Upload
others
View
1
Download
0
Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
International Association for Management of Technology IAMOT 2015 Conference Proceedings
P196
A MODEL OF A RESEARCH AND ENTREPRENEURIAL UNIVERSITY FOR DEVELOPING
NATIONS: THE CASE OF NILE UNIVERSITY
TAREK M. KHALIL President of Nile University, Egypt
Copyright © 2015 by the President of Nile University. Permission granted to IAMOT to publish and use.
ABSTRACT
Education is the most important sector influencing development of nations. The experience of the
USA, several European countries, and more recently of South Korea, India and China are but few
examples of the positive influence gained from attention to education on economic growth and
improvement of the standards of living. All components of the education system chain from
preschool to primary, secondary, tertiary and graduate education are important. Higher education,
however, can provide greater value added particularly when combined with research and
innovation. Research universities have a significant role to play in this regard particularly if combined
with an entrepreneurial culture. Research entrepreneurial universities not only participate in
education and dissemination of knowledge but also create knowledge and innovations. They give
special attention to technology transfer and entrepreneurship with direct impact on economic
return and development. Developing countries and in particular African countries face many
challenges that must be addressed without delay. These include education, health care,
transportation, logistics, security, information and communication, energy, water supplies,
environment and many more. Research entrepreneurial universities consider these challenges as
fertile opportunities to tackle through relevant curricula, research and technology transfer.
This paper presents a model of a new university established recently in Egypt called Nile University
(NU). This model can be a useful one for similar effort in Africa and many developing countries. The
author relies on personal experience gained in establishing the University in Egypt where he serves
as founding president. The model is an independent, nonprofit research and entrepreneurial
institution of higher learning. The university conceptual design is based on the management of
technology philosophy for development and wealth creation. The university philosophy in Education,
research and focus on graduate education is explained. The emphasis on entrepreneurship
education and promotion qualifies it to be a truly entrepreneurial university.
Key words: Education, culture of knowing, learning culture, Research university, entrepreneurship,
development, wealth creation, innovation.
BACKGROUND
Egypt with a population of about 90 million people is the most populous country in the Middle East
and one of the largest in Africa. Egypt is a developing country with an exploding population that has
put severe stresses on it educational and economic systems. Even though the country has been
recognized as a traditional leader in education for the region its educational and economic systems
have suffered seriously over the past 4 decades because of wars, population explosion and
mismanagement of its average national assets. Illiteracy about 30% and is higher among women
UNESCO,2015. While education is free by law, it suffers from limited resources and lacks the quality
Page 1520
International Association for Management of Technology IAMOT 2015 Conference Proceedings
P196
that is demanded by modern societies. Many graduates of the current system do not master the
skills needed by the market place and as a consequence they become unemployed or under‐
employed creating pressures on the socio‐economic system. Until recently higher education was
delivered by two types of universities, public ones controlled by the government or private ones
controlled by investors. The public ones are well established but suffer from overcrowding and lack
of resources whereas the private ones are small, do not have adequate faculty resources and some
may aim more for profit as they are established as business endeavors and controlled by investors.
Both types of institutions are serving education needs within the constraints imposed by their
governance. Research is conducted in public universities and to a much lesser extent in private ones
and the same goes for post graduate education. Both research and graduate studies are not given
high priority in most universities as undergraduate education is given the top priority. Only one
university (Cairo University with a population of more than 100,000 students) appears in the
Shanghai ranking list of top 500 universities (Shanghai Ranking of World Universities,2014). Some
community leaders and government officials recognized that there is a gap that needs to be filled
through promoting a third type of universities to be independently governed, nonprofit, and
research oriented ‐‐ thus the idea of Nile University (NU) in Cairo. This model is very common in the
west and in fact most top universities in the world such as Harvard, Stanford, MIT..etc follow this
non‐profit independent model.
Nile University (NU) was established in 2006 through a public‐private partnership with a vision to be
a world class research institution of higher learning committed to excellence in education and
research. Nile University became the first national (Ahleya), non‐governmental and non‐profit
university in Egypt in the 21st century.
NU mission is to contribute to the development of the technology‐driven economies in Egypt and
the region through the pursuit of education and research at the highest levels of excellence.
To fulfill its vision and mission NU had to focus on three major pillars towards that end: Excellence
in education, relevant applied research, innovation and entrepreneurship. These are the three pillars
of modern universities.
NU EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY
The existing education system in Egypt is based on a culture of knowing. It is based on highly
structured fixed curricula, traditional classroom environment with old blackboard instructions, very
large numbers in classrooms and lectures, “do as you told environment “with suppression of free
thought and argument, rote learning and standard final paper exam for all.
To change this culture NU committed to creating a learning culture. The type of education that
focuses on learning how to learn, promotes free expression, creativity, harnessing information from
all sources rather than one way lecturing by professors, team projects, use of technology in
education, and calls for small numbers in classrooms and lectures.
NU is a leader in technology and business education in Egypt and the Middle East/North Africa
(MENA) region. Its business and technology‐based programs and research centers are designed to
address critical areas of vital importance to the economic growth and prosperity of the people of
Egypt and the region and to engage in cutting edge applied research.
Page 1521
International Association for Management of Technology IAMOT 2015 Conference Proceedings
P196
The university also adopted a three pronged approach as depicted in Figure 1, to implement its
educational vision and mission. The first is focusing on limited number of relevant programs that
address the country’s future needs and that permit graduates to be employed in a competitive
global marketplace. This is accompanied by benchmarking the best institutions in the world in each
program and when feasible, establishing partnership with institutions that deliver such programs.
The second prong is to establish international collaborative efforts with recognized universities and
research institutions and to attract expatriates and international faculty to collaborate or teach at
NU. The third prong is to establish strong ties with the industrial and business community for mutual
benefit. In their relationship emphasis is given to increasing internship opportunities, conducting
sponsored research, promoting innovation, entrepreneurship and competitiveness.
SabbaticalsReturning Expats
Overseas Cooperation& Strategic Partnerships
…
MOTBusinessSoftware engineeringNetwork securityEmbedded systemsWireless…
MultinationalsEgyptian companies
SMEs…IT
CommunicationElectronics
Other …
Industry
Expatriates & International Partnerships
Programs
Uniqueness
NU
Figure 1: A three pronged Approach for implementation
NU offers programs leading to Diplomas, Masters and PhD degrees and a strategic set of
undergraduate programs in selected areas as well as executive education and professional
development programs. NU’s graduate programs are offered in collaboration with international
partners that are distinguished in their respective fields.
NU Research Philosophy
Nile University positions itself as “Egypt’s Research University”, elaborating that a research
university is a category of Institutions of Higher Education engaging in extensive research activity
and that:
Offer a range of baccalaureate programs
Are committed to graduate education through the doctorate
Give high priority to research and as such create and produce new knowledge not just
disseminate existing knowledge
Page 1522
International Association for Management of Technology IAMOT 2015 Conference Proceedings
P196
Award Doctoral degrees
Receive research funding from government and other public and private entities
Research at Nile University targets areas and challenges of strategic importance to the nation and
aiming to drive growth for technology‐driven economies in Egypt and the region.
Egypt has many challenges and problems that need immediate attention. Some of those are shown
in the figure 2 below. NU researchers view those problems to be opportunities for researchers to
contribute solutions direly needed. While all types of research are important and needed, the reality
of financial constraints and weak infrastructure and development systems in Egypt and many
developing countries compels a logical conclusion giving priority to applied research. This type of
research concentrates on solving pressing problems needing immediate attention and produces
faster and less risky return on investments. Basic research requires more time, effort, development
infrastructure and financial resources to reap its benefits.
Click to edit Master title style
Click to edit Master subtitle style
Click to edit Master title style
TransportationAccident Prevention
Energy
Environment
Agriculture
Pest & Virus Resistance
Health
Cardiac Disease
Technology plays an important role in addressing all these
problems opportunities
NU Research Philosophy
Figure 2: NU Research Philosophy
Click to edit Master title style
Click to edit Master subtitle style
Click to edit Master title styleNU Research at the Service of the Community
Inter-disciplinary• Same core skill-set required• Interrelated challenges
Figure 3: Applied Research that serves the community
Page 1523
International Association for Management of Technology IAMOT 2015 Conference Proceedings
P196
Research at Nile University targets areas and challenges of strategic importance to the nation (Figure
3) and aiming to drive growth for technology‐driven economies in Egypt and the region. Applying
state of the art technology and capitalizing on strategic academic and industry partners that are
leaders in their field, NU’s applied research topics address areas such as:
Healthcare: Mobile healthcare, diagnosis and networking using sensors, cardiac and retinal medical
imaging, personalized medicine, cancer diagnosis and drug delivery using nanotechnology, remote
surgery,..
Agriculture and Crops: Decoding buffalo genome and palm tree genomes, big data analysis,
Intelligent and precision agriculture systems,..
Traffic and vehicles: Intelligent traffic monitoring, wireless vehicular networks, smart traffic
cameras,..
Energy and Water: Water purification and desalination using nanotechnology, energy harvesting
and scavenging, improving efficiency of solar cells using microelectronics, optimizing energy usage &
leveraging renewable energy, cloud‐based management of urban water systems
Software and Communications: 4G Mobile phone technology and application, LTE, relaying, white
space, interference management , educational games and eLearning, virtual reality, resource
allocation in networks, …..
Social Applications: Data and text mining, social trends analysis, sentiment analysis, ..
Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Competitiveness: Technology transfer, mapping Egyptian
entrepreneurship eco‐system, managing Innovation, assessment of national innovation system,
competitiveness of Egyptian enterprises with emphasis on SMEs, sustainable and lean
manufacturing,…
NU AS AN ENTREPRENEURIAL UNIVERSITY
Egypt and every country seeking to develop its economy must strive to be a knowledge society,
creative, innovative producing science, technology and innovations necessary for development and
wealth creation. This requires building infrastructure and a national innovation system of high
efficiency. It requires improving educational systems, encouraging creativity and innovation, reform
of regulatory and legal structure ‐‐ all aiming to facilitate innovation, production and export.
Recognizing that there are always limited resources, the focus should be on priority areas for each
country. A modern university role in this regard is vital. Universities should not only create and
disseminate knowledge but should also see to it that this knowledge benefits society by applying
such knowledge and bringing it to markets. This is accomplished through technology transfer and
promoting innovation and entrepreneurship. The university engagement in creating value‐ added
goods and services results in economic benefit to the university and the country. NU is bringing this
message to the country through its interdisciplinary programs of research and its management of
technology focus and programs. The message is spread throughout the university and its teachings.
In fact it has been imbedded in the design of the university academic structure, which follows the
management of technology philosophy as shown in the figures 4 and 5 below.
An important component in the success of an entrepreneurial university is its ability to motivate and
unleash students’ creativity and innovative capabilities. This is accomplished by removing barriers to
Page 1524
International Association for Management of Technology IAMOT 2015 Conference Proceedings
P196
creativity, freedom of thought and expression and encouraging ideas to sprout at all levels from
undergraduates, graduates and faculty.
Other components include designing interdisciplinary programs and activities and adopting an open
door policy amongst students, faculty and administrators facilitating flow of ideas, conducting
entrepreneurship forums and competitions and encouraging students to participate in them. Also
adopting progressive intellectual protection rights policy, pushing ideas to become marketable
projects, helping incubate startups and assisting in finding financial resources for spin offs.
Discipline-based knowledge
Engineering Systems
Available Technologies
Strategic/Long-Term Issues Relating Technology
Science and Technology Policy
Process of Technological Innovations
R&D Management
R&D Infrastructure and Technological Change
Technological Entrepreneurship and New Ventures
Product/Process Life Cycles
Technological Forecasting and Planning
Technological Innovations and Strategic Planning
Technology Transfer
International Technology Transfer and the role of
Multinational Corporations
Finance
Marketing
Business Policy/Strategy
Control/Accounting
Organizational behavior
Human Resource Management
Production and Operations Management
International Trade
Microeconomics
Business
Wealth Creation(MOT)Technology Business
Wealth Creation is Integration of Technology and Business
Figure 4: Management of Technology as a Key to Wealth Creation and Development‐ (Khalil, 2000)
Graduate School of Management of
Technology
Business Foundation:Marketing, Management,
Entrepreneurship, Finance, …
TechnologySpecialization Courses
A B C D E F
Graduate ProgramsMBA, PhD
Continuing Education& Professional Training
Undergraduate
School of Business Administration
A: ITB: CommunicationC: …
NU Schools
Graduate ProgramsMSc, PhD
Continuing Education& Professional Training
Undergraduate
Communication & Information Technology
Engineering& Applied Sciences
Petroleum & Mining
Engineering Schools
Figure 5: Implementation of MOT philosophy is a university structure
Page 1525
International Association for Management of Technology IAMOT 2015 Conference Proceedings
P196
A special focus is also given through the Center for Innovation, Entrepreneurship and
Competitiveness (IECC). The center is engaged in many of the university activities in intellectual
property protection, entrepreneurship promotion and training at the university and across the
country, technology transfer and incubation needs. The University is also collaborating with
institutions that have incubation capabilities and may consider developing its own incubator at a
later stage. There is also a strong and important tie with Egypt’s main business park, the Smart
Village which together with the university capabilities constitute important elements of a technology
park or Technopolis. The operating model of the entrepreneurial university is depicted on the figure
shown below.
Click to edit Master title style
Click to edit Master subtitle style
Click to edit Master title styleOperating as an Entrepreneurial University
ICT
MOT
Business
Eng. &AppliedScience
(Energy, Petroleum & Mining Eng.)
WirelessNetworks
Boinformatics
Medical Imaging
Mechatronics
Nanoelectronics
Nanotechnology
...
Incubation
Technology Transfer
IntellectualProperty
CORE KNOWLEDGE RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT ENTREPRENEURSHIP
KNOWLEDGE VALUE CREATION VALUE HARVESTING
Business-driven SME’s
Interdisciplinary Programs
Figure 6: Operating as an Entrepreneurial university
Core knowledge is generated and disseminated in the various schools and programs. Research
conducted at the research centers of NU and by graduate students provides new knowledge and
added value that deserve exploitation. Harvesting results occur through preservation of intellectual
property rights, taking technology to markets, spin offs in small enterprises or other methods of
technology exploitation that brings financial or social benefits Figure 6 is an illustration of this
concept. Coaching, mentoring and incubation may be needed for young researchers, faculty and
students and this is facilitated through the innovation, entrepreneurship and competitiveness
center’s (IECC) programs.
The entrepreneurial university is one that acts in an entrepreneurial way, encourages
entrepreneurship and produces entrepreneurs.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUDING REMARKS
All countries are striving to develop their economies and raise the standard of living and quality of
life for their citizens. Many developing countries however have greater hurdles because of lower
knowledge base and lack of strong institutional structure. Countries that put strong emphasis on
Page 1526
International Association for Management of Technology IAMOT 2015 Conference Proceedings
P196
improving education and research infrastructure have been successful in their development efforts
and have shown more and faster progress than those that are slower in charting that course.
Examples include South Korea, India, China, Singapore, and Brazil. In fact the USA which possesses
the lead position among the world economies (The World Bank data, 2014) has relied to a great
extent on the quality of its higher education institutions, research establishment, and technological
prowess keep its leadership and competitive posture in the world. Establishing a research university
in a developing country espousing the MOT philosophy of wealth creation and competitiveness can
certainly make an impact on development. It can help bridge the knowledge and technology gap and
promote innovation and entrepreneurship as pillars of progress.
The establishment of Nile University in Egypt is an actual implementation of this philosophy and
serves as a model to be pursued by developing countries.
The experience gained has proven to be both challenging and rewarding. It showed that using a
management of technology point of view in setting up such a university is very feasible and
important. The successes obtained are significant and visible. Yet the challenges are many
particularly in a troubled region such as the Middle East. Progress is impeded by forces beyond
control in many instances including revolutions, wars, terrorism and financial challenges. But the
cause is worth pursuing as there are no alternative exist if progress and development are desired.
Education, research and innovation are the foundation of progress, development, competitiveness,
wealth creation and prosperity.
REFERENCES
Khalil, Tarek. (2000) Management of Technology: The Key to Competitiveness and Wealth Creation,
Mc Graw Hill Book Company, New York, NY.
Shanghai Ranking of World Universities, (2014), http://www.shanghairanking.com
The World Bank data, (2014), http://databank/worldbank.org.
UNESCO, (2015), http://en.unesco.org/countries/egypt
Page 1527