Not everybody is capable of conducting scientific research. And some excellent researchers are not good writers. So can we judge academic excellence based on journal publications alone?
Kamaruddin,
Good question - and I'm sure that there will be different opinions. In my mind, not only would it be unusual to judge academic excellence on publications alone (especially just in journals) - but on research itself alone - unless an academic has a 'research-only' contract (and they are not that common). On your related points, while I agree that some good researchers may not be good writers (but they should be in the minority) - I don't buy into the fact that some people cannot perform scientific research; with the correct mentorship, training and resources - all should be able to conduct it. Whether it is any good or not is a different matter.
Going back now to the point I made earlier on academic excellence being judged on research alone. For most Western universities, at least as far as I know, career development and levels of excellence (especially at the professorial level i.e. international expertise/excellence) - then there are three criteria to fulfill; research, teaching and university/community 'service'. It may be that the individual has more strength in one area than another - but the other areas still have to be at least 'strong'.
Dean,
You have a very good reasoning ability. I agree with your opinions. The three criteria to judge academic excellence are also quite reasonable.
Academic excellence is a teacher´s perception of a student that resonates with that teacher even outside the classroom. The student has had an insight that never occurred to the bemused teacher. Or such excellence is a scholarly reader´'s perception of a scholar´s writer that echoes even after the reading is done. Or such excellence is an administrative innovation that persists long after the administrator leaves office.
Interesting Nelson - I like the idea that excellence is based on the measure is that 'what we do now echoes in time'. The flaw in the system is, like many an artist and author etc, we're often not around to appreciate it.
Dean, it does not matter that we´re not around to appreciate the excellence. This contribution is self-sustaining (a student who projects excellence through his lifetime, an article with perpetual value, an administrative improvement that elevates the educational experience in a given university as long as this school lasts).
Correct Nelson - perhaps there's a tiny bit of 'ego-centrism' in me that gets in the way!!
Absolutely not, Dean. How could anybody in a School of Nursing be an egocentric?
True Nelson - the profession generally is intolerant, usually for the right reasons, of those that center on themselves; and not on the clients that we serve!!
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