4. Research at a modern college of agriculture
Research, by definition, is creative work undertaken in
a systematic way to increase the stock of scientific and technological
knowledge and to use the stock of knowledge to devise new
applications. This is what makes an institution of higher
learning a university. It is indispensable if teaching is
to remain alive and inspiring. Only the possibility of conducting
research will attract high-level professors, and research
gives the university international recognition and reputation.
A fundamental question for the modern college of agriculture
is: what kind of research should be carried out and who determines
the goals of research activities? Internationally there is
a tradition of academic freedom which includes the freedom
of research. The researcher defines the topics of his research
work and tends to resist intervention from superiors or colleagues.
He wants to select a topic which satisfies his curiosity and
which he believes to be important, scientifically rewarding,
and, thus, would promote his careers. Undeniable, most original
research results came out of this system, and many urgent
problems have been solved because a certain researcher took
it up and spent years of efforts finding a solution:
Today, however, certain factors all over the world cause
doubt in this system of almost unlimited freedom in research:
- the spiraling costs of research make a laissez-faire
policy towards research question able;
- today we have in most countries not one or two universities
with a limited number of professors, but an expanded system
of academic learning with a large scientific staff,
- in view of the complexity of today's problems the extreme
diversity of university research usually has little impact,
- national development plans bring along a certain order
of priority in research topics which may not correspond
with individual research interests.
The larger the research funds involved, the larger the manpower
engaged in research, and the more urgent the development needs,
the more important is a research policy with sound formulation
of objectives, means to define priorities and reliable methods
of evaluation. The prime consideration of such a research
policy is research for the benefit of the public, not for
the benefit of the researcher. In a modern college of agriculture,
research activities have to be re-oriented to meet the development
needs.
This will not take place without causing friction. First,
there may be a conflict between research goals, determined
by development requirements, and interests in promoting scientific
knowledge. Second, both the university and the researcher
are involved in international competition for their reputation.
If they are interested in gaining international recognition,
they should turn to Harvard and Oxford for examples of research
programmes and goals. The more they do so, the less they will
probably contribute to the development of their country because
the relevant issues are different. Universities have to find
their way out of the difficulties arising from their two-fold
membership. On the one hand, they are part of the national
community which support them, on the other hand, they are
part of the international scientific community which not only
influences intellectual life, but makes it at all possible.
There are three aspects of research at the modern college
of agriculture which require some discussion.
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