The universitys mission and vision is a direction for university to success of the academic institution during facing with others competition in internationally or locally. Top leading university around the world has their own mission and vision statement. This statement will help their institution achieved their goals in term of education and management matter. The main objective of this study is to find out the level of awareness students of the top five leading universities about their mission and vision statement. Besides that, It also represents about how top management of university take an action in order to develop their effective mission and vision statement. With have effective statement of mission and vision can give direction to all students and staffs about ways to accomplish their mission and vision.
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Introduction
Universities born leaders for most of the organizations and countries. Universities developed the capabilities of students and trained them to be a qualified and quality workforce in the future. The newly-graduated students will bring along the university’s name whenever they joined an organization and contribute their knowledge and effort for the organization. The students performance will still need to observe to determine whether the universities they entered have an effective mission and vision or otherwise. Universities are the motivator for change process and they are at the ceter od change when they transform the society (Newa, 2009). In order to evaluate the effectiveness of the implemented mission and vision, it goes all the way from the the first day a student entered the university until the last day the serve an organization. Therefore, it is an ongoing process that need to be measured and evaluated from time to time.
The mission and vision of universities varies on how they want to serve their customers. It depends on the strategies chosen in order to serve their customers, how they implemented the strategies and how they evaluated the strategies. Universities need to have strategic planning to guide them in the whole processes to serve the customers. The entire process of strategic planning is guided by mission statements (Ã-zdem, 2011). Strategic planning include management activities to achieve the long-term plan of the organization. Strategic planning has been used as a tool for changing and improving corporations, government agencies and nonprofit organizations ( Pirtea M. , Nicolescu C. & Botoc C., 2009). According to University of Pretoria, 2011 , the aim of strategic planning is to represent the foundation of a shared vision and translate the roles of the university in the context of multiple and changing demands of national, regional and in increasing mutually connected world.
List of worldwide leading universities have been published by several organizations including Times Higher Education World University Rankings, QS World University Rankings and Global University Ranking. The organizations have different methods in collecting data to determine the ranking of the universities. According to Center for Higher Education Policy Studies (CHEPS), the current global ranking indicate that there is only a model that can have an international standing that is the huge comprehensive research university. The ranking are determined annually and published by the organizations. Although there are some differents results among the organizations, still the ranking can be used to motivate universities to improve their performance.
In order to improve performance, it depends on how well the university manage themselves as an organization. Thus, the university needs to be able to identify what is their mission and vision. The mission statement develops by the university represents the commitment of the university to the students and society to graduated with valuable results when they join the institution such as USIU (Newa, 2009).
Concept of Mission and Vision
A mission and vision statement defines what an organization wants to pursue and achieve, generally for the success of the organization. Mission statement has been used as the essential management tool and also been used to measure the level of excellence of the organization on the industry (Wan Mohd Hirwani Wan Hussain et al., 2011). Several authors (Ã-zdem, 2011 ; University of Minnesota, 2008 ; Newa, 2009 ; Webb, 2006 ; David 2013) define mission statement as an organization reasons for being or the purpose of the existence. University of Minnesota also stated that mission also defines what the organization should accomplish. However, (Newa, 2009 & Webb, 2006) also focusing on the value and ethical concept in defining a mission statement.
For a university, a clear mission and vision statement can help the university in developing the students’ achievement. However, the scope of responsibilities of a university is not limited. Universities also need to serve the community and thus the terms ‘social responsibility’ indirectly exists in the mission and vision statement. Social responsibility is an ideology that an organization should at least benefits the society. Educating students to become “good professionals” will be an undoubtedly notable contribution that one could put forth in suggesting the best way universities can serve the society (Fernandez, 2008). According to (Webb, 2006), mission statement that explaining university’s current condition should initiates the vision cycle process, then continue with recognizing the value statements and developed the vision statement. (University of Minnesota, 2008; Ã-zdem, 2011; Fernandez, 2008 ;Nuradli Ridzwan Shah Bin Mohd Dali, 2007) agree that vision explains the future direction of an organization with the visualization of success. Nuradli Ridzwan Shah Bin Mohd Dali also mentioned that vision is a long-term strategic plan. To further explain the definition of vision, Ã-zdem concludes that vision comprises of present facts, expectations, aspirations, hazards and possibilities.
A mission and vision may be a broad statement, but these statements actually play an important role within the organization. Most of the organizations survive and sustain in the today’s market because they have a good mission and vision statement that can motivate them in every aspect including work, behavior and performance. Mission should be able to express what the organization needs to be and to whom it needs to cater (Ã-zdem, 2011). Most of the organization dream of the success of the organization, but how well does the organizations defines success and scale for their success? Therefore, developing the mission and vision statement helps organization to identify their goals. Mission statement affect the endurance and outgrowth of the business (Wan Mohd Hirwani Wan Hussain et al., 2011).
A clear mission and vision statement helps to guide the universities in developing a good workmanship among the staff and increase performance of students. Based on an observation in United States International University (USIU), 90% of the faculty members apparently noticed that USIU has vision and mission statement which stated unclearly (Newa, 2009). According to (Ã-zdem, 2011), all the stakeholders of the organization must comprehend the vision of the organization. In order to let the information flow from the top management to all staffs and students, effective leadership is a necessary. Leader must be able to communicate the mission and vision of the university and explore the best channels to distribute the information. However, dedicated educational leaders also depend on the ability and capability of the faculty to perform activities that align with the mission and vision (Webb, 2006). Thus cooperation from many all related parties lead to better implementation of mission and vision.
Developing Effective Mission And Vision
To develop effective mission, all parties should realize about mission and vision. Usually mission and vision are direction for university about where they want to go and what they want to achieve. Some leading university achieved their success without have improvement plan for their development plan to success. We must realize that drafting plan only is not enough but university should shows their beliefs and commitments during demonstrate enthusiasm for what coming on next. Hope that university mission and vision that established will give clear expectations for students and staff (Farmer, 2009).
While top management shows examples of mission and vision to others team members, time should be given to them to ensure team members can discuss each other about their opinion. After that monitor discussion with whole team. Besides that,positive relationship should be building with students and important role by leader are needed to motivate students about content of mission and vision statement. Leader should share vision and mission to staffs and students, this can causes their university members more understand and can empowerment in their daily life (Webb, 2006).
In order to have an effective mission and vision, a statement must be written in a language which can be understand by students and their families members. Besides that mission statement sometimes give direction about philosophy of sources, type of training provided, teaching direction, scholarship and also about graduated program characteristics. In other hand, community of university already putting outcomes of mission and vision in yearly catalouges of university. Catalouges that consist of mission statement will be given to new students during orientation time. Management of university communicate outcome of vision and mission through senior experience courses. (Opiyo-Newa) During internships and community service programs also can give advantages to students experience about mission and vision.
Next, university should review their mission and vision statement. (Feras Mmohamad Al-Azzah, 2010) Example of this procedure should be provide to allow scientific planning for overall activities and consequencess provide possibility of measured to know about attainmentof university’s mission and vision lso to measure what actually achieve about mission and vision. In order to determine about vision, mission and objective integration in the document of planning, Quality management system should be follow up to help accomplishment of mission and vision. This action should be continued by functional steps that support university to achieve their planning.
Simple guideline should be followed when creating a mission statement. Important to remember that mission statement should be simple and straight forward about what they want to set or achieved. Have a evidence from researcher that stated mission statement must be kept between 30 annd 60 words only. Several university only have one sentence mission statement. A mission statement usually should covered three areas of categories which is opportunities that university have, direction of university and also about values that guided a university. mission must be unique and determine overall of university or organization functions. Other than that, mission statement should be differentiate and have a competitive advantages compared to others organization mission and vision. Strong mission and vision must have a good desired competitive and clear business definition (McMillan, 2012).
Comparison Among Top 5 Leading Universities in the World
There are list of top 5 leading universities which is California Institute of Technology, Harvard University, Stanford University, University of Oxford and Princeton University.
Firstly, California Institute of Technology or also known as Caltech is a private research university located in Pasadena, California, United States. Caltech has six academic divisions with strong emphases on science and engineering (Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.htm).
Secondly, Harvard University is an American private Ivy League research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country (Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.htm).
Thirdly, Stanford University also refer to the Leland Stanford Junior University is an American private research university located in Stanford and established in 1891. The university is organized into seven schools, including academic schools of Humanities and Sciences and Earth Sciences as well as professional schools of Business, Education, Engineering, Law, and Medicine (Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.htm).
Fourthly, University of Oxford informally Oxford University or Oxford, derived from the Latin, Universitas Oxoniensis is a university located in Oxford, England. It is the oldest university in the English-speaking world, and the second-oldest surviving university in the world (Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.htm).
Lastly, Princeton University is an American private Ivy League research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. It is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution. Princeton provides undergraduate and graduate instruction in the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences and engineering (Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.htm).
Table 1: Mission and Vision Statement of Top 5 Leading World University Ranking (2011 – 2012)
University
Mission
Vision
California Institute of Technology
Expand human knowledge and benefit society through research integrated with education and also investigate the most challenging, fundamental problems in science and technology in a singularly collegial, interdisciplinary atmosphere, while educating outstanding students to become creative members of society.
Eliminate all barriers to educational opportunities and provide ongoing year-round training and professional development programs for the entire Caltech community.
Harvard University
Create knowledge, to open the minds of students to that knowledge and to enable students to take best advantage of their educational opportunities.
Forge partnerships with managers, faculty, and staff across the School and University, and, we frequently re-evaluate our capacity and systems to improve and expand delivery of services already in place, and identify new needs.
Stanford University
Support and advance the teaching, learning and research activities of the University through promotion of a safe and healthy campus environment by providing and coordinating programs and services that minimize safety, health, and environmental and regulatory risks to the Stanford University community in a manner consistent with responsible fiscal and environmental stewardship.
Provide quality services to our customers by understanding their individual needs, by recognizing and defining our roles and responsibilities, by empowering and requiring accountability of our staff, and by measuring our effectiveness.
University of Oxford
Achieving a multinational student body by attracting the very best students from across the globe to study at all levels, regardless of background or circumstance.
Lead the international research agenda across the University’s disciplinary spectrum and through interdisciplinary initiatives.
Princeton University
To nurture and promote the performing arts at Princeton University by providing and supporting a quality auditorium facility that enables the artists to provide their absolute best performance to our audiences.
To be a world-class performing arts venue that enhances the educational mission of Princeton University.
(Sources : compilation of authors from university site)
Table 1 shows the mission and vision statement of the top 5 leading universities. As for California Institute of Technology, the mission are expand the knowledge through studies integrated with education and also review the challenges faced and the basic problems in science and technology in a regular, discipline and educate students to become members of society who are creative and able to compete. Then, the vision for this university is to remove all barriers to educational opportunities and prepare throughout the year for training and professional of development to the entire Caltech society.
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Next, we looked at mission Harvard University, the mission is to create knowledge, to open the students’ thinking and help students benefited from the best of educational opportunities for them. Whereas, for vision Harvard University is establish partnerships with managers, faculty and staff throughout the School and the University, and we are often return and assess our ability to improve and expand the delivery system of existing services, and identify new requirements.
Then it had been followed by the Stanford University, their mission is to support and promote the teaching, learning and research of the University by promoting a healthy environment and a safe campus by providing and coordinating programs and services that can reduce the safety, health, and environmental risks as well as the rules for Stanford University in a manner consistent and responsible in fiscal and environmental. Their vision is provides quality responsibilities, empower and require the role of our staff, and make our effectiveness measurement.
The mission for University of Oxford is to a point for a multi-national student by attracting the best students from around the world to learn at all levels, regardless of their background or circumstances. Then, for the vision of that university is led the international research program that includes all discipline in spectrum and through the efforts the University can discipline.
Lastly, the mission for Princeton University is to foster and promote of performing arts at Princeton University with providing quality amenities and assist an auditorium which allows the artists to giving their the absolute the best accomplishment to our audience. The vision is to become a world class university with locations of performance art which increases the education mission of the University of Princeton.
Conclusion
In conclusion, mission and vision statement is important elements that provide future direction and purpose of each university. When the universities have set their own mission and vision they will achieve the higher performance and will know their strength. Even though some of leading universities have the different mission and vision but their objectives are still same direction which want to be more competent and capable compete among others universities in the world. Strategic planning also important because without plan the mission and vision will not be implement well in the universities. A good mission and vision statement must be clear which mean easy to understand the content. Besides that, each of the universities need to standardization of the mission and vision to the needs and requirements of institutional environment to ensure that they can make a good decision. Meanwhile, the universities must have the ability to measure the level of results and evaluate the extent of which the performance of the mission and vision of appraisal. Without clear statements about the vision and mission, the universities cannot produce a good result about the target to be achieved. University management must ensure that each mission and vision is according to predetermined standards and according to the guidelines. Then, the universities also must continuously make changes comparable with the goal to be achieved so that is not outdated and always up to date.
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