‘World’s first’ versus ‘world class’

WE are familiar with the word “world class” but not many know its meaning beyond its association with being superlative. Worse, there is no accepted definition for it, apart from entries in dictionaries. 

One Marc Hedish in his blog attempted a “working definition” — a scalable, repeatable, defined process, or items, which others choose to emulate. But we still need to figure out where the “world” dimension fits into the picture. 

In the education sector, the phrase is even more elusive. A well-known educationist, quoted in a World Bank publication, stated: “Everyone wants one, no one knows what it is, and no one knows how to get one.” 

Still, this does not deter the phrase from being dubiously bandied around, and causing even more confusion. 

The inevitable question is: how does one become “world class” when “no one knows what it is”? Here is where the ranking phenomenon makes a grand entrance by unilaterally “defining” the phrase based on some limited criteria. 

Naturally, it is not foolproof as the Times Higher Education Supplement deputy editor admitted at the recent global forum on Rankings and Accountability in Higher Education in Paris, France.

“Rankings are rather crude; they can’t be completely objective.” It is also not transparent in many ways! 

Regardless, one thing is certain. It is about “emulating” or “benchmarking” certain standards.

It is a catch-up game for those who want to play by the rules or criteria set by others.  Metaphorically, it is about swimming in the “Red Ocean”, competing head-on with the rest. Often, it is fierce and bloody, despite the fact that we are still not sure what “world class” means! 

Like most catch-up games, by the time we are about to do so, the benchmark will move as the rules are changed by the game-setter. So, there is no end to this! 

Alternatively, the Blue Ocean strategy is to be the “world’s first” as opposed to “world class”. The former is easier to define and conceptualise. And this is readily and objectively verifiable. It is also transparent. 

More importantly, as the first you get to set the rules relevant to your needs. Competition is made irrelevant. If there are others who want to compete, then they have to abide by the rules that you set. 

But first, we must dare to be different, move ahead by challenging the status quo. It is about redefining the name of the game and becoming a game-changer which requires a new level of creative thinking and courage.

That is the reason autonomy and “supremacy of ideas is more important than supremacy of position” as the Chief Secretary to the government Tan Sri Mohd Sidek Hassan reminded Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) students in his recent lecture.

It is precisely by using this strategy that USM is able to produce 10 discoveries and innovations through its World’s First Initiatives as part of Delivering Excellence under the Accelerated Programme for Excellence agenda. This, no doubt, will be a solid platform to achieve “world class” stature because the achievements are scalable, repeatable and well-defined in terms of process, or items, the moment others choose to emulate them worldwide.

And there are no shortage of candidates.

At this juncture, it is important to recall the recommendations of the 2007 World Bank report, namely Malaysian universities need to have more autonomy in the move towards becoming world class.

It also recommends relaxing administrative and financial rules and controls that public universities have to conform to in their daily management.

Are we ready for a game change?

* The writer is the Vice-Chancellor of Universiti Sains Malaysia. He can be contacted at vc@usm.my