Page 4 - Pulse@UM Issue 4/2019

our people, our story

professor dr cheng hwee ming: university reDefineD - a Physiologist
reflects on his convoluteD Journey

started teaching Physiology in 1986 to my the path to success is such quantitation and
i first class of medical students, and in recent publicizing the results and distributing the
years teaching the children of my early batches rewards based on the numbers.
of medics. I went through the usual academic
promotion-induced pathway of research and The key performance index of the heads of
writing papers. But my pride and joy remains university departments is dependent on the
with teaching, helping students to understand key performance indexes of the staff. The key
and enjoy physiology, a key cornerstone of performance index of the Dean of the faculty
clinical medicine. Below are a few pertinent hinges on the combined key performance
observations, thoughts and concerns for the indexes of the component departments and
changing academia. Is there hope for better thus this ‘merit go round’ continues to turn.
homeostatic regulation in our universities?
I have taught for more than three decades in
Two aspects of the initial university model, a university medical school. I tell my younger
autonomy and academic freedom, are colleagues that I do not envy them as they are
increasingly less prominent, though admirable involuntarily caught up in this performance
intrinsic characteristics that used to define the wheel. They have less unpressured time to read
nature of a university, as a center for learning, and prepare lectures. Less unhurried time to
thought and creativity. Extrinsic factors and be creative and less time to have interactions
pressures have not helped to enrich and with students, whom the university should
inspire university life, but rather the converse. exist for.
The university is progressively more market-
driven. Documentation, quantitation of less Our university academic culture where our
essential parameters over quality teaching students spend several prime, formative
and education are evident. The annual ‘Ranked years has a major influence on their thinking,
or be Yanked’ exercise consumes much time learning and their development; as wholesome,
and energy. More meetings are needed for responsible professionals and citizens. Like
such data, to analyse, promote and market produces like.
achievements that can be publicized.
Professor Dr Cheng served at UM from 1 October
Jerry Muller in his insightful book ‘Tyranny of 1986 till 27 April 2018.
Metrics’ highlights that the obsession with
quantifying human performance threatens our
schools, universities, medical care, businesses
and governments. It’s done in the belief that

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