How Nazarbayev University can succeed in realizing its
strategic mission?
Nazarbayev
University (NU) is a very unique and ambitious national project reflecting the
idea of President Nazarbayev with the mission of donating to the development of
knowledge and innovation and to serving as a flagship to educational reforms
and contemporary research in Kazakhstan (Nazarbayev University, 2013, p. 7). As
a future graduate of this university and the future specialist in the field of
education, I feel the responsibility for successful implementation of this
important mission. The success of the realization of this mission depends on
many aspects, including but not limited to students and cooperation between
stakeholders.
Success of
the university is directly connected with the success of its students, because
students are the main product of the university. As the main recipients of the
investments into NU, students are able to not only assess its proper use, but
suggest some possibilities for improvement and change if necessary. Therefore,
it’s very important that students are involved in university decision-making at
all levels. This way, the university can ensure student’s commitment to
realization of the mission and the vision of the university, as they would be
able to not only know, but feel their real input in the establishment of the
university, its culture and values.
Furthermore,
cooperation with local universities should be promoted. If NU leadership,
students, faculty and staff share their experience with their peers in local
universities of Kazakhstan through trainings, seminars and consultations, it
would contribute to translating NU experience. However, it is very important to
ensure that this process is not happening in one side direction, meaning that
NU is the sender and other universities are just receivers, placing NU at the
top of the hierarchy. More cooperative experience sharing should be promoted
instead, where all stakeholders are in equal position sharing their experience.
Moreover, experience sharing should not be limited to sharing information,
trainings, or recommendations, but should include the feedback after these
activities. In other words, if all stakeholders actively participate in the
process and share their ideas on what works, what doesn’t and why, it would
contribute to the realization of this mission a lot, because this way both NU
and local universities will be able to develop the best practices of experience
sharing. In this connection, it would also be good to develop an action plan to
be able to start successfully realize the mission of the university of serving
as a flagship to educational reforms and contemporary research in Kazakhstan.
To
conclude, undoubtedly, there are many more aspects that can contribute to the
successful realization of NU strategic mission, among them constant and
abundant funding, leadership, as well as qualified faculty and staff. If all
the stakeholders including leadership, faculty, staff and students from both
sides NU and local universities actively work together in implementing the
strategic mission of NU, it will contribute a lot to its successful
realization.
What is
your opinion about the ways of successful realization of NU mission? Can you
think of some other aspects that can contribute to this process?
References
Nazarbayev University (2013). Nazarbayev University Strategy 2013-2020. Retrieved from: http://nu.edu.kz/cs/groups/public/documents/document/mdaw/mdmy/~edisp/apkecm.n u.edu.032561.pdf
Clearly organized and focused piece, Zhuldyz. You do a nice job supporting your initial ideas with sources, but some of your later paragraphs could use more similar support. Two other minor things you might reconsider: 1) the word "very". It seems like you overuse this word. The difference between "unique and ambitious" and "very unique and ambitious" is only an emphasis on how much your opinion is involved in this claim. The former is already strongly stating your positive point of view. The latter is a bit too subjective or emotional. 2) Repetition of "contribute to successful realization". Can you find another way to connect your suggestion to the intended goal?
ReplyDeleteZhuldyz, thank you for this post. In my opinion, the “Vision” statement in the NU Strategy is effective. Hayward, Ncayiyana and Johnson (2003) tell us “the vision should inspire, challenge and focus the institution” (p.17), so our university has a strategic vision, a clear understanding of its accomplishment, and the willingness and intention for change.
ReplyDeleteAlthough, the “Mission” statement of the strategy is kind of “short” but I think it is still expresses a clear and precise aim. I like the words in the “Vision” statement like “a model” and “contribution” because it means that NU cares not only about it is own prestige and status but about all universities of Kazakhstan. It is very important, because in order to achieve success and be recognized in the world we have to be a cohesive nation.
The “Goal” statement, in my opinion, shows that university has an understanding and vision what to do, where and how to follow to perform these five ambitious goals. The evidence is a development and creation of the “Operational Plan for 2014–2016” for the implementation of the Strategy. The Operational Plan is a basis for achieving the strategic goals and completing the challenges.