Answering the Challenges of 21st Century Education
In the 21st century, the unprecedented social power of knowledge-driven professions makes
creative understanding of young students key to universities' contributing to society. This is based on
their core intellectual competencies. Universities are engines of both individual empowerment and
social progress. The very same creative understanding that empowers individuals to lead productive
lives as citizens and professionals also generates social progress.
What makes university education worthwhile? An education that cultivates creative understanding
enables diverse, talented, hardworking graduates to pursue productive careers, to enjoy the
pleasures of lifelong learning, and to reap the satisfactions of creatively contributing to society.
The corresponding institutional vision & mission of Bir Tikendrajit University(BTU) must take into
consideration the following value systems:
- The Search for Truth - In the ideal academic setting scholars have the time and resources to
search for truths within their fields. Among all scientists, developing theories that will
explain how the world works is a fundamental part of that search for truth. This freedom
should not be lost. In other words, development of research is critical to the progress of any
university.
- Freedom to pursue all ideas - Strongly related to the quest for truth is a second feature of the ideal academic setting. It is a space in which people are free to pursue all ideas without any discrimination. BTU must become a centre of independent thought.
- Respect for knowledge & expertise - Part of respecting expertise and valuing truth and
knowledge for its own sake includes understanding that people cannot predict ahead of time
what might turn out to be an important discovery, and that we must protect the ability of
scholars to pursue ideas that may seem improbable but might provide a crucial key to our
understanding.
- Creativity & innovation - The core intellectual aim of a university education is to foster creativity & innovation in the students and faculty. It calls for a greater integration of knowledge not only within the liberal arts and sciences but also between the liberal arts and professional education. Both are prerequisites to the ultimate aim of education and young citizens who can act in a well-informed way to benefit society.
- Merit - within the given policy framework of education, a university must function on
meritocracy. All the students, irrespective of descent and prospects, are on a completely
equal footing. It is important to overcome the vague definitions of what constitutes merit in
our education system to truly make BTU a university that recognises & rewards merit.
- Inclusiveness - tightly related to the ideal of meritocracy, is the notion that academic
institutions should be inclusive. Our motto is to be open to everyone and we include those who gather only knowledge and as well as we include creativity and innovation, and the other virtues of higher education.
An inspiring vision & mission statements will also lay the foundation for a university that can in
future become a global institute of eminence.