because you have to get an
answer for somebody for something of
course which you don't know what is this
whole meeting all about Ai and future
and everything do we know no we walking
with your with our fingers and up in our
nose and say we are experts and we know
the world is absolutely full with second
rate gurus uhuh and be paying for them
and we love them because they name but
that's not the point they don't want to
talk about it so let me get back for a
second to the
money uh uh uh please pay 85,000 or
45,000 or 36 bucks I don't care how
much for something I don't know what it
is in terms of
outcome when I will be snipping the
roses from below but he will be only 45
years old ahuh that's a problem because
he just you know has a kid who's a
teenager and God knows what and all that
so the university parent is
there and I know because I had to live
with about six of them babysit for them
um I didn't say that um and says I don't
have an unanswerable question at least
for
him what's the money for and where do I
get the money who where do I get the
money I a
customer or he she it the boss man the
president of the University
why because there is politics one guy
likes to burn that book and the other
guy says that should be your Bible ah of
learning pardon me I didn't want to
offend the Bible I'm also believer for
everybody hears it out that and all that
kind of wonderful things learn your AI
yeah but that's and I I want to because
I know you want to but but in on that
and I'm shut up right now but that's the
second
problem first of all I want your money
but I don't know what for I I know I
can't give you the answer what how that
outcome will be
second if I say please pay less I I'm in
trouble because I don't know where where
do I get the rest of the money
amen arpot I think the point is you you
you're actually talking about the a
structure an identity problem that's
before the money problem right because
if you are talking if if you believe
that sitting in your pajamas you are
able to learn as well as you can in a
collective environment you're having a
different argument right you're having
an argument about what is the content of
what you are delivering versus what is
the context in which you are delivering
it now right now you talk about money
you know there's a there's an arms race
in United States education because of
demographics you have more and more
institutions fighting over fewer and
fewer students so I need a rock climbing
wall I need a you know a a COI Pond uh
you know I need stuff that you're
attracting again consumers versus
students are you telling people what to
learn are you asking them what they want
to learn are you how are you curating
their experience are you forming
citizens or are you forming
professionals are you making welders or
are you making well-informed citizens
and I think it really is up to the
university leadership to be able to
disaggregate how much citizenship you
want to
uh uh I guess transmit at the same time
to be able to justify the return on
investment saying you will be a good
citizen and employable at the same time
and that is the balance remember you
know when you started out in you in
education it was about trying to make
you know learn the great books learn
Latin learn Greek become a well educated
individual this was not a mass
phenomenon you were educated an elite
and in the time that you have seen it
this is no longer an elite uh uh
exercise which is an excellent point you
know the the the what you're talking
about is the slippage in this time
boxes that side guys there's a Wonderful
by the 19th century German the 18th
century German philosopher talked about
the ti guys the the spirit of the time
it's not only they
shrunk uhhuh because you push the
buttons and all that kind of thing and
every thing was become uh CL clear but
for the leader it is not that you steps
one two three he's talking about that
yes you know I when I went to high
school excuse me high school or
gymnasium in Europe you know but it was
the capitalist or communist because I
also lived in communism the you know the
the old I'm 200 years old so I knew how
communist Hungary and capitalist Hungary
you had 8 years of LA and the book now
of you that 8 years is now shrunk for
three three and a half
minutes uh-huh and the the point is now
that the leader say say cannot say to
the consumer I the student you're going
to have one step two step he don't want
to he want to skip step
he want so or it or it should not be
expensive back to the nasty money
proposition which comes to my mind is it
um the same situation and the same
problems you mention everywhere because
he is also you know saying that that
probably lack of access of education and
we can see very specifically in the us
where you know it's more expensive than
other places but all these challenges
we're facing H do you think it's exactly
the same all around the world and the
most important thing where would be the
solution well I think we have a question
back here but before we get to the
question uh I it's obviously not the
same in every context I mean in Europe
uh you know education is is inexpensive
and accessible uh but what to teach and
how to teach remain the same problem
because remember when our pod went to
school when I went to school you had you
did not have an alart education the
genius and the less intelligent in the
same classroom there was a standard
presentation you all it was a buffet it
was not a buffet it was you had one dish
eat it don't eat it eat it fast eat it
slow like it don't like it too bad now
and we had a great presentation before
with AI and with the technology the
leader is is actually charged with
making a buff F educational uh uh
offering to the person who has uh you
know gluten you need to have a
gluten-free education and a you know
paleo diet education and a vegetarian
education and that's what they expect
they expect a leader to be able to
dedicate resources to each of these
various parameters before we go to the G
just one word okay on this and how
relevant this
is I have a son who's going to be
60 in July went to school with this guy
went to same
class um he happens to be irrelevant
here and all these things are irrelevant
what I'm saying but important if there's
such a thing as irrelevant and important
think about that later when you go home
um once he asked me that he president of
a company a very large international
company comes to MRE offer yeah okay he
said to me Gringo America born from the
US yeah yeah of course yeah he said Dad
and he was already president of the
company I
love what kind of guy I should want if I
have four aids top behind me I'm the
president of the company thousands of
people
if I lose three of them tomorrow give me
the profile of the person I should hire
now in the year is 24 he asked me that
question a few months ago and I said why
don't you answer me he said okay what
you need and he said very
simple give me a mathematic ician who
can write
poetry think about it give me a
mathematician who can write poetry and I
said Thank you lassel his first name is
lass thank you lassel you answered that
PO so what's the recipe D it but how do
we know how do we train them you know I
believe if if I would be running this
University I'm just
chairman or that one or that
one that's I would say get off on only
raising money and each Dean ship is a
separate fum try you know running its
own or his or her own uh operation and
that there's a lack of coherence to that
uh to that operation is that and and
that the professors are notoriously
independently minded and ego Ecentric
and they refuse to do even what the dean
wants them to do don't you hate tenure
yes uh no not no no I no I think that
the the the you you point to an
interesting challenge that has changed
in the past 20 or 30 years because you
have so many stakeholders very different
stakeholders our point it out you have
people who said burn this book other
people say no no make this the Bible
you've got people who say no no no we
must be doing citizens no no no we must
be capacity building we must be raising
money the the the the the for-profit
educ
model is what it's Riven with
contradictions and challenges I
understand but in the corporate world
50.1% is a decision whereas in in
universities 1 descent out of 30 is a
tie uh what what we what we in diplomacy
we call this red card diplomacy like in
soccer right you have a room full of
people making a decision and one person
raises a card and suddenly it's hm maybe
we
shouldn't the I think the spirit of the
of the academy
is not uh accept is frequently in any
organization can lead to paralysis when
you're talking about an institution that
is dedicated to the to the production of
knowledge in theory you're not you you
can't you're not supposed to deny
knowledge supposed to welcome knowledge
and someone bringing new knowledge is
not a reason for rejection it's a reason
for contemplation and review which
indeed leads to Thoms and you know and
paralysis and everything else it's a
huge challenge and as I pointed out when
you have presidents whose average 10
years is 5 years it's very difficult to
establish your own signature on the
institution okay I want to but in that
about four
things I promise to be sure just the
fact that you know transparency okay
very important transparency you know you
don't know how many people thanks God
they they can't argue with me hate me
for the way I talk you know I tell them
you l or whatever but anyhow tenure I
was the single I had tenure in 5 minutes
everywhere wherever I went okay but I
was at one place um so I was the
singular most unpopular young Professor
at the pleasure School of Rond and with
all that glory and everything D
University because I every year
introduced The Measure to abolish tener
uh because I firmly believe it leads to
P the expression fat ve ANS and very
slim brains ahuh thank you okay so much
for that about that just lost everybody
online as a professor I just want to
remind you guys we are life I don't need
that job I don't need that job I money
thank you very much so go away okay and
and here I am chair second but very
important to this this debate here um
what would I say okay I'm following on
him and following on your thing because
you recall and then yourself also asked
the question and what is to do what's
the answer how do you fix the damn thing
if it sort of just limps along because
that's what we really talking about it
and we're going to be troubled big
trouble or little trouble everybody one
what would I say as a recipe for a
current wood a new president remember my
son's
executive henchman behind his presidency
who can who a mition can write as a
concept think about it poetry what would
I say to a president okay first of
all don't be a mini manager don't be
don't don't worry about the uh cost of
the toilet paper in the budget uhhuh you
understand capish okay okay one don't be
don't try to solve everything you
can't whatever decision you make make
that decision on the basis of what do
you see as something again don't work I
as a chairman I've been chairman for a
few organizations I always said don't
ever in your annual report tell me how
wonderful things you did tell me what
they what they didn't work because
that's what we have to fix I am not
interested the rest of the crap pardon
the expression please hold the whole
world along so number one be not that
number
two
um H
try to
be okay balance the two things um what
are the two things um yes you have to be
a dreamer uhhuh P you have to be a
dreamer and you have to say I um uh want
to have a 5-year plan of strategic plan
how I organize my organization everybody
wants a three-year plan fiveyear plan
staling had fiveyear plans every aaric
been applauded went home and did boom
nothing I almost said something else and
so but everybody applauded at the party
Congress it
wasn't
Mano every everybody understood ke
Mano it's just beautiful but you know it
doesn't work so instead of that
uh-huh have a plan that is my Target and
then do
pilots P up
here as do small do small as the French
say ahuh do pilot Pilots you understand
again think conceptually not necessarily
the pilot project take a trle take a
bite and do it and do it really well and
see again can see okay it it works it
helps now what is institution building
is another question how do you do those
from those things a step letter that the
big will come to
life it will take another symposium to
talk about that yeah I noticed that uh
appropo of your question talking about
Deans and presidents uh we neglected to
discuss the role of the board in
engaging in institutions with the many
people who have their own opinions about
what the president and the Deans and the
students should be doing can can can I
for ree for that one may I say that
gentl once a question back there let me
better say okay you know what my rule
for I have been chairman of several
boards and and you know you what's my
recipe every board should consist of
three elements one the
horses the the horses they pull
second the the door
openers they don't walk through the door
they know where the door is they know
how to open it and they say to a faculty
member a dean and get off
your and do it but that's the right door
and that's not the right door that's my
second
valuable here on the board and then I
have the third to those flos idots and
Hangers On who come for rubber chicken
and in Spain's case good wine and lunch
and then they go home those after two
years I usually tell them politely uh
you will be a narrator so Bravo capano
and go home um in short get lost uh you
have a
question that's my recity for a a v
that's how it isst
which again is
important thank you the question I have
is is a bit more how many minutes basic
is that you know with the transition
from the 20th to 21st century we are
increasingly relying on technology and
and digital tools but what I'm seeing is
that we haven't prepared the teachers to
accept the change in their roles from
being a source of knowledge to one of
coach and mentor and I think is that not
the role of the president to prepare the
teachers in in their new roles and their
new challenges
I mean I think you're right but I think
it's a temporary problem because I mean
we my children who are in their 20s are
very technologically proficient
understand the difference between the
channel and the knowledge and I think
that we will see the next generation of
of of instructors being able to overcome
that and figuring out depending on the
institution and the mission uh how
they're going to how how they're going
to transmit this knowledge but I think
arod said something very important
uh the successful
institutions uh in the United States at
least are those that are
specializing uh very thoughtfully you
know the the allc comers you know all
education University for everyone for
all reasons is becoming more an elite
thing whereas your online school to get
your Nursing degree or to become a
welder or to become you know whatever
profession you want to choose to be
where or aart you have the those
programs so in other words you are
investing in the target audience that is
likely to come to you and that makes
your job as a leader that much easier
because you know your identity you know
what you're trying to do you know what
the student SL client wants and needs
you're not attempting to address an
entire panoply of often competing
interests with this Buffet of like how
many croissants do we give and how much
salad do we give if you can specialize
whether it's online or whether it's a
community college I think to me me that
is the future that is the future of
Education not just in the United States
but across the
board which comes okay you know they put
in front of me papers and we have four
minutes now I saw I saw that five
minutes had before so now three but you
know you can take your time yeah that's
right you know just where is staling
when we need him sitting next to me you
know okay so no no no no let's get
serious and I'm going to get back on
that point
which is absolutely right we praising
each other but that's how it is um it
goes back to the issue of uhhuh knowing
your own
purpose so
kindly get serious and know why am I
here is the first question and why am I
doing it uh-huh and because I should be
doing that whatever well and indeed if
Society needs look let's face it in uh
half a million heavy refugee camp in
Kenya or in southern
Sudan we ain't
needing so to speak doctors I want
highly trained nurses I want highly
trained medical professionals because
because we know someone can sit in
Hawaii in front of that D thing pardon
me expression who is the
best gastrointestinal surgeon or heart
surgeon and we know how to get his
message live in picture to southern
Sudan in the refugee camp
uhhuh and a highly trained nurse
will
save excuse me I'm emotional about it
the late life of that
mother uhhuh thank you but I first need
the highly trained so my preaching
lesson is yes we need the the the
doctors let we need all this here right
here this
University but give me instead of 25
annual
get me 200 nurses or 400 nurses who know
those things we talking
about that's that's one step
forward that's one step forward or give
me not 25 teachers but 50 teachers
annually or any numbers what I'm saying
that's what Ben is saying but that
requires that you know your purpose and
you firm about it and if you make make a
mistake you say
well at least I
tried some of the best decisions come
only after a personal experience and how
you can change from your own you know
little place in the world try to change
things we are running out of time but I
would like to give you some more at
least last minute H you know to hear
more about your thoughts conclusions or
anything else you want to share with us
we're in a moment of very dramatic
educational change because of Technology
but also because of the world we're
living in and I think around the world
uh we need to reexamine the why we're
doing and not just the how because it's
very easy to take the old model and say
okay we're going to have a video
conference instead of a teacher it's
still frontal it's still someone you
know telling students what to do and
write this down and give it back to be
on a test now I think we need to look at
it from both ends and the leadership
that challenge for great leaders
educationally or organizationally
anywhere is how do you curate that
experience to best affect following what
you want to do and addressing the needs
of the community but let's not face it
we're not in education in my view we're
not uh making only doctors or lawyers or
Indian chiefs we're making citizens so
we can never abandon the element of
morality the element of of sort of
vision element of character building and
sacrifice that to make someone a more a
more proficient uh glass maker that's
not what we're about and so that's my
view Dr Lazard try to control time yours
and those around
you and try to find
time not for Perfection a little bit of
that mix
of brain
Humanity
poetry agre and know how to count
Without The Machine ironically despite
the fact that we are in that age how
about that if you use him to check
whether you were right but let the brain
first try to say I can answer what is 5
by five uhhuh and then in case you have
doubts check with the mission that's all
okay thank you very much for your
expertise for your insights and
especially for your emotional thoughts
and experience okay uh this is part of a
session we are having today at Global
education forum and we really appreciate
your time and you being here thank you
thank you oura lot of thanks for
everybody online thank you thank you
thank
you staling is dead I just wanted to
tell you guys that
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