There has been a growing push to make the education sector more responsive to the needs of industry, but critics say this jeopardises the independence of universities (EurActiv 6/2/09).
However, Dutta says universities are at risk of becoming too removed from their primary task of solving real-world problems when they operate in isolation.
“I fully support allowing industry to influence curricula. The existence of universities and tertiary schools is supported, not threatened, by the close links to industry. In fact, the lack of links between industry and universities is the bigger problem,” he said.
Dutta believes students benefit from studying in industry-focused courses, which is particularly important in a competitive jobs market.
"Universities can become ivory towers isolated from reality and that is not good for anyone – most importantly for the students graduating from these schools who seek employment in industry.”
The Professor of Business and Technology said students should be encouraged to become more creative and to launch entrepreneurial ventures as part of the education process. He said more focus is needed on entrepreneurship across all disciplines in the education sector.
Dutta believes that in addition to traditional business know-how, new graduates need to be capable of working across linguistic and cultural boundaries if they are to thrive in the globalised world.
“The world has become more global than ever before and modern business leaders have to be aware of the impact of this change on all aspects of business and culture. Most important of all, business leaders need to have an open mind and be respectful of different business practices, cultures and norms, all without compromising on ethical standards and core values.”
He said there has been significant growth in continuing education for businesspeople, which has helped make formal education more practical.
“Business education is more influenced by practice than ever before. Executive education is the most visible part of this evolution. Today most leading business schools have large volumes of executive teaching which helps to bridge the gap between classical education and business impact,” said Dutta.
