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One of the areas that must be focused upon while developing metrics and models of federal higher education rating is the role played by this field in preparing students for higher level professional and graduate education.

Our students must be educated in such a manner that they are ready to take on the mantle of leadership. This blind spot must definitely be addressed in the rating process. Today’s global economy needs advanced innovators, creators and thinkers and it is the duty of every university and college in our country to offer competitive technology and science driven education.

We also need to offer students expertise in emerging defence technologies, financial markets, cultures, histories and belief systems of other countries. In order to solve multi-faceted issues such as educational inequality, energy dependence, climate change and public health through deep understanding requires great minds adept at dealing with emerging threats.

Though encouraging influx of skilled foreign nationals is a good thing, a better thing for us would be to focus on our own intellectual talent. Looking at the various success stories in higher education, it is apparent that cultivating this talent is not impossible, though challenging.

The need of the hour is to offer talented students an opportunity to see the way intellectuals work in the public space and also give them access to distinguished scholar lectures. If the undergraduate student is given access to such resources, it is easier for them to take seminars in diverse fields and also complete publishable research.

Students must be motivated to become scholars who ask questions through efficient engagement and direct mentoring with working scholars. Doing this will enable them to learn how to design studies, form hypotheses, evaluate data and draw accurate conclusions. They will also learn how to work collaboratively in keeping with ethical scholarship standards. They will also learn how to be flexible enough to try out new approaches when their hypotheses do not work.

There is no doubt that a lot of investment is required for this level of education quality. Colleges must focus on recruiting teachers who will impart quality education, not just give lectures. The best colleges maintain scientific equipment, libraries, greenhouses and offer paid summer opportunities for students.

Realizing that an undergraduate’s academic depth must be sustained at any cost to develop quality leaders for tomorrow, these universities invest heavily in financial aid. The return on investment for this extent of financial commitment is enormous both for the society and for institutions.

It is time for us to hold ourselves accountable for student learning. This is the only way we can totally succeed in the field of higher education. The entire effort starts at the K-12 level. It goes without saying that nothing can be achieved without cooperative partners in the government and in the private sector.

In order to evaluate this essential, advanced, specialized function of our higher education, the metrics that really matter must be developed carefully taking inputs from everyone who matters. This is the only way we can prepare a strong population of future leaders who will help our country power to prosperity.