Yes, there needs to be a balance between theory and practice! Most theories need to be made clear as to the applicability of the theory to practical reality in order for the theory to prosper. Some of the best theories are those that have applicability to useful situations. Equity theory, for example, is highly applicable to practical reality and can help managers think through and resolve complex problems concerning employees' issues of perceived unfairness and inequity.

‘Theoria sine praxis est rota sine axis sed praxis sine theoria est caecus in via’, the Romans already said.

Dear @Masa, there are no shortcuts for achieving this goal. Yo are right, beside educator, there is a part that you have called "personal mission"! You are aware about big problems in our educational system! Bologna did not resolved it at all. Further improvement of curriculum must go toward practice, and to find good balance between theory and practice. Applied knowledge has its value! We do speak about two-way road University-Enterprises!

Dear @Ljubomir, we understood each other perfectly.  My point is about educational system. Our country have problem. (sic!) We have  many people holding all kinds of academic diplomas, but when they enter in the world of "real life", when it is expected from them to apply the knowledge, they are ( most of them) absolutely useless. 

That is why I called it "personal mission". One should be strong enough and motivated enough to make the choice, and open the door of personal development. 

The other issue I did not mention before, but relevant enough to do it now, is the question of interdisciplinary approach to subject of lecturing and ability to think critically! (...)

And finally, yes! As you said " we do speak about two-way road. University-Enterprises!" Well said. Thank you. 

Dear Masa and Ljubomir,

I'm wondering if this is a heredity of the old system or a result of swift changes due to adopting different standards and practices. Can you spell more details, please? Is it specific to your country or can we see it in some other places as well? I may know the answer to my second question but prefer straight facts to educated guesses:)

It may seem to the scientific principles and theories of researchers can be implemented in practice in the lives of several principles should be adhered to. Such as:

(1) The perfect fit

Placement of system components in the right place and in accordance with its features.

(2) The effective trace

To influence perfect to be affected.

best

Dear Serge, 

This is something that affects whole world. Maybe my country missed the chance to make a good and "healthy" start in the new era ( changes in the system of education, implementation of the new methods in education combined with other social and political issues ). 

This  question of mine was inspired by an article that I had read, written by professor who lectures in the one of the most famous World universities ( American University, to be more specific ). 

Yes, there should be a balance between the theorists and the practitioners. Contact and communication between universities and industries is found in some universities for mutual benefits.

Many universities have adopted mandatory internship to balance the theory and practice.

In my university, the students should spend 170 hours of internship in the 4th year. I think that it is not enough!

Internships are of vital importance to engineering students who prepare for careers in private industry, consulting to bridge the gap between theory and practice, and provide students with practical, field-based, real-world experiences.

Without practitioners, the theory can not move forward. In rare cases and if the theory is sound, by demonstrations we can predict some results before the experiment. So you have to respect both.

With regard to the balance between the two, the equilibrium is established itself as the human need and the scientific community. it probably follow the laws of thermodynamic equilibrium (entropy, etc. ..). Theorists and practitioners always inspect the pitch and decide what they will do next, and so on ...

I add to my previous answer:

If, for example, politicians and people in power make decisions in favor of an orientation (eg, practice, technology, invention, ...). Then, the balance will settle more slowly, and will follow the theory of perturbation and relaxation.

Ultimately, there is a compromise between the two and an harmony.

Maestros in history, statistics and thermodynamics can reveal this law.

Dear Behrouz,

we have that kind of practice here as well. But it is sure not enough. I believe when process of education begin (University level), there has to be some kind of different approach that comes from Professor. Students have to be motivated to understand their future professions much more serious and to be open for soft skills learning , as much they are involved in hard skills learning. 

Then comes the story about mandatory intern ships...

...........................................................................................................

Dear all,

Conclusion : Students and Professors have to act and think like they are practising the theory, from the they one. No matter are we talking about business schools, or law schools or medicine, or something else. Young people have to learn how TO THINK FIRST, HOW TO RECOGNISE THE PROBLEM, HOW TO SOLVE IT, before they enter in the real world. 

Universities now days no matter where they are (they can be virtual as well) kill the passion for curiosity and self development in students! And who is responsible for it???

How to overcome the problem?

Mastering theory to the perfection (straight A students) is cool thing, no doubt, but it kills the spirit and desire for being the individual with its own ideas. This world needs more leaders with the authentic personalities and ability to invent, create, overcome crisis and obstacles,  gentlemen, not dozens of average people with Ph.D.s in their pockets and not a single authentic  vision in their minds.   

We need better world, and it is not important where are WE, and who are WE. Borders are irrelevant in this mater.

One thing is for sure Academia is responsible, Universities are responsible! 

That was the point of my question. 

Thank you 

Dear Noureddine, 

Important answer was given by you. Thank you. Your view is good. If theory can not exist without practice, than practice can not exist without theory as well. It is natural thing that theory learns from practice, and vice versa.  Then follows, there are people who are extraordinary in their researches, and ctr. and they are gifted  theorists. Being just theorists they are valuable for the society. I am completely aware that their personal missions are to be " theory developers" and that is okay. And in  every generation we have limited number of people who are able to do that. Very small number. And that is okay as well. 

For example my favourite professor ever and personal mentor,as well, is theorist. He can not imagine himself to run the company, for example. Maybe he has no idea how to make a sandwich. But his profession and his personal mission are the best possible choice for him and for the society. 100% success. Unique talent indeed.  Precious man. I guess he followed his bliss when he made the decision to go that way.  

Economy needs balanced cooperation of practicians and theoreticians. I meet rather first of them, because I am scientists and clinician, but I know, that in selected scientific disciplines practicians may be underestimated as solving "simple everyday problems". But these problems are our reality and solving them requires significant knowledge and real experience. Moreover solovin these problems may almost immediately improve our world. Thus applied sciences are as important as theoretical. It seems we should estimate applied sciences more :)

PhD diploma is very important: it shows ability to solve difficult problems, even in the case of partially incomplete data sets and novelty of problems. Such abilities may be very  useful in everyday life, both in hospitals, business, and many more environments.

Theorists are more useful when they have practices in addition to theories, and the practitioners are more rich when they have theories to support them. 

I prefer a practitioner over a theorist & this is one of the stories which explains why: We have a delicious popular sweet called (Kunafa) which many persons like to learn how to do it properly at home. The city, in which I work, is noted for its Kunafa shops but the price of the sweet is not cheap. I met with many persons who claimed that they were professional in making the sweet & each one of them will talk a lot about the procedure (i.e. all of them were theorists).

Once, I met a friend of my late father & I told him about the sweet. His answer was: Half an hour after sunset, I am coming to visit you at home to teach you how it is done correctly so buy so & so "raw materials". He came, entered the kitchen, and demonstrated to my brother & me how Kunafa is done. After the sweet was finished, he tasted it to be sure that it was well done even though he had diabetes. (Now, this man was a real practitioner). We repeated what we learnt over & over many times with more & more perfection.

It is obvious from the story that a practitioner acts while the theorist talks & talks. A theory, that has no practical application, suffers from serious limitations. My sincere advice is to encourage the researchers to the more difficult path (applied research) since real gains come out of it. Basic research is fine but it will be more advantageous to humans if it serves applied research.

Dear Dr.  Nizar, 

Thank you for such a wonderful story. And thank you for contribution. 

Applied research is very good solution indeed. 

Of course, we must strike an harmony between the theorists and the practitioners for the evolution of knowledge.

In addition, we must strike an harmony and symbiosis between four relationships, like the non-commutative scalar product: (a+b)*(a+b)= a*a+b*b+a*b+b*a. (* : need).

1*/ balance between theorists, 2*/ another between practitioners, 3*/ theorists vis-a-vis practitioners and 4*/ inversely. It's not the same behavior.

Yes, certainly

It has to be a balance between theorists and practitioners.

When a researcher put his theories must be put into consideration the possibility to achieve and exercise.

Practice is important for theorists who have the means to achieve them, in addition practitioners who have theoretical bases are more dominants when they have to examine theories.

There is a relationship of reciprocity between the need for practitioners and theorists. There is a dynamic equilibrium that moves to a direction or to the other, depending on the community conditions (financial, needs, challenge, dependence, development ...).

Dear @Masa, I find this article very good one in terms of balancing between the theorists and practitioners.

BALANCING THEORY AND PRACTICE IN THE REAL WORLD by ELEANOR CHELIMSKY

"In short, “best practices” can’t be developed separately because evaluation theory and practice are interdependent: each one learns from the other and, in that learning process, both are inspired to stretch, to bend a little, to grow. Further, their mutual dependence endows them both with legitimacy: theory protects practice from singularity and anecdotalism, and practice protects theory from abstraction. Their relationship is a mediation between principle and context, which lends breadth, depth and realism to our work...

I have four suggestions for improving the balance between theory and practice. All of them have to do with a belief in the importance of sharing information (that is, increasing the amount of awareness that theorists and practitioners have about each others’ advances so as to achieve new “knowledge that can be empirically generalizable at the same time that it is relevant to specific real-life contexts”.)..."

http://eers.org/sites/default/files/Chelimsky_BalancingTheoryAndPractice_0.pdf

My opinion on this important question is not optimistic at the moment. To express my thought clearly I want to cite a phrase from "Donald Norman: Designing For People" ( http://www.jnd.org/dn.mss/the_research-practice_gap_1.html ): "There is an immense gap between research and practice. I'm tempted to paraphrase Kipling and say "Oh, research is research, and practice is practice, and never the twain shall meet," but I will resist. The gap between these two communities is real and frustrating ... ".

This opinion based from a discussion on the link   https://www.researchgate.net/post/Why_dont_developers_use_the_best_research_on_software_development .