2015.1124
UBC Professor Speaks at NTNU About Balancing Teaching and Researching
Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, Education Department of NTNU and Center for Teaching and Learning Development held a forum on Nov. 19th. Vice President Academic of the University of British Columbia Anna M. Kindler was invited as a speaker, and Vice President Wu Cheng-Chih was her host. Professor Kindler’s topic was “Responsibility for Educational Excellence: Students”
Professor Kindler shared with the audience the experience of UBC, a university that focused on teaching, but since 1990, the center shifted to academic research. She put it bluntly that the professors are enthusiastic about researching and writing paper so the teaching part was neglected. She thought that UBC could change to an academic oriented university, but many problems occurred.
It’s what makes her think that it’s time to change. Professor Kindler joined the Academic Affairs in 2000, when the school decided to focus on teaching. However, the teaching resources are diminishing because they focused on study more. She thus started to draw investment from businesses and create more flexible teaching strategies.
At the beginning, it worked, but later Professor Kindler found out that she has to change from the root. She started to make everyone in the campus know that the focus of the school has changed. Academic research is important, but as time changes, the society values more on the teaching performance of a school. If you want to get a higher ranking, you have to balance between teaching and research.
Professor Kindler ends with the motto of UBC “Tuum Est”, meaning it’s up to you. A university is a hub to the smartest, the most skilled people. We should believe in ourselves and working on making the university a balanced university. Vice President Wu gave a feedback after the speech. He shared his 30-year teaching experience and what NTNU has done recently like conferences and talks between students and teachers. It’s concluded that NTNU is doing a good job on balancing what the school needs.