Massachusetts Institute of Technology from an engineering college to a science and technology university, and then transformed into a comprehensive university, through a lot of universities in China are experiencing the development path.In the course of MIT's development, every major change begins with education, and the change of educational concept and educational practice has always been the main theme of its development, transformation and growth.MIT takes educational transformation as its foundation, and the successful experience of educational practice and strategic transformation is worthy of reference from many universities in China.
Focus on social development and innovation
The relationship between university education and social needs has been one of the main contradictions affecting the development of university since its inception.In the era when classical universities ignored the needs of social development and modern universities ignored the needs of social development, the new MIT took the needs of social development as its educational orientation.
In addition, in its 140-year history, MIT has not been conservative, not backward, courageous to open up new horizons in education, according to the new needs of social development and progress, constantly put forward new educational ideas.
Many of these universities have experienced the first stage of MIT's development, and many of them have carried out active or passive educational reforms during the reform and opening-up period.But this transformation is not smooth, mainly reflected in the increase in discipline, but the teaching is not different from the past, the so-called multi-disciplinary or integrated is only a platter of more disciplines.
Based on the experience of MIT, universities in China should strengthen their research on educational concepts, have a comprehensive and profound understanding of their educational work and social development requirements.In particular, in the face of the new talent needs arising from socio-economic, political, cultural, scientific and educational developments, it is important to understand what kind of education system should be established.The mechanism of educational reform should be innovated, and the bottom-up decision-making and implementation mechanism should be established to strengthen the responsibility and participation of grass-roots level and mobilize the enthusiasm of grass-roots level.
Provide students with real practical opportunities
As a science and technology education university, MIT focuses on practical education, starting with general education, providing students with science and technology experiments, and stipulating the number of compulsory courses and required academic scores.
Because of this, MIT students have excellent practical skills in science and technology innovation, project organization and management, engineering design and leadership, and their teachers and students have made remarkable contributions to the scientific and technological revolutions of the 20th century.
Long-term theoretical education, light practical education, in practical education, verification experiment and general probation, light innovation experiment and practical practice.This has led to a generally weak hands-on and innovative ability of college graduates.
According to the characteristics of professional education, we should strive to establish a permanent and stable practical training base, so that students can have a full opportunity to apply the theory and knowledge learned in practice and develop their talents.Students should be provided with a variety of extracurricular practical education conditions and opportunities, and provide convenience in funds, venues, teacher guidance, and results display.
Pay attention to science education and humanities education at the same time
The development of MIT education provides a perfect interpretation of the significance of science education and humanities education to human development in university education.
At the beginning of MIT's development, although there was a certain humanities education, most of it was fragmented and did not form a ethos, and until the late 1940s, it still did not form an atmosphere that valued humanities education.It is also destined that its position in higher education in the United States and the world will not reach its peak.The Lewis report is groundbreaking for the development of MIT education, and it marks the rise of MIT's educational philosophy to a whole new level, making MIT once again a leader in the development of higher education in the United States and the world.
The strengthening of humanities education made MIT complete the process of Phoenix Nirvana, and its talent training began to pursue the harmonious unity of science and humanities, which made it a world-class comprehensive university.
The integration of science education and humanities education has not been fundamentally solved since the introduction of credit system and the promotion of cultural quality education.
Universities in China should change their ideas, reform their talent training programs, strengthen their education of scientific methods and humanism, and make them master the scientific methods of understanding, interpreting, adapting and transforming the world.
Focus on developing students' social responsibility and leadership skills
As a higher education institution, the fundamental function of the university is to train talents.Training responsible university students is both the university's personal obligation to students and the department of the university's social mission.MIT links the university's educational function with the rise and fall of the country and the civilization of society, and strives to cultivate leaders who can take responsibility for society.
MIT integrates social responsibility and leadership into general education, professional education, and campus cultural activities in general, so that students can develop high social ideals, strong social responsibility, and a strong sense of social mission.This is also the fundamental reason why so many MIT graduates are able to build their careers and achieve extraordinary results in society.
Chinese universities attach importance to patriotic education for students, and encourage them to establish a correct world view and outlook on life, and require students to set great ideals and aspirations.However, in education, there are often problems such as lack of implementation, less connection with curriculum teaching, less connection with professional education, and less connection with social practice.
From the perspective of reality and future social development needs, universities in China should study deeply the characteristics of contemporary university education and the growth law of college students.
Have the courage to share with the world.
Internationalization is an important feature of higher education, usually it mainly manifests in academic international exchanges, more is the exchange of visits and cooperative research between scholars.Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is the world's first truly first-class virtual university, where people from all over the world can share their high-quality educational resources through the Internet.
There is still a certain gap between Chinese universities and world-class universities in education level, and there may be a bigger gap in the spirit of implementing open education.Such education is incompatible with the inherent attributes and zeitgeist of higher education.
Universities in China should further reform and open up, put academic universality into practice as an important educational principle, and implant the concept of sharing in the spirit of universities.