Death of Doctoral Degrees-University of Edinburgh awards Doctorate to Shahruk Khan
Please be advised, this post is not meant to question as to why Shah Rukh Khan was awarded a Doctorate, by the University of Edinburgh, but to serve as a reflection to Parents and prospective students who are striving all around the world, with a thought that Higher Educations from Universities such as Harvard, Yale and Edinburgh and others, would light their life up and they too would ascend into the realms of Economic liberty, Independence and stardom. you have a hard fact to learn, and that would be, Wake up!
The world was shocked, when rap singer, Kanye West, known for his notorious lyrics, won the Grammy in 2005, for, “The College Dropout”, received a honorary Doctorate from the School of Art institute, Chicago.
The one time famous Magic Johnson, who once made the infamous quote, “I have obliged more than 100 women”, was conferred, Doctorate in Business, by Xavier University
With so much Money swaying left and right in College admissions and scandals involving parents, students, college admins, and people selling everything they had made over a life time, under the name of securing a decent education for their children, thus the making of this post has became more than justifiable cause for those who think, that the only way in achieving education from these top Ivy league universities would be selling yourself completely and being at the mercy of these Ivy league Universities, so called top of the cream Universities.
But a list of Doctorate awardees have shown that there is this other way too, in achieving such prestigious degrees. If you were to look deep, you will often see most of the top Ivy league Universities have conferred not one but at least a couple of these prestigious degrees on actors, singers, pop stars, musicians and top athletes, who had never even took shelter from the summer rain at any of these Universities.
Purpose of University Education
University education serves to prepare students for the present as well as the future. The present lies in the individual’s hands, so he or she can direct its course with focus, effort and perseverance, but what about the future which is an enigma of abyss? Does the present University Curriculum prepares for the unpredictable? This should be the much important question that every university aspiring student should ask.
Obsolete Curriculum of the today’s University
An Old Roman saying, “If what you earned today, loses its value tomorrow, you become poorer the Next day“
The same can be said of Education, you might graduate in a major today acquiring all the necessary skills required for the job, but if the field of trade perishes, then you are left with no skill to fend for yourself.
30 years ago, the field of Mechanical Engineering was a prized possession that every student you met at high school would have expressed his or her passion and vision to pursue this field and they did, investing their time, effort and money.
For some time, all who pursued this area had innumerable opportunities to grow. In fact, every student who completed this specialization had at least two or three offers waiting. The industry that employed the most Mechanical Engineers were the Car manufacturing sectors. But soon, things changed. No one ever expected this change to dawn upon, but it did. It all came like a bolt from the blue, caught every one by surprise. Enter the world of Robots.
Today, with Robots employed in all Car manufacturing sectors of Engineering, most of these engineers are laid off. Just imagine, they were the top of their class and considered to be on the higher strata of the Pyramid. Visit Detroit, you will know. Most are living in shacks and thatched roofed shelters now. Sad but who are to be blamed.
Ford for example, on one single day, laid off, 10,000, employee. Now it one were to identify the cause for the problem, soon all would end up with the blame game, should we blame Ford, or should we blame the Employees?
Higher Education-bad Investment?
The education that they invested just did not prepare them for the future. Of course, they would have enjoyed a few years of gainful employment, but a man or a woman ought to work these days all their days, given the current economic conditions.
We had the opportunity of speaking with several Production Engineers who were in the sector, they all expressed like minded opinion,” all that 100 men could do, one single Robot can finish the job within quarter of their time put together”.
But it is the generosity of these car manufacturing sectors that they had chosen to limit the ratio to 10:1, that within itself a humanitarian approach.
The underlying point to note here is all of their education and the degrees that they learned has become Obsolete. Now the much important question to ask here is, Is higher education really worth the Time, Effort and Money invested?
The Path to a Doctorate degree
Let us see the Requirement for obtaining a Doctorate degree: The Latin calls it as philosophiae doctor or doctor philosophiae, is the highest university degree that is conferred after a course of study by universities-Wikipedia
Those studying for a PhD are usually required to produce original research that expands the boundaries of knowledge, normally in the form of thesis or dissertation, and defend their work against experts in the field.
We met with a some of the students pursuing their scholarly studies and spelled out to them the definition and the requirement for pursuing a Doctoral degree.
We were invited with a mockingly cynical rebuttal and then they expressed their voice and we quote here, “easily defined than done. In fact, there are countless exploits, abuses, victimization, harassment, racial discrimination, sexual discrimination going behind those walls of doctoral award, many either go insane or just resolve to their fate”.
Another gentleman said this, “my mother sold everything she had to see me achieve a doctorate, she was a teacher and she thinks, a doctorate will always keep me affluent, I know, the truth, but I don’t want to break her heart”.
The Cost involved to get to a Doctoral Degree
Now you just cannot reach the University of Edinburgh and say you want to pursue a Doctoral degree, could you? If you were to do that, they will direct you to the admissions office who will put you to join a stream.
So let us say, you are interested in Fine arts stream, so you ought to start of by doing a Bachelors degree, then a Master degree and then you will be permitted to enroll for the Ph.D, program.
Please note here, we do not want to delve into the complexities involved in enrolling for a Ph.D program or for that matter any degree or post graduate programs. All we are trying to do is to inform the reader the cost involved.
If you are not form the UK or EU, you are almost bankrupt
Now coming back, if you are not from the UK, in other words, if you are not a UK-citizen and if you are coming from regions not included in the EU, the cost would be around $50,000, a year, this would include your living.
Please be reminded, this would mean, living on a daily ration of a cup of coffee and bread crumbs. So for the next 4 years, the cost would be around 4*50,0000= $200,000. This will allow you to finish your bachelors degree.
Now for completing your master’s degree, you need add another $50,000, so in all you would have spent around $250,000, just to reach the Ph.D, entrance door.
Forget all the scholarships that these universities boast off, they are merely a hog wash, plus most of the scholarships are not open to you, remarked a student from Korea.
Henry Ford and Andrew Carnegie, knew it all
Henry Ford and Andrew Carnegie both had fewer than 3 years of formal education, and both are considered to the forerunners of the Industrialized America and the world at large.
Andrew Carnegie, the Steel baron, once remarked watching Henry Ford meticulously working with his hands, with grease all over his body, “watch him, he is the future of America, his industry will be second only to the Steel Industry”. Andrew Carnegie, forecast was absolutely right and spot on.
He also said, “Standard education will give you standard living, but a personal education will give you a life style”.
These two sayings of Andrew Carnegie still holds good even after years have passed, and their industry is still keeping America and millions around the world employed.
So the much important question to ask here would be, how many of the top Ivy League Universities have gone the extra mile to introduce curriculum which would cater to the future.
Do you want to know the answer? None. Look at the Arts Curriculum that Universities were to offer, they all offer you the same, and for the last 200 years they had been the same, and they will be the same for the next 200 years. No Change, for Change threatens the Modus Operandi- Nero. Universities of today have clearly adopted this stand.
What does, Mark Zukerberg, Bill Gates and Roger Federer, have in common?
They all have followed the advice of Andrew Carnegie. All three of them left their studies in search of their Career. Today, all three are mega Millionaires. They are dominant force in decision making. They have fans all over the world and they need not worry where their next meal would be coming for.
But look at a Doctoral student, Sleepless nights, untiring hard work, and above all abusive treatment from all quarters of the academic community-as reported. All for what? For pursuing a degree diligently.
Failure of University Education
As the story goes, Henry Ford was invited to participate in an event organized by some Women’s organization that strives for Equality and fair treatment of women at the work place. Along with Mr. Ford, members of the press too featured. Apparently, one gentleman had some distaste towards Mr. Ford. When this person was called on to address the gathering, he indirectly poked visible fun citing the lack of Tertiary education for Mr. Ford.
As the story goes, Mr. Ford, held his peace and was not perturbed at this insult, when opportunity came to speak, Mr. Ford, said, “it is true that I do not have the education that universities had to offer, but what I have on my table, is an array of colored buttons of Red, Blue, Black and Gray, which when pressed, would summon thousands of the best Professors, Educators and Philosophers that the world has to offer at my service”. Game over!
Alternative to University Education
Education is indispensable, we all agree on that. But the way we acquire them should be according to the times we live in. You don’t have to sell your Cloak [shirt/skirt/dress] to buy that expensive Perfume. Many parents from the regions across the world are mortgaging their Houses for assist in the payment of their Children education.
Thinking that they would be able to repay the loan when their child receives gainful employment. But the truth is far from those dreams.
We are living in a different time, the world has changed, all formal education is becoming out dated and out focused.
Internet has changed everything. Today the Business world is all inclined to obtain solutions and Value. If you could give them, then no matter who you are where you are it just does not matter, they will beat the road to you door.
So the best thing you could do now is to invest in Online Education
Concluding Remarks
We wish to reiterate that this post is not to be treated as an attack on any individual or agency. It is merely placed to draw some of the crude practices that under the name of Tertiary education is being followed.
When policies are set, it has to be applied and followed by all. There should not be any waiver what so ever. When you do that, the real value of the product goes down.
Gold is the most Precious metal on the planet, because, no one can make Gold through the back door. Gold ought to be mined through the rigor and sweat of the people involved. So, Gold remains the most coveted.
Once upon a time, Universities were revered where knowledge of higher learning, Research and Expertise were shared and discussed. Today, they have simply become a place that issues degrees and accolades that has littl significance to the world we live in.
More so, the system of Rigor is not applied universally to all. As mentioned in the introductory speech by one of the Edinburgh MCs, the award is for Humanitarian work, if this is the criteria, then let all those involved in Humanitarian work be given a Doctorate.
One great actor once said, There is no business like show business, so give it your best, even if you didn’t make it big, you can still receive a doctorate degree.
Congratulations
Our Congratulations goes to all the Actors, Rap singers, Musicians, Athletes, you have pursued your career defying all odds, and had accomplished greatness in your chosen field.
We acknowledge your success. Today you have proved, Money and Success, brings everything to one’s doorstep and the famous saying that Universities use, “Knowledge is Power”, is a mere fallacy that lures the innocent into deprievement and poverty.
“Don’t become a Philosopher before you become Rich”-Sharuk Khan
