simon jones provost, nazarbayev university simon.jones@nu.edu.kz (delivered by philippe m. frossard...

Simon Jones

Provost, Nazarbayev University

Simon.Jones@nu.edu.kz

Successful Universities

(Delivered by Philippe M. Frossard

Vice-Provost for Research, Nazarbayev University)

Success is not easily predictable

Failure easier to infer

Context

19th Century model is picturesque• Sustained by Brand and Endowment

Preconditions

20th Century Model• Large

• HASTAC – Humanities, Arts, Science, Technology, Computing

• National Prestige

Preconditions

Small Teaching and Research

STEM 5:1 Student:Faculty Ratio

Entrepreneurship Business Park

New Model University Innovation Hub

Engages Society with Process of Renewal Roll-out

21st Century

The problem is not plans, people or methods

It is in collective mindset

Building things that need to be grown just won’t work

Infrastructure attracts Talent

Talent Not Infrastructure

Challenge of Leadership is enablement

Connecting local money to expatriate researchers

‘Don’t know what we need’

‘They will leave soon’

‘We know what is best for us’

Convergence of Curiosity

Elitism

Taught by people who defined a subject

Develop into outstanding graduate students

High Quality undergraduate teaching

Small class sizes

Systematic and persistent engagement with leading professors

Research and Teaching must always be 2 sides of the same coin.

Great Faculty deliver a Great University

Strong Faculty Governance

Difficulty coping with

changing landscape

Faculty argue for

Low Teaching Load √

Research Money √

Complete Freedom to research what they like ≈ √

21st Century institutions

Focus

Network

Challenge consensus

Academic Freedom

International Challenges

Multi-disciplinary teams• NU partners

Gearing and Traction through local context

Research Strategy

Elitism

Taught by people who defined a subject

Develop into outstanding graduate students

High Quality undergraduate teaching

Small class sizes

Systematic and persistent engagement with leading professors

Research and Teaching must always be 2 sides of the same coin.

University strategies appear

inter-changeable

Leadership acutely difficult

Business finds a querulous culture

Academics – unequipped

for management

Politicians – wax and wane

Leadership requires team set

Cheerleaders in the Community – Chancellor

Organisational management - President

Academic excellence – Provost

Financial Management - CFO

Leadership

Finances

Effective use of resources

Acquire resources, allocate resources, utilise the subsequent outputs most effectively

Three main funding sources: Foundation; fees; research and exploitation

Innovation• Companies: UK spends $12M on innovation

• No Google yet……..

Licensing• MIT

Science Parks

Valorisation

Summary

Supportive political setting, diverse funding, nuanced leadership, outstanding faculty, student-centeredness

Collective self-confidence to proclaim the values of a university

Persistence, resilience

Nazarbayev University will succeed

Questions and Comments