Decoding the difference between Academic Administration and Academic Governance for Higher Education Institutes.

Academic administration and academic governance are two sides of the same coin. Both are explicitly related to the control over the operations and dynamics related to faculty and students in higher education institutes.

UGC has set rules and regulations related to ordinances and statutory compliances for the establishment of HEIs and has been communicating several new reforms from time to time. But it is worth saying that UGC has fallen lacking to establish the ideal model of administration and governance in HEIs which would lead to excellence in the overall operations of the organization in addition to core academic excellence.

Governance has become a critical issue in higher education and it is many times confused with the administration of the institutes. The challenges faced in redistribution of the power within and outside the institution is never been addressed. Before defining the governance, it is highly imperative to design and draft the organogram of the higher education institute with respect to the student count which is a major lapse in terms of standardization by UGC.

Till date, there are more than 1000 universities in India (including state and private) and almost more than 60% of universities failed to develop the ideal organogram and organizational hierarchy on the basis of which governance model has to be developed.

In past years, there has been considerable growth in the tertiary education system in terms of student enrollment, female participation, gross enrollment ratio, and many more. The trend ongoing to have the maximum number of students in a single campus originates a strong model of administration as well as governance which keeps the system running in automation mode.

The importance of a policy-driven system over person driven system is a high need of an hour. The Vice Chancellor of higher education is one of the most powerful persons as per UGC statutes and compliances. Do we have a rigorous training program or workshops designed by MoE for the prospective and young Vice Chancellors before taking up charge of any university body? Sadly No. Moreover, there should be a continuous Vice Chancellor's conclave where deliberations around operational and strategic issues must be done.

All the verticles running under MoE should devise a strong orientation workshop for the newly or first-appointed VCs so that they can be successful in running the entire university governance and administration model.

International rankings have added to the pressure on university governance. The autonomy that allows institutions to manage their resources capably and to quickly respond to the demands of a rapidly changing global market is essential, though not alone sufficient to establish and maintain world-class universities. Other crucial governance features are needed, such as inspiring and persistent leaders, a strong strategic vision of institutional direction, a philosophy of success and excellence, and a culture of constant reflection, organizational learning, and change.

A higher education framework should encompass both the model of administration which largely deals with the stringent actions to get the work done within timelines and the model of governance which encompasses the structures, relationships, and processes through which, at both, national and institutional levels, policies for tertiary education are developed, implemented and reviewed.?As an integral part of tertiary education, one should be able to differentiate between good governance and a strong administration. A higher education institution that adapts both models successfully will achieve a degree of excellence in no time.