300% jump in research publications, nine new engineering universities with European faculty, 3000 Pakistani students sent

overseas for higher-degrees...self-serving lies, halftruths and deceit.

JoomlaEZ.com's Slideshow Joomla Module - Brings modern web 2.0 slideshow layouts to Joomla based site. JoomlaEZ.com's Joomla Theme Base - Complete base helps creating professional Joomla template in minutes. Highr Education Controversies General Pervez Musharraf's regime boasts of its successes in science and education at home and abroad. Recently, I saw Pakistan's successes trumpeted by a large official delegation headed by Dr. Atta-ur-Rahman, the chairman of the Higher Education Commission (HEC) at a conference in Trieste, Italy. They came to address a special session on science development in Pakistan - the only country that had requested and paid for such special treatment at the conference. Those who did not know about the state of science in Pakistan were amazed by the claims made. Those who knew better were stunned by the flood of self-serving lies, half-truths and deceit. The claims made were several. A 300 percent jump in research publications shows that academic activity in Pakistan has vastly increased; nine new engineering universities with European teaching faculty will soon be established; the 3000 Pakistani students sent overseas for higher degrees will revolutionize the university system upon return; Ph.Ds produced annually from Pakistani universities will soon approach the spectacular figure of 1500; mathematics is now a strong discipline in Pakistan; and so forth. The truth is very different. Even though the spending on higher education has increased 15 times over the last five years, the improvements have been cosmetic. Genuine science in Pakistan has actually shrunk, not grown, over the last three decades. The trend has not been reversed. Euphoric claims notwithstanding, public university education in Pakistan remains miserably backward by international standards. Its real problems are yet to be touched. Take the HEC's first claim: the 3-fold increase in Pakistani academic publications. Fantastically large per-paper monetary rewards to university teachers - a practice not adopted anywhere else in the world for excellent reasons - have indeed boosted publication rates. But publishing more papers is not the same as doing more research. Instead, the high rewards have caused an explosion of plagiarism, theft of intellectual property, publication of trivial results and falsified data, and publication of slightly different versions of the same paper in different journals. Most published papers are worthless academically and scientifically. The reader can readily verify the last point. All that is needed is a computer and an internet connection. Simply type www.scholar.google.com into your browser, and then the name of any individual scientist or scholar you want. (Academic databases even more comprehensive than

Google are available but not free.) A list of publications of that person, together with a count of the number of times his/her papers have been cited by other scholars, will be displayed. Remember that a piece of scientific work is important only if it is useful to other scientists, or to industry in the form of patents that lead to new products (a separate database exists for that). So, in a matter of seconds, one can see which individuals are considered important by the world of science and academia. The results of such database searches are eye-opening. A majority of papers by Pakistani authors, even if published in international journals by some hook or crook, have exactly zero citations (once self-citations are removed). Such papers have contributed nothing. They may just as well have not been written. The average number of citations per Pakistani paper is 3.41 (includes selfcitation), which is much below that in scientifically advanced countries. Still more shocking is the citation record of some of Pakistan's most well-advertised scientists, whose relentless self-promotion at government expense would be considered a crime in another country. While they have hundreds of papers and books to their credit, most of these have zerocitations. Others in their field seem to have scarcely noticed any of their work. On the other hand the reader can check that about 25-30 other Pakistani scientists, who are unadvertised, relatively unknown, and have published far fewer papers, nevertheless have much better citation records and a moderately good international standing in their respective fields. Now for the HEC's nine Pak-European universities project: This is a stunning disaster. The most advanced university (in terms of construction and planning) was the French engineering university in Karachi. Named UESTP-France, with a completion cost of Rs. 26 billion rupees, it was to have begun functioning in October 2007. There is still no official explanation for why this did not happen, no new date has been set, and no account given of the money already spent. On the face of it, making Pak-European universities sounds like a wonderful idea. Pakistan would pay for France, Sweden, Italy, and some other European countries to help set up, manage, and provide professors for new universities in Pakistan. It would be expensive - Pakistan would have to pay the full development costs, recurrent expenses, and euro-level salaries (plus 40% markup) for all the foreign professors and vice-chancellors. But it would still be worth it because the large presence of European professors teaching in these Pakistani universities would ensure good teaching. High-standard degrees would subsequently be awarded by institutions in the respective European countries. Even commonsense said that the project could not work. Perhaps one can persuade beefy mercenaries of the French Foreign Legion to go to some country where suicide bombings happen daily and killing of ordinary citizens by terrorists is routine. But it takes an enormous leap of faith to think that respectable academics from France - or any other European country for that matter - will want to live and teach in Pakistan for a year or more. Travel advisories issued by several European governments warn against even brief visits. That the French professors did not turn up at UESTP-France is scarcely surprising. But, lost to their mad fantasies, HEC planners

are now working on the vain assumption that the Germans and Swedes are made of sterner stuff than the French. A wiser leadership would have aimed for one properly planned new engineering university, set up under the European Union. It would have sought external help for adding engineering departments to existing universities, as well as to massively upgrade existing ones. But these relatively modest goals are unacceptable to the present HEC leadership that believes, like the Musharraf regime as a whole, in grand plans rather than practical, feasible, reforms. Showing the hollowness of the other official claims of progress would take more space than available here. Slick PowerPoint presentations by HEC officials throw one figure after another at dizzying speed giving the impression of fantastic progress. But the intelligent listener must ask many questions: does it make sense to select thousands of students on the basis of a substandard high-school level numeracy and literacy test, and then send them for an expensive graduate-level education in Europe? Will the quality of Pakistani graduates not be further degraded by pushing Ph.D production far beyond the capability of the present universities? It is time to end the fetish of buying tons of expensive scientific equipment that, at the end of it all, produce only zero-citation papers and zero patents. Curiously, after a bunch of projects were exposed as phony, the HEC broke with its past practice and now no longer puts on its website details of HEC-funded projects. It is also time to stop HEC officials and HEC delegates from gallivanting across the globe at public expense on the vaguest of excuses for "fact-finding" missions and conferences. There must be an independent investigation of the HEC's plans and financing, a review of its programs, and a full audit of accounts. The inquiry should be jointly done by the future government through the PAC and NAB, assisted by a citizens committee. Individual whims and personal ambitions must be checked to protect the national interest. Pakistan is a poor country although, looking at the HECs spending patterns, one would conclude the opposite. WHAT REAL REFORM REQUIRES The record-setting increase in the budget for higher education which shot up from Rs 3.8 billion in 2002 to Rs 33.7 billion in 2007 - has led to little beyond cosmetic changes. So, what can be done? Solutions are needed at three distinct levels - determining correct funding priorities, implementing approved plans and projects responsibly, and, most importantly, inducing changes in values to promote and enable real learning. Current spending priorities are the haphazard expression of individual whims, not actual needs. For example, most Pakistani students in higher education (about 0.8 million) study in about 700 colleges. These colleges receive pitifully small funding compared to universities. During 20012004, the funds annually allocated to colleges averaged a miserable sum of Rs 0.48 billion and the spending per college student was only one sixth that for a university student. Subsequently this has become worse. It is no surprise then that public colleges are in desperate shape with

dilapidated buildings, broken furniture, and laboratory and library facilities that exist only in name. Meanwhile, many public universities are awash in funds. They have gone on a shopping binge for all kinds of gadgetry - fax machines, fancy multimedia projectors, and electricity-guzzling airconditioners. But it would be hard to argue that any of this has served to improve teaching quality even marginally. Worse, the availability of "free money" has led to the pursuit of numerous madcap projects such as the HEC's hugely expensive, but failed, attempt to bring in hundreds of fearful European university professors to teach in a country where suicide bombers kill at will. The beggarly treatment of colleges compared to universities is often justified on grounds that universities perform research while colleges do not. But, notwithstanding a few honorable exceptions, this "research" has added little to the stock of existing knowledge as judged by the international community of scholars. Nevertheless, in 2005/2006 university research funding totaled a whopping Rs 0.342 billion. Past experience shows that much of the money will be used to buy expensive research equipment that will find little if any real use. Instead of continuing to pay for dubious research, funding priorities must shift to improving teaching quality, especially in colleges. Pakistani university and college students, as well as their teachers, are far below the internationally accepted levels in terms of basic subject understanding. As one indicator, performance scores of Pakistanis on the US Graduate Record Examinations, which test subject basics, are miserably poor compared to students from India or China. For example, of the 56 M.Phil and Ph.D students who recently took the physics exam from the best physics department in the country - that at Quaid-e-Azam University none was able to get even a semi-respectable score in this entry-level examination. Because bad teaching quality largely comes from having teachers with insufficient knowledge of their subject, it is important both to have better teacher selection mechanisms and to create largescale teacher-training academies in every province. Established with international help, these academies should bring in the best teachers as trainers from across the country and from our neighbours. It is hard to see any trainers coming from western countries, although one should try to get them. This effort will cost money and take time - perhaps on the order of a billion dollars over 5 years. These high-quality institutions should have a clear philosophy aimed at equipping teachers to teach through concepts rather than rote learning, use modern textbooks, and emphasize basic principles of pedagogy, grading, and fairness. They should award degrees to create an incentive for teachers to go there and to do well. Until a sufficiently large number of adequate university teachers can be generated by the above (and various other) means, the senseless policy of making new universities must be discontinued. The HEC prides itself in almost doubling the number of public universities over 6 years. But there is nothing to be gained from a department of English where the department's head cannot speak or write a grammatically correct non-trivial sentence of English; a physics department where the head is confused about the operation of an incandescent light bulb; a mathematics department where graduate students have problems with elementary surds

and roots; or a biology department where evolution is thought to be new-fangled and quite unnecessary to teach as part of modern biology. Better academic planning and management at the national level - which has no monetary cost - is crucial to having higher education institutions that actually function. Major quality improvements could result from using nation-wide standardized tests for student admission into higher education institutions; teaching teachers to use distance-learning materials effectively; and designing standardized teaching laboratories that may be efficiently duplicated across Pakistan. But implementation of even the best plans comes to naught without good management at the institutional level. Good leaders have made a difference in their respective institutions. Unfortunately, Pakistan has a patronage system because of which unqualified and unsuitable military men, as well as bureaucrats, are often appointed as vice-chancellors, principals, and registrars. Therefore most institutional heads are inept and vital tasks remain unimplemented. These include enforcement of academic ethics, creating the culture of civilized debate on campuses, encouragement of community work, etc. The harm done by badly chosen senior administrators cannot be undone by any amount of money. DEEPER ISSUES: Sixty years of consistent failure force us to search for reasons that go beyond fiscal and administrative issues. What sets us apart from the developed world, or even India and Iran? In Pakistan the dead hand of tradition stands squarely in the way of modern education and a modern mindset that relies on critical thinking. The educational system, shaped by deeply conservative social and cultural values, discourages questioning and stresses obedience. In seeking change, it will be important to break the tyranny of the teacher, a relic of pre-modern social values. Closed minds cannot innovate, create art and literature, or do science. Most Pakistani students memorize an arbitrary set of rules and an endless number of facts and say that X is true and Y is false because thats what the textbook says. (I grind my teeth whenever a master's or Ph.D student in my university class gives me this argument!) There has to be social acceptance of modern education which, at its fundamentals, is entirely about individual liberty, willingness to accept change, intellectual honesty, and constructive rebellion. Critical thought allows individuals to make a revolutionary difference and to reinvent the future. Else they will merely repeat the dysfunction of the past. To open minds, the change must begin at the school level. Good pedagogy requires encouraging the spirit of healthy questioning in the classroom. It should therefore be normal practice for teachers to raise such questions as: How do we know? What is important to measure? How to check the correctness of measurements? What is the evidence? How to make sense out of your results? Is there a counter explanation, or perhaps a simpler one? The aim should be to get students into the habit of posing such critical questions and framing reasoned answers. Reforming higher education in Pakistan has a chance only if considers the totality of problems, such as outlined here, and if solution strategies are pursued with honesty and integrity. This task has yet to begin.

[The author is chairman and professor of physics at Quaid-e-Azam University, Islamabad. This essay was published in two parts in Dawn (Jan 2-9, 2008) ] HEC SPOKESPERSON (10 Jan, 2008): This is with reference to the article "Sham university reforms" by Pervez Hoodbhoy (Jan 2). Since its formation in 2002, the Higher Education Commission has made remarkable progress, implementing the much needed reforms. These include: setting of stringent requirements for the appointment and promotion of faculty members, strict quality control of PhD programmes, establishment of a digital library providing free access to 23,000 international journals to all public sector universities. It has also introduced an e-books programme so that every public sector university now has access to 45,000 textbooks from 220 international publishers, has initiated a programme of live lectures from technologically advanced countries through video conferencing in real time and with full inter-activity. Moreover, changes in the salary structure of academics under the tenure track system have been made through which salaries of scholars active in research have been increased significantly. Most universities in Pakistan, including the Quaid-i-Azam University, have adopted this system. Introduction of a foreign faculty hiring programme through which the "brain drain" from Pakistan has been converted into a "brain gain" with over 200 eminent faculty members, who had worked for most of their lives in technologically advanced countries, have now returned to join universities in Pakistan. These changes have been implemented and they are changing the landscape of our universities to the benefit of the nation. The HEC reforms have been internationally praised. A WB report says that "these positive reforms already have benefited the universities". It goes on to state that the "HEC has placed quality improvement of the higher education sub-sector at the centre of its agenda" and that "the programmes spelled out in the medium-term development framework of the HEC are an impressive set of initiatives". Praising the leadership provided by Prof (Dr) Atta-ur-Rahman within the HEC, it states that "the HEC has gained authority since its inception in part because of its own strong and professional leadership, independent board and ample funding" and that "still a young institution, the HEC already has a legacy. Since its inception, it has been startlingly active and has shaken up the world of the universities". These reforms were presented at a meeting of the Academy of Sciences of the Developing World (TWAS) in Trieste by a delegation of leading scientists of Pakistan comprising Dr Amir Mohammad, Prof (Dr) Sheikh

Riazuddin, Prof Iqbal Chaudhary, Prof Qasim Mehdi, Prof Tassawar Hayat and Dr Nasiruddin. The presentations highlighted the achievements that Pakistan has made during last five years through the HEC programmes. By calling these presentations half-truths etc, Dr Hoodbhoy does no justice to Pakistan. His stand is that increase in our research output has arisen due to "explosion of plagiarism, theft of intellectual property, publication of trivial results and falsified data, and publication of slightly different versions of the same paper in different journals". This is wrong. It is the HEC which has taken firm steps to control and eliminate plagiarism by laying down a clear policy against it. By trivialising more than 1,600 research articles from Pakistan in the world's top journals in subjects ranging from anthropology to zoology, the writer only exposes his own biases. Mr Hoodbhoy is also critical of the initiative to establish a number of new universities of engineering, science and technology. Such universities take years to plan and implement. The French-sponsored university has been deliberately delayed to enable the formation of a strong consortium of French universities. Calling this delay a "stunning disaster" is again an example of a typical exaggeration. He also wrongly says that there has been extravagant funding of our higher education sector. The budget of all 57 public sector universities in Pakistan put together is $500 million, which is about 40 per cent less than that of the National University of Singapore. SAMINA WAQAR Director-General (Public Relations), HEC, Islamabad ----------------HOODBHOY RESPONDS TO WAQAR (Dawn, 15 Jan 2008) The HEC has, as expected, responded to my expose (Dawn, 2 Jan) of its unconscionable squandering of public funds by trotting out its usual list of claimed achievements (Dawn, 10 Jan). But this spiritless reply does not address the issues I raised, except distantly and peripherally. Instead, it takes refuge in a 2006 World Bank report, issued by a WB team led by Benoit Millot, that lavishes praise upon the HEC for having effected "quality improvement of the higher education sub-sector", and for having revolutionized Pakistans universities. I find this fascinating and disturbing. This is a perfect example where two institutions are driven by shared needs -- the WB to lend and the HEC to spend. While the WB report is printed on glossy paper, is written in fine English, and has beautiful graphics, it is fundamentally flawed because it contains no meaningful data on the quality of education in Pakistani universities. Browsing though WB publications, I simply did not see any report that purports to be a scientifically performed survey on this specific matter.

When and how, may I ask, did the WB check the quality of faculty or that of the student body across Pakistani universities? Has it surveyed library and laboratory facilities, the content of university courses, the standard of examination papers, the presence (or lack thereof) of academic colloquia and seminars on campuses, etc? Was any assessment made of the number of days in a year that the universities actually functioned, the suitability of those appointed as vicechancellors, employer satisfaction with university graduates, etc? These are crucial quality indicators. Unless one has reasonably reliable data on such matters, the opinions expressed in the quoted WB report are simply vacuous. If the WB has indeed carried out a relevant survey, I would be most grateful to know the reference to such work and apologize in advance for any hurt caused. On the other hand, if there is no such work, then I would like to know what the WBs $1500 per-day education consultants do in a third-world country beyond cutting and pasting from official reports. If other sections of the World Bank operate similarly, then one fears for Pakistan. The HEC has picked many numbers that suit its purposes but has not attempted to see if they are meaningful. It is unfortunate that the HEC spokesperson accuses me of trivializing all 1600 research papers published in recent times. I did not. Instead, I merely showed that the interested reader -- using the free Google.Scholar data base mentioned in my article -- can judge each one of these papers to see if anyone in the world has found them useful or interesting. Unfortunately, all but a tiny fraction have zero citations. To my mind, publishing even two dozen papers yearly -- provided they are highly original and well-cited -- would have a far healthier impact on our universities than the hundreds of junk papers generated by the government's per-paper reward scheme. While the spokesperson lamely claims that "It is the HEC which has taken firm steps to control and eliminate plagiarism by laying down a clear policy against it", no such thing is evident. On the contrary, newspapers in Pakistan and abroad are full of stories about Pakistani academics who freely plagiarize materials across the globe as they rush to grab the rewards. Finally, I do believe that there is an alternative direction in which to improve and expand higher education, and which could gainfully use the huge sums now allocated to the HEC. For this, the interested reader is referred to part-II of my article (Dawn, 12-01-2008).

Issues Familiar to College Students In addition to our other services, we offer psycho-educational material to help increase your understanding of the various issues which may concern you. Below are listed virtual pamphlets taken from the University of Chicagos Student Counseling & Resource Services website on topics that are relevant to college students. The Student Counseling Virtual Pamphlet Collection was originally developed by Dr. Robert Hsiung (director of the University of Chicagos Student Counseling & Resource Service). An unabridged version of the Virtual Pamphlet Collection is available on Dr. Hsiungs independent website. Click any topic to see the pamphlets for that topic. A virtual pamphlet put out by another university may refer to services available only to students at that university. Colgate students should, obviously, refer to Colgates Counseling & Psychological Services list of services instead.

Building Healthy Relationships

Healthy relationships allow for individuality, bring out the best in both people, and invite personal growth. Choose the specific ideas or techniques presented here that will be most helpful to you. Getting Close Developing meaningful relationships is a concern for all of us. Getting close to others, sharing our joys, sorrows, needs, wants, affections, and excitements is risky business. What is it that interferes with us getting close to each other? Often it is one or more of these common fears:
1. Fear of becoming known as we really are. Opening ourselves to others and their reactions is not only difficult for us, but is puts a demand on others to be likewise. 2. Fear of pain and disappointment. Mass media and advertisers have tried to convince us that we should be 100% happy 24 hours a day. Hurt, pain, disapopintment, and loneliness are not comfortable feelings, but they are human. Without the risk of experiencing them, one can never experience loving and being loved. 3. Fear of losing our freedom. Can I risk giving up some of mine to care about you without you wanting to take it all away? Can I be both close and separate with you? 4. Fear of being a taker as well as a giver. It is difficult for mos tof us to receive, yet if we don't, no one can experience the joy of giving to us. 5. Fear of judgement. People are reluctant to disclose themselves because they dread the moral judgement of their friends, family, minister, and the law. 6. Fear that showing love and affection is not proper. This is especially true for men, but NOT restricted to them. Somehow we have been convinced that this is a sign of weakness rather than a sign of courage.

REWARDS For Conquering Our Fears of Getting Close If we learn to communicat effectively with others and are willing to risk sharing our own feelings and respect other's feelings, many rewards will await us as we learn to get close to another person. Obviously, a very special relationship. Getting close means you can need someone else and he/she can need you. It means when you feel discouraged or upset, someone is there to comfort and care about you, and you can do likewise. You acquire faith in yourself, faith in others, and an ability to be faithful to others. It enables you to live fully in the present and to have meaning and purpose for your own existence. You become more sensitive to yourself, with choices about how, when, and where you wish to share your feelings. You KNOW when you are experiencing love, joy, anger, etc. The Art Of Communication When people are asked what the most important ingredients in a relationship are, communication almost always is on the list. Yet we rarely are taught HOW to communicate effectively. Communication with others boils down to either expressing ourselves or responding to someone else. Yet the methods for doing each are quite different. Expressing Ourselves When you are stating an opinion, making an observation, or expressing a feeling, the most appropriate format to use is called an "I-statement." You may even hopefully be already using them. I-statements allow us to state things in positive terms, to express ourselves directly and honestly, and to take responsibility for what we think, feel, and need while avoiding blaming or accusing others. In contrast, "You-statements" blame the other person, put him/her on the defensive, and often cause communication to be blocked. To simplify things, we can use a kind of "formula" for I-statements:

"I feel/think/want (express the feeling/thought/desire)... When (state the behavior causing it)... Because (identify the reason)..."

The nice thing about this formula is that we can decide how much of it we want to use. It can be just the first one, or the first two lines, or all three. Responding to Others When other people are expressing themselves, it is not appropriate to use I-statements when responding. A more effective technique is called "Reflection."

Reflection is saying back, in your own words, the content and/or feeling of what the other person just said. Reflection does not question, challenge, argue, approve, or disapprove. We can use an even simpler formula for Reflection:

"Sounds like you're feeling/thinking/wanting (express the emotion, thought, desire you hear)... Because (state the reason you heard for it)..."

Reflection requires us to listen very carefully to what the other person is actually saying. Yet we also do NOT have to be right in identifying the emotion or reason we hear because the speaker will automatically clarify it for us (and sometimes for him/her in the process). What we need to remember is that when we use Reflection, the other person is going to continue talking about what he/she is experiencing, so we need to make sure that we have time to listen. When we first begin using I-statements and Reflection, it can feel artificial. It doesn't take long for them to become automatic. Experiment with them and you may find that your discussions with other people become much more productive and satisfying. Fighting Fairly A major stumbling block in any relationship is settling disagreements, which often reduce to emotional shouting matches rather than caring problem-solving. Basic ground rules for effectively facing conflict in a relationship include:
1. 2. 3. 4. Maintain a spirit of good will - remember: you care about this person. Avoid attacking one another - discuss behavior, not personalities. Share your feelings - explore and discuss them. Focus on the present - past dissapointments cannot be changed. Concentrate on here and now.

Specific Techniques
1. Choose a time to have the discussion - make it an appointment. Avoid those times when either of you are fatigued, ill, or under pressure. 2. Be specific: take time to reflect on what you are upset about and focus on specific actions, feelings, and attitudes. 3. Listen carefully. Allow each individual uninterrupted time to explain his/her viewpoint. 4. Work on one issue at a time. Decide what is the uppermost concern and discuss it. 5. Ask for reasonable change. Determine what you really want from the person, then ask yourself if it is realistic and authentic. Give the person a chance to correct the situation. 6. Try to accept: be open to the other person's feelings and accept them without being judgemental. 7. Be willing to compromise: avoid trying to win. Try to find a solution that is satisfying for you both. 8. Realize the need to accep an incomplete resolution of a conflict. At times, completely resolving an issue is impossible.

9. If you have extreme difficulty expressing your feelings, try writing them down in a note or letter. 10. After the discussion is over, EXPRESS YOUR APPRECIATION for the other's listening to and discussing the issue with you. Reaffirm your respect and affection for each other. Finish on a positive note.

These strategies can help you establish an atmosphere of cooperative problem-solving. If you feel the relationship has deteriorated to a point where these methods can't be tried, you may want to consider a neutral, non-judgemental third party to mediate the discussions.

Ten Tips to Success at University

A Handbook for Students
Written by Student Learning Services Staff: Mary O'Malley, Ruth Stanton, Marc Leger Counselling and Development, Concordia University, 1998

Ten Tips Table of Contents

Take Notes Effectively Learn To Read Actively Learn To Write Effective Term Papers Plan For Great Oral Presentations Use Smart Test-Taking Strategies Manage Your Study Time Balance Your Life Set Career Goals Deal With Personal Issues 10. Know The System 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.

We've designed this brief handbook to help you get off to a good start at Concordia. These important tips point the way to success at university through effective study strategies and life-management skills.Our goal at Counselling and Development is to help you do well in your studies and benefit from your time at Concordia. Our professional staff are available for individual appointments to help you manage your studies, plan your career and cope with life's problems. As well, we offer many workshops to meet a wide variety of student needs. Drop into our offices and pick up a copy of our workshop brochure. You can always count on us for help. We look forward to meeting you soon.

1. Take Notes Effectively

A good set of notes can serve you well. Your notes help you remember which concepts your professor stressed and, thus, give you an idea as to what will be covered in the exam. Note taking also helps you concentrate on the lecture.

Before class Preview the pertinent chapter in your textbook. Review your notes from last class. Formulate questions to ask in class. Make sure you have plenty of paper and your favourite pen or pencil.

During class Listen for and write down main ideas rather than try to record everything. Watch for cues from your professor that help you select and organize main ideas. Use abbreviations wherever possible. Leave space to add missing ideas later.

After class Read your notes over and fill in missing details as soon as possible. Check a classmate's notes to see if you missed significant details. Relate your class notes to notes from your text to get the complete picture. Review your notes regularly and test yourself to see how much you can recall.

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2. Learn to Read Actively

Most of the material you have to learn at university is presented in written form. That's why it's so important to know an active reading technique that will enable you to learn and remember what you read.

Survey: Before you start to read, take a few minutes to skim over the main features of the text: title, headings, introduction, summary, pictures/graphs, margin notes, etc. This will give you an idea of what the chapter or journal article is about and what the big, important ideas are. Question: Turn the heading of the section into a question such as "What is .....?" A question helps you read faster and remember better. Read: Read the section selectively to answer your question. Recall: When you've finished reading the section, look away from the text and summarize the answer as much as possible in your own words (out loud is best). Write a few key words in your notes or in the margin of the text for later review. Go on to the next section of the text, repeating steps 2, 3 and 4. Review: When you're ready to stop reading, do a quick review by looking over the main ideas you've just read to see how they fit together. Then test yourself to see if you can recall (out loud) the ideas from memory. Review again in a week or two.

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3. Learn To Write Effective Term-papers

At University, term papers are very important. Your professors assign them so that they can see how well you understand the material and how effectively you can discuss the pertinent issues. Your goal is to use your papers to convince your professor you deserve the mark you want.

Prepare Make sure you understand what the assignment requires you to do. If you have a choice of topics, choose one that interests you. If you have no choice and find you don't like the topic assigned to you, ask your professor if you can approach the topic from an angle that appeals to you. Start your research early: schedule your time so that you have enough time for researching, composing, and revising.

Compose Plan your paper: establish a thesis and select main ideas and supporting ideas. Write a rough draft quickly, focusing on ideas and not worrying about grammar and spelling. Set your paper aside for a while so that you can return to it with a fresh outlook.

Revise Revise in response to any new ideas you may have, making sure your ideas are clear and well organized. Ask a classmate, friend or family member to read your text to see if your ideas are clear to someone else. Revise in light of the feedback you receive. Finally, proofread your text for errors in grammar, spelling, punctuation and so forth. Top

4. Plan for Great Oral Presentations

If you are like most people, you feel anxious about making oral presentations. With a few strategies and a bit of practice, however, you can gain the confidence you need to make a great presentation.

Before Organize your talk with a few main points and use them as prompts.

Prepare an introduction (an anecdote, a question or some other device) that will immediately get your audience's attention. Practice your talk in front of a mirror and/or before a few friends. Time yourself to make sure you keep within the time limit. Do not memorize or read your text.

During Overcome nervousness by o -telling yourself it's okay to be nervous, o -taking a few deep breaths before you begin to speak, o -establishing eye contact with a friend or looking just over the heads of those in the back row. Speak clearly and not too quickly. Begin by telling your audience what your talk is about and identifying the main points. Summarize your main points at the end of your talk.

After

Invite the audience to ask questions. If you can't answer a question, don't bluff; tell the audience that you will find out. Distribute handouts after, not before, your talk unless you want your audience to use them as guides.

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5. Use Smart Test-Taking Strategies

Exams can be stressful situations where you're being evaluated and have to perform under
a time limit. The key to managing the stress and performing well is to be a smart test-taker.

Learn as you go. Don't leave your studying until the night before the test. Spend time each week reviewing your class notes and readings. Try to connect the important ideas into themes or "a big picture." Then test yourself by trying to answer questions or do the problems the teacher might ask on this material.

Practice the exam activity before an exam. Be sure you know what you will have to DO on the exam: answer questions on content details, write essays, solve problems, apply theory to cases, etc. Then prepare for the exam by practising this activity so that you can do it confidently without referring to your notes or text book. Use your time well on the exam. Before starting your exam, look over all the questions quickly. Do a "memory dump" by jotting down by each question key words, ideas, formulas, etc. that you'll need for the answer. As well, mark the questions that seem easiest for you. Make a time plan by allocating the same percentage of time to each question as its worth in marks. Then, start with the easiest questions to build your confidence, and respect your time plan throughout to make sure that you have time to attempt every question.

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6. Manage Your Study Time

As a student at Concordia, your schedule is likely a hectic one. Besides attending classes, doing homework and studying for tests and exams, you might also be holding down a parttime job, participating in a team sport, and looking after an apartment. You need to manage your time very efficiently if you are to keep up with your studies and finish your assignments on time.

Long Range View Take a long range view of the semester so that you know when assignments and exams are due. Set up a calendar for the semester, listing important due dates: readings, assignments, tests and so forth.

Week By Week List everything you must do for each of your courses; include time for study, review, assignments and tests. Establish your priorities and estimate the time you need for each activity. Make a schedule for the week; include in it everything on your list.

Remember to...

Plan ahead. Include extra time for major projects. Break major tasks down into smaller ones. Alternate between a difficult task and an easy one. Schedule breaks. Reward yourself when you've completed a task.

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7. Balance Your Life

Devoting all of your time to school work may sound like a sure fire way to succeed in your courses, but living only for school can actually lead to burn-out. Conversely, spending too much time on leisure or other activities can lead to major stress (or even failure) when exam time comes. Finding the proper balance between time for school and time for everything else is a crucial step in achieving success.

1. Make a list of all of the roles you play in your life (student, friend, parent, worker, volunteer, athlete, etc.). Some roles will obviously demand more of your time than others. Determine how much time you're willing or able to devote to each role. 2. Strike a healthy balance allowing time for study, rest and play. 3. Schedule time to do things you enjoy. 4. Plan for exams and assignments well ahead of time so you won't be caught doing marathon study sessions and disrupting the balance. 5. Use time management strategies to organize your time. Top

8. Set Career Goals

Setting career goals is a crucial step towards success. Career goals are the focus and the reason behind all the hard work you're doing now. When you don't have a sense of what you're moving towards, things can seem pretty pointless. Knowing how a particular assignment relates in the long run to your future career can be the motivation you need to actually do it.

Ask yourself these questions to help you set your career goals: o Where do I want to be in 5-10 years time? What do I see myself doing (studying, working)? o How will my present studies take me there? o What else do I need to be doing now to get there (volunteer/part-time work)? o What obstacles might prevent me from achieving this goal? o What can I be doing to overcome these obstacles? Do a self-assessment using the Career Computer Lab. Meet with a counsellor or take a workshop to do some career planning. Do some vocational testing if you're unsure of what major to be in. Do some research at the Career Resource Centre to see where your major can lead. Gain job-search strategies at Career and Placement Services

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9. Deal With Personal Issues

Life has a way of handing us ups and downs when we least expect them. This means that sometimes your life is going to get in the way of your studies. It's important to realize and accept that there will be times when you are just not able to work or study because life issues are demanding more attention. If this happens to you, be ready to seek out resources to help you deal with the situation.

Recognize when a situation needs to be addressed. Deal with situations as they arise; don't let them drag on. Don't fool yourself into believing you can handle everything. Use the resources available to you: o Talk to a trusted friend or relative. o Talk to your doctor, or make an appointment at Health Services. Make sure your academic standing doesn't suffer: o Talk to your professors for possible extensions. o Consider dropping courses to relieve your workload. o Determine if you are eligible for medical exemptions.

If... You need further help, if a situation feels too overwhelming, or if you just want someone to talk to, Counselling and Development's professional counsellors offer safe, friendly, confidential personal counselling. Call or drop into our offices to make an appointment.

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10. Know the System

Success at university is more than just doing well in classes; it's knowing how to work with the system. There are things that you need to know that you won't necessarily be told. And with regards to university regulations, ignorance is not bliss! So be prepared to ask questions and dig a little to find out the information.

Read the University Calendar to find out: GPA requirements for your faculty and department. The method used to calculate your GPA. Deadlines to drop/add courses, pay tuition, apply for graduation. The University Writing Skills Requirement. Your programme requirements. Student Rights and Responsibilities. Etc

Pick up a CSU Student Handbook (H 637) for further information on student services and student associations.

Use the system (here are suggestions to get you started): Pick up a form at Birks Student Service Centre to change your major. Go to Financial Aid for information on in-course bursaries, and work-study programmes. Visit the CSU Job and Housing Bank on the Mezzanine of the Hall Building for information on potential jobs and apartments. Fill in a form at the Birks Student Service Centre for a medical notation if you miss a final exam due to illness. Meet with an academic advisor to plan your programme of study. Get hooked up with a Mentor through the Office of Alumni Affairs. Research the requirements for applying to graduate programmes at the Career Resource Centre.

Ask professors, academic advisors, and fellow students if you have further questions.

Counseling and Psychological Services

CAPS Home Counseling Services Training Programs Testing Services Self Help Materials o Ask the Staff Faculty & Staff Consultation FREE On-Line Screening for Depression, Anxiety, and Alcohol Use

go back | CAPS A-Z | CAPS Main Page>> Self Help Library >>

Dealing With Difficult People & Difficult Situations

Setting The Stage For Success

College life involves frequent interaction with people in a multitude of situations, ranging from getting along with roommates to negotiating group projects. Part of your success and happiness in college depends on your ability to effectively negotiate problems. Here are some tips for dealing with difficult people and difficult situations:

Meet privately having an audience causes more defensiveness. Expect that difficult situations will take time to resolve if you feel rushed, ask to meet at a later, specific time. Don't take things personally. Recognize that your role is to be calm and objective. (Vent later with a friend or colleague if you need to.)

Use Active Listening Skills

Clarification ask questions to clarify if you are unsure Paraphrasing rephrase content Reflection rephrase feelings Summarization listen for themes or main points Physical cues use head nods, eye contact, open body posture; this lets the listener know that you are listening

Identify The Problem

Clarify the expectations of the interaction Encourage the person to talk this provides you more understanding of the real issues involved and often provides clues for possible solutions. Reframe the problem so that it is not personal. Ex. The problem is usage of room time, not that one roommate is a jerk who plays music too loudly, and the other is a jerk who sleeps too much. Make the problem something that you are both working on collaboratively to solve.

Problems are only opportunities in work clothes. Henry J. Kaiser

Problem Solve

As much as possible, do so collaboratively. Ask what he or she has done to try to resolve the problem. Provide the opportunity for everyone to save face.

Know Your Limits

You are not able or responsible to solve all problems. Once you have done what you reasonably can do, don't beat yourself up if the outcome is not totally satisfactory to each of you. Don't let the other person's problem become your problem. Your job is to problem-solve, not to simply take on other people's problems.

More Tips... Work on one problem at a time

Make requests, not ultimatums

Focus on the present not the past. Focus on what you want, not on what you don't want

Note progress

Acknowledge progress to the other person Reward yourself for achievements

Improving Communication In Your Relationships

Communication problems are the most common reason for seeking counseling, accounting for 40% of all counseling issues. Problem-solving training changes communication skills and aids in creating interpersonal relationship satisfaction.
Tips

Be Realistic - change takes time; appreciate the small steps of improvement. Stay friendly - work up to the more difficult topics; don't make negative comments. Focus on the positive. Be optimistic - remember the good things about this person; try not to generalize criticisms (do not use "always" or "never"). Say things in ways that will be easy to hear - Make sure you understand what is being said. "What I heard you say was. . . Is that what you meant?"

Recommended Reading

The Art of Talking So That People Will Listen: Getting Through to Family, Friends, and Business Associates by P.W. Swets The Gentle Art of Verbal Self-Defense by S. H. Elgin Difficult Conversations: How To Discuss What Matters Most by Douglas Stone Non-Violent Communication: A Language of Life by Marshall Rosenberg

Tips for Adjusting to University Life and Resources at the Counseling Services
For many first-year students, the University may be their first experience living away from home for an extended period of time. It is a definite break from home. The individual's usual sources of support are no longer present to facilitate adjustment to the unfamiliar environment. Here are tips for students which may provide realistic expectations concerning living arrangements and social life on campus. In addition, students may benefit from information concerning resources available to them at the Counseling Services office.

The first few weeks on campus can be a lonely period. There may be concerns about forming friendships. When new students look around, it may seem that everyone else is self-confident and socially successful. The reality is that everyone is having the same concerns. If they allow sufficient time, students usually find peers in the university to provide structure and a valuable support system in the new environment. The important thing for the student to remember in meeting new people is to be oneself. Click here for ideas about where you can meet new people. Meaningful, new relationships should not be expected to develop overnight. It took a great deal of time to develop intimacy in high school friendships; the same will be true of intimacy in university friendships. Increased personal freedom can feel both wonderful and frightening. Students can come and go as they choose with no one to "hassle" them. At the same time, things are no longer predictable. The strange environment with new kinds of procedures and new people can create the sense of being on an emotional roller-coaster. This is normal and to be expected. Living with roommates can present special, sometimes intense, problems. Negotiating respect of personal property, personal space, sleep, and relaxation needs can be a complex task. The complexity increases when roommates are of different ethnic/cultural backgrounds with very different values. Communicating one's legitimate needs calmly, listening with respect to a roommate's concerns, and being willing to compromise to meet each other's most important needs can promote resolution of issues. It is unrealistic to expect that roommates will be best friends. Roommates may work out mutually satisfying living arrangements, but the reality is that each may tend to have his or her own circle of friends. University classes are a great deal more difficult than high school classes. There are more reading assignments, and the exams and papers cover a greater amount of material. Instructors expect students to do more work outside the classroom. In order to survive, the student must take responsibility for his or her actions. This means the student needs to follow the course outlines and keep us with the readings. The student must do the initiating. If a class is missed, it is up to the student to borrow lecture notes from someone who was present. If the student is having difficulty with course work, he or she needs to ask for help--ask to do extra work, request an appointment with an academic advisor, or sign up for tutoring or other academic-skills training at the Thomas J. Edwards Learning Center , 217 Baldy Hall, North Campus.

Counseling Services provides individual and group counseling to students experiencing difficulty in adjusting to university life. Among the most common concerns students bring to our office are: low self-confidence; finding, enhancing, or ending a relationship; getting along with others;

puzzling or distressing emotional states; family problems; self-defeating behaviors; controlling use of alcohol and drugs; life purpose and direction; and career decision-making. Counseling Services consists of qualified, trained mental health professionals and advanced graduate-student interns with backgrounds in psychology, social work, and psychiatry. Any full or part-time student currently enrolled at the University at Buffalo may use the services at the Counseling Services. There is no fee. A student's contacts are private and confidential. No information of any kind is given to anyone else unless the student specifically requests it in writing. Any interested student can arrange to see a counselor by visiting or phoning Counseling Services, 120 Richmond Quadrangle, Ellicott Complex, North Campus, 645-2720, between 8:30 AM and 5 PM, Monday through Friday (with extended hours on Wednesday and Thursday to 7 PM). The receptionist will arrange for the student to meet with a staff member to discuss his or her concerns. Consultation with a counselor is an opportunity for the student to describe personal concerns and what he or she hopes to gain from counseling. If Counseling Services, itself seems to offer the most appropriate services, the student may decide to continue counseling and meet regularly to work on his or her concerns. Counseling may be conducted either individually or in a group with other students expressing similar concerns. If appropriate, the student will be introduced to other resources, on or off campus, which can offer different or more appropriate services from those available at Counseling Services. In addition to Counseling, Counseling Services offers skill-building workshops on topics such as procrastination, assertiveness, and stress management. Such workshops, scheduled throughout the entire academic year, provide a structured presentation of information and skills practice appropriate to the student's personal development and academic success.

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Resources

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Political Parties upon Education in Pakistan

September 9, 2010 by azy Filed under Pakistan Issues 1 Comment Education has never been a top national priority and got the serious attention and adequate resources in Pakistan despite the fact it is the basic human right. Current economic survey 200910 revealed that literacy rate in the country has improved from previous 56% in 2008-09 to 57% in 2009-10%. However Primary school enrollments is less than 70% and among those 30% got dropped off before acquiring basic literacy skills (details by the UNESCO in its 2008 report). Pakistan stands at 163 of 180 countries in literacy rankingthese statistics show that Pakistan has terribly poor progress in Educational sector. Several factors and complexities have led to current situation including national spending on education. In Budget 2010-2011 allocated for education sector is 31 Billion Rupees that is 2.6% of GDP. While like other political parties PPPP also pledged to allocate 5% of GDP in its electoral manifesto. Since Independence attempts have been made to relate the education system to the needs and inspirations of the country but statistics showed nothing was done in this regard. It is inevitable for all political parties to issue its electoral manifesto that explains parties policy and positions on various issues including education as per Election Commissions rules. Because In parliamentary systems of governance the main stream political parties influence policy making process whether in government or happen to sit in opposition in accordance with these manifestos. However critical analysis of these manifestos shows; these used to be abstract and remained quite on several issues including education. Weakness of the system or political parties will to ensure people of their interest instead of explaining official stand; political parties found to be less interested in their manifestos or publicizing it. This fact can be conformed from last election campaign in which Election manifestos were issued by the political parties just one week before the polling day. Educational policies and plans have been of key importance for social researchers in Pakistan; fortunately lot of reviews and research studies have been conducted to analyze different angles of educational policies. Hence a lot of published material is present to give insight of these educational policies and their effective implementations.

First All Education Conference was held in 1947 to provide the basic guidelines for the future development of education in the country. Hitherto five educational policies have been framed (In 1959, 1970, 1979, 1992-2002, and 1998-2010,) yet. Each policy stressed on Islamic ideology and character building; the Universalization of primary education and promotion of literacy; science education; quality of education; and access to educational opportunities equally. Unfortunately the unsustainability of the National Educational Policies due to rapid regime change has effected the education system overall. Because every government indulged in setting up useless reform commissions, standing committees, and task forces; and sometimes they ended up with few useful recommendations but before implementations; either government changed its priorities or new government came to establish new reform programs. Taking over power from the military Pakistan Peoples Party pledged to reform the education system. The 1973 constitution i.e. given by Pakistan peoples Party when it was in government earlier tells that the state shall:

Promote unity and observance of the Islamic moral standards; Promote with special care the educational and economic interests of backward areas; Remove illiteracy and provide free and compulsory secondary education within minimum possible period; Make technical and professional education generally available and higher education equally accessible to all on the basis of merit; Enable the people of different areas, through education, training, agriculture and industrial development , and other methods to participate fully in all form of national activities including employment in the services of Pakistan; and Ensure full participation of women in all the spheres of national life.

Bhuttos education policy, announced in 1972, shifted the goal of universal primary education to a more realistic target. After the military rule Benazir Bhuttos PPP government committed to raise the 30% literacy rate to 90.5% within five years and expansion in the infrastructure of vocational, scientific and higher technical and university education. It signed the Education for All (EFA) Policy but was dismissed by the military in 1990 before it could formulate a full education policy. After that; government of Nawaz Sharif of Pakistan Muslim league (N) adopted an education policy in 1992, which set the target of universal primary education for 2002. It pledged to provide free and compulsory primary education, to eliminate dropouts, to fulfill basic learning needs, and to raise the adult literacy rate to 70% by 2002. In addition, the new policy identified measures to improve the quality of public instruction through changes in curricula, textbooks, teaching methods and evaluation techniques. The Sharif Government also launched a World Bank-funded Social Action Program (SAP) for social sector development. To be implemented jointly by provincial governments, with community-based involvement, and the participation of NGOs and the private sector, a primary goal was promotion of primary education. It focused female enrollment and improvements in the quality of primary education through measures including: an enhanced non-salary education budget; improved school facilities; adequate classroom materials; better quality textbooks; and improved teaching techniques. These

ambitious goals were left unrealized when the Sharif Government was forced out by the military less than half way through its term. Later Pakistan Peoples Party returned to power in the general elections of 1993. Although the government continued its predecessors education policy, little was achieved as Prime Minister Bhutto was again dismissed less than half way through her term by the Time president, acting at the militarys behest. In February 1997, Sharifs of Pakistan Muslim League returned with a new Education Policy 1998-2010, which emphasized: Education is a basic human right. It is the commitment of the government to provide free secondary education to citizens The new education policy provided time-bound targets for the promotion of education at the elementary, secondary and higher levels In October 1999. Unfortunately General Pervez Musharraf ousted Premier Nawaz Sharif and imposed military rule and generally rejected the policies of its civilian predecessors. Now Again the PPPP has taken power from the military gave a new educational policy with some alterations. Ritualistically, every party has its manifesto issued at election time but these manifestos hide a number of contradictions or we ignore them deliberately, e.g.

While they consciously try to be all things to all people, they are also high nuance documents nuances that only seasoned and native political analysts can adequately fathom. While manifestos tend to address a long list of problems, they evade prioritizing them as well as the pledged solutions. While they promise an array of outputs, they rarely specify how resources, not only financial and economic but political, administrative, cultural and social are to be generated and allocated to mutually competing promises. Parties are rarely serious enough to sift through and solve even serious contradictions among pledges made in their manifestos.

It is a general observation that the majority of the literate population doesnt check manifestos for their voting choice. Lacks of awareness besides lesser publicity of manifestos are strong causes of this behavior. Political parties are seen to be less interested in their formulation of manifestos or its publicizing. The change in Educational system; it requires a level of political will and commitment that prioritizes education and makes the actual implementation possible that has been lacking since inception of the country.

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Tags: Education and political parties, Education in Pakistan, Eduction budget of pakistan, Political opinion's upon education, Statistical data regarding education

Comments One Response to Political Parties upon Education in Pakistan

1.

roclafamilia says: October 21, 2010 at 7:40 am

Helpful blog, bookmarked the website with hopes to read more!

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have easy access to information and resources across a variety of questions and concerns understand ethical issues related to being in a graduate or professional degree program enhance the quality of the graduate and professional program experience

The experience of being a graduate or professional student might not always be as smooth as you expected. You may find yourself distracted by a variety of problems. You might simply be confused by all the rules and deadlines at the U. To successfully pursue an advanced or professional degree, you need to be able to find information about administrative policies and procedures, know whom to ask, and how to deal with potential conflict situations. When disagreements or conflicts arise, it is critical to be able to find appropriate sources of information and support. The questions included in this site are only a finite sample, but we hope they are representative and quickly point you to the appropriate person or office for additional information, to supply answers, or provide support to avoid or informally resolve disputes. The questions are divided into four sections:

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