AT present, most public universities in the country are ‘rejuvenated’ with the participation of young academic staff. Many young lecturers are vibrant and full of passion but we lack the opportunity to shine. We are occupied with cutting-edge knowledge and skills to serve our nation but the inadequacy in the current research and education environment can be discouraging.
Funding is a main issue in research, be it for a young or a senior academician. But it is especially difficult for the former because most have no prior experience and receive no guidance in applying for funding, especially at the national level.
The suspension of MYBRAIN postgraduate scholarships by the Minister of Education is another hurdle for many young lecturers.
However, the 2019 Budget has an allocation of RM400 million in grants for research and development (R&D) at higher learning institutions.
The government realises the significance of R&D for the society and nation in its efforts to attain high-income nation status.
My previous research experience has equipped me with expertise in certain instrumentations or techniques. However, it could be another let-down if such set-up is either currently unavailable in the workplace or in the country. It takes a lot of funds and a considerable amount of time to develop such a setting in the workplace. Some may have given up and switched the direction of research to a new yet unfamiliar one. It is a waste of government scholarship and funding for postgraduate studies abroad when the expertise is either not needed or immature in Malaysia.
The phenomenon of the “white elephant” is another hurdle for progressive research. It can be heartbreaking for young lecturers when the set-up is available but unreachable. This can either be due to the current set-up at a different department or it is just too expensive to afford with a nominal grant. It will be excellent if we can pool the instrumentations and resources to make breakthrough science.
A healthy research and working environment is the key to successful higher education system. However, this is still lacking in most public universities.
Young lecturers are in a dilemma during the economic crisis. Yet, the assistance offered to them to make progress in research is limited.
Also, the current education system places too much emphasis on the number of achievements.
It is similar to our exam-oriented assessment system for students. This indirectly puts stress on young lecturers to generate a high number of outputs in the beginning of their careers. In the numbers game, the quality of work may be affected.
The current assessment system for academic staff focuses on research outcomes.
Most of them have long forgotten the core duty of a lecturer — teach. We are trained for research work prior to appointment as a lecturer at public universities. Most of us have no background in teaching and learning except for some short courses in the early days of our careers.
However, that should not be an excuse for not excelling in teaching.
Most working hours are spent on research related work as the weightage of assessment for research is far more than teaching. The quality of university students has dropped compared to my time. My friends working in the same field say that graduate students from public universities are not proactive and lack confidence in carrying out their tasks. The finger now points at the lecturers.
The Education Ministry is the biggest recipient of the 2019Budget, accounting for nearly 20 per cent of total expenditure. The government is emphasising education and R&D as they are among the key elements in bridging the gap between poverty and prosperity.
Academic staff need support from each other to make progress in making good science, especially during difficult times.
I also urge academic staff, especially young lecturers, to be accountable for their role as educators. It is not for young lecturers to blame the current system or management but it is time to improve the system with their expertise.
I strongly believe our education system can surpass many prestigious international institutions in the future.
The writer is a senior lecturer at the School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia.