Accounting academics have multiple roles in higher education institutions (HEIs). One, for Financial Reporting Reforms in HEIs; two, for Academic Governance Audit, Comprehensive Academic Audit, Curriculum Management Audit and Academic Administration Audit are now well established practices in academic organizations. An organization has a personality and self esteem. Same is true with an academic organization. The NAAC is celebrating its 25th year of its existence this year. During this period a number of HEIs have been assessed for accreditation. Following three situations have motivated to attempt this article.
A university was expecting A grade but the award was B. A college was expecting B grade but the award was C. Another college was preparing for peer team visit but received communication having not pre qualified based on quantitative matrix. The NAAC revised SSR format is based on quantitative and qualitative matrices. The weightage is 70:30 or 2.80:1.20 score on 4 point scale.
The present article pursues followingobjectives:
to apply techniques used in business organizations in academic organizations to add value to the processes, systems and strengthen controls.
to access the role of committees in the corporate life of HEIs
to analyze the role of different academic stakeholders
The article is based on the proceedingsconducted in workshops for assessors, trainers and mentors. The seminars andconferences organized for quality sustainability and enhancement. Theexperience gained by the author in these academic events.
The revised SSR format while putting in for academic audit it is noticed that it suffers from certain inconsistencies. These are its application retrospectively; productivity measurement in terms of number of students ignoring number of working days and events conducted; mismatch in faculty mix in different institutions; qualitative matrix tilt in favor of a particular criterion.
The format focus on academic administration audit under criterion six. But what about curriculum management audit putting together criterion one and two. What about physical evidence audit under criterion four.
The format is silent about comprehensive academic audit which is being emphasized upon by the MHRD.
The article raises a question as to why thefollowing techniques used in business organizations cannot be adopted andapplied in academic organizations. Altman’s Z Score Model; corporatecommunication and MIS; phase audit and concurrent audit; inter and intra firmcomparison; performance budgeting; balanced score card; Covian Model; benchmarkperformance; mergers and clustering ;competitive or comparative advantage orcore competencies.
The academic and administrative committees work in line with their mandate and terms of reference under the guidance of head of institutions. Their performance is revived and revisited periodically in order to bring about efficacy in the system.
This helps to make corporate life of HEIs dynamic to shun inertia. The academic governance audit report highlights the achievements and deficiencies if any.
All the academic bodies like Board of Studies, School Boards, Academic Council, Syndicate, university Council, Executive Council, Governing Body, Governing Board, Senate, Court etc., wherever applicable need be effective and result oriented.
The academic governance audit takes care of all such matters brought under academic governing bodies in HEIs.
A business organization has differentstakeholders like customers, suppliers, employees, shareholders, financiers,governance, and society. There are seven stakeholders in education system.These include teachers, students, parents, alumni, civil society, employers andgovernance. All these stakeholders are equally important to strengtheneducation structures, processes, systems, controls etc.
Teachers offer feedback individually andcollectively. They comment upon curriculum development, transaction,evaluation, infrastructure facilities, policies, strategies etc through theirwritings. Teacher associations look after their member welfare. Of course thisis their mandate. However, these associations are not like other trade unions.They are required to debate and discuss academic issues to work for academicexcellence.
Student is another stakeholder to offer feedback. This feedback must be obtained regularly during a semester rather at the end of a semester. Student feedback will help in improving teaching – learning process. Of course NAAC has developed a questionnaire for student feedback. This questionnaire has a very little scope as it is executed only at the time of NAAC to fulfill a mandatory requirement.
The way student feedback is accorded significance is acceptable where education is considered a commodity and a student as a customer but the society in which we live in, teacher is still considered a role model to effect a behavioral change in students. A teacher is respected by all despite several constraints. Students must work smart to realize that society collectively pays for their cost of education.
Parents invest their hard earned income to meet education requirements of their children. However, they invest less time for academic growth and development of their wards. Seldom teacher – parent meets are held in institutions to obtain feedback from parents.
The teacher- parent interactive sessions are essential to ensure proper grooming of learners. In absence of parent feedback the education process is incomplete. The parents must therefore realize their duty as prominent academic stakeholder.
Another stakeholder, alumni, has a significant role in education system. Alumni associations are registered under law. These associations work for the development of their institutions in accordance with their constitution and vision document. Alumni contribute towards infrastructure development of their institutions.
These associations contribute towards intellectual capital by organizing different events on the campus. Alumni in other words pay back to the institutions for their achievements.
The institutions made them capable of. However, here we find that alumni associations are visible only at the time of NAAC assessment for half an hour interactive session. If regular feedback is received from alumni based on their experience and exposure it will lead to institutional academic excellence.
Vibrant societies nurture life and sensitive civil societies. When John Galsworthy wrote the drama Justice, Winston Churchill, then law minister overhauled entire legal system of England. Media and legal system (RTI, Act) play a significant role in this regard.
Civil society sensitized with contemporary education issues and challenges express for improving the system nothing goes unnoticed. However, it is to be seen to what extent civil society deliberates upon the education standards from time to time to bring about excellence in the society.
There must be a good connect between supplyand demand. The pass outs chiseled and fine tuned in academic institutions mustbe useful for the society. When education is wedded with employment andemployability. Employers have a pivotal role to identifying graduateattributes. Accordingly course structure is designed by a university. Theremust be an effective interface between institutions and industry in allconcerned spheres.
Academic Governance is an important stakeholder. The Kashmir society produced only Education Minister until now was Kh. G.M.Sadiq. G.M.Sadiq was the last Prime Minister and first Chief Minister of J and K. He made it mandatory for administrative secretaries to listen Radio Kashmir programme Zonna Dub regularly.
The academic affairs were governed by Kh. Ghulam-u-Saidaini, Akbar Ali Kazmi, Agha Ashraf Ali, Satyabushan,Tahira Shahmiri and so on in the past. They have been great people. Now the things have been reversed. Academics have been pushed to the wall.
Pity the society where teachers are asked to stand up and principals to hands up. Pity the society where Deans and even Vice Chancellors are snubbed. As long as teachers are disrespected there will be total chaos and confusion in a society.
To conclude the positive feedback with some substance provided by all the stakeholders shall be implemented at the earliest. The comprehensive academic audit once put in operation ensures excellence in education system leading to better society.
A variety of initiatives need be taken to see that there is no negative impact on the behavior of academic organization: (i) change of grading nomenclature; (ii) rationalization of faculty; (iii) reengineering of APR format in sync with revised SSR format. Thus, the only option is to strengthen academic organizations.
Dr. Nazir Ahmad Gilkar
gilkarna@rediffmail.com