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Time of India
5 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
A weaker Harvard is a weaker America
The Trump administration's attacks on Harvard University are framed as deeply damaging to the U.S. itself, given Harvard's immense contributions to science, technology, the economy, and American global influence. While Harvard has faced valid criticism for campus issues like antisemitism and lack of ideological diversity, the administration's actions—such as threats to cut federal funding—are seen as politically motivated and authoritarian rather than solutions. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Imagine if China or Russia tried to destroy a US asset that generates tens or even hundreds of billions of dollars of economic value, plays a major role in American leadership in science and technology and turbocharges our prestige and soft power. We'd expect our government to go to war to defend in attacking Harvard University , that's exactly the kind of damage the Trump administration is trying to do. Despite the school's failures and flaws, it remains a vital national asset — and the administration's actions are far more dangerous to America than they are to Harvard When you tour the UK's Cambridge University , your guide will show you empty niches containing stone fragments. They're the remnants of statues smashed by Puritan fanatics during the English Civil War. But Cambridge survived and flourished. Universities are enormously resilient and count time in centuries, not electoral cycles. Long after the Trump administration is gone, there will still be a Harvard. But an America deprived of everything Harvard contributes will be far poorer and weaker.I have a stake in this battle: I spent seven years on the faculty at Harvard Business School and still teach in the Harvard Kennedy School's Senior Executive Fellows program. But I'm also the first to agree with colleagues who say the university has fallen short of its ideals. Its own reports on antisemitism and anti-Muslim bias on campus contain devastating revelations about the school's inability to maintain an orderly and safe learning environment for everyone. Harvard should better protect its students — even, when necessary, from each other. It must guarantee freedom of speech on campus. And it should find ways to have more diverse political representation among both students and the Trump administration isn't trying to fix Harvard. It's trying to control it via blatantly illegal tactics. Authoritarians have always feared universities because of their role as centers of dissent. It's not an accident that (Ohio State and Yale University graduate) JD Vance gave a speech titled 'The Universities Are the Enemy' in 2021. If President Donald Trump breaks America's oldest and wealthiest school, no other university and few institutions of any kind will dare stand against administration's ostensible concern about antisemitism is so obviously a pretext that Secretary of Education Linda McMahon's letter declaring Harvard ineligible for federal funding never mentions it, even as it attacks the school for giving fellowships to Democratic politicians. Two of the last four Harvard presidents were Jewish (including the current one), as is Penny Pritzker, chair of the Harvard Corporation, the ultimate authority over the university. This makes it an odd target for those whose primary concern is antisemitism. And an administration sincerely concerned about the issue might start by not hiring multiple senior staffers with close ties to antisemitic control would destroy what makes Harvard — and any other school — valuable in the first place. Universities play a disproportionate role in producing revolutionary ideas because they embrace freedom of thought and dissent. Taking orders from politicians is antithetical to that Harvard, and along with it, American higher education, would be a grievous blow to the US. The university's contributions to American history and wealth are difficult to overstate. It has produced eight presidents and countless members of Congress, governors, Supreme Court justices, CEOs and entrepreneurs, along with more Medal of Honor recipients than any school except West Point and the Naval the last 20 years, Harvard founders have averaged nine unicorns — startups valued at more than $1 billion — every year. That's first among all world universities. And in just the last five years, companies founded by Harvard alums have gone public with a combined value of $282 billion. (I'll also note that a quarter of all unicorn startups have a founder who came to the US as a foreign student — exactly the population Trump is targeting at Harvard and other schools).Both the US economy and the country's international preeminence depend on primacy in science and technology. That leadership is under threat as never before: American universities, long leaders in basic and groundbreaking research, are falling behind. When Nature ranked the top 10 research universities in the world in 2023, eight were in China. Well, most of them are falling behind; Harvard was No. 1. If you really believe in America first, attacking it is the last thing you'd there's the university's global reputation, which functions as an emissary of American excellence. I once spent time as visiting faculty at Tsinghua University, China's MIT. While I was there, the dean would routinely bring visiting dignitaries to my office so he could show off the Harvard professor teaching at Tsinghua. (I used to joke that I expected them to toss me peanuts like an elephant at the zoo.)The school is also a powerful instrument for the propagation of US values. In the last 25 years, the leaders of countries from Canada to Taiwan have studied at Harvard. The next generation will look similar: The future Queen of Belgium is a current Harvard student, and the daughter of China's President Xi is an alumna. The global elite, in other words, pays for the privilege of sending their children to Harvard to experience the best of American life and be indoctrinated with American attack on Harvard is really an attack on America. Harvard, like every old and important institution, including our nation, is far from perfect. But like America, Harvard is worth fighting for.
Indian Express
8 hours ago
- Science
- Indian Express
Jayant Narlikar, the storyteller who brought the stars closer to India
Some people do not come in through the door but rather jump through the roof. Jayant Narlikar was one of them. In 1964, when Fred Hoyle and he announced in Cambridge University their new theory of gravity, suddenly Jawaharlal Nehru's modern India found a hero in science. It is therefore no surprise that Narlikar became a household name overnight in a country seeking its bearings in the world of science and technology. He passed away peacefully in his sleep, just two months short of his 87th birthday on July 19, marking the end of an era. He doesn't leave behind a vacuum but a thriving world-class institute in the Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA); a galaxy of young women and men inspired by his work and books; and millions of admirers all over the globe. He has 'curved' a special place for himself in 'time'. That would be the right way to remember him and a fitting tribute. Today, we should celebrate the life of a great human being, committed to science and its propagation, a man who personified excellence in whatever he indulged in. It is a matter of great privilege for some of us who had the opportunity to work with him at various levels. He had the uncanny knack of getting the best out of everyone by sharing and involving them in things. Narlikar was an outstanding student at Cambridge, winning laurels, including the coveted Adams Prize, which he shared with Roger Penrose, who went on to become a Nobel Laureate. He was among the front-ranking researchers of his time. The Hoyle–Narlikar theory was developed in support of the steady state theory of cosmology, which proposed that the universe looks the same from every point in space and at all times, and that it has no beginning or end. However, this theory eventually fell out of favour as astronomical observations provided strong evidence that the universe had a definite beginning, marked by a massive explosion known as the Big Bang. The term 'Big Bang' was actually coined by Hoyle — ironically, one of the main proponents of the steady state theory. Narlikar was, in fact, among the last prominent supporters of the steady state model. He was a brilliant researcher and had the conviction and courage to ride against the tide and still be held in the highest esteem even by his academic opponents. The distinguished visitors to IUCAA, including Nobel laureates, bear testimony to this fact. IUCAA was his greatest gift to science and the nation. He wanted to facilitate research in astronomy in universities. It is gratifying to see university students and faculty doing pathbreaking research and publishing their work in front-ranking journals. This is what would have pleased him the most. The thing that stands out most is his missionary zeal to communicate science and its method to young students and ordinary people through his innumerable public lectures and science-fiction books. It would be no exaggeration to say that it is this aspect that strongly endeared him to people. There are many renowned scientists in the country, but none have attained his kind of popularity and respect. To this end, let me recall an incident from 1997 when he had organised Penrose's lecture in Pune's Balgandharva theatre. Such was the demand to listen to him that there was nearly a riot-like situation with people who could not get in shouting and banging at the gates, and, from the other side, Shriram Lagoo was pacifying them, saying that it was their very own Narlikar's event. The ultimate value of one's work and contribution is how far and how well it is remembered. Besides his scientific work, the two things that will keep his memory alive will be the institute, IUCAA, and his popular writings and science fiction. I am sure that even after 50 years or more, one would certainly come across people who had been motivated by him. Let me end on a personal note. In 1965, three of us travelled from Vallabh Vidyanagar to Ahmedabad to listen to Narlikar's lecture in the Atira hall. Little did I know then that I would end up spending over half a century intimately interacting and working with him. That is something I will always treasure. The writer, a former director of IUCAA, was Narlikar's colleague for five decades
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Business Standard
14 hours ago
- Business
- Business Standard
David C Engerman looks at six S. Asian economists who shaped their nations
Of the Apostles still with us, there are few intersections between them and age-related constraints on all Sanjeev Ahluwalia Listen to This Article David C Engerman, an accomplished historian of contemporary economic development, is no stranger to South Asia. His 2018 book titled The Price of Aid, documents how India used the leverage provided by Cold War rivalries to manage the flow of foreign aid in line with its needs. The chosen entry point for this book is six eminent South Asian economists, all of whom graduated from Cambridge University. The term 'Apostles' is a riff on a 19th century secret society — the Cambridge Apostles. John Maynard Keynes was a member and Lal Jayawardene from Sri Lanka followed. The other five Apostles
21 hours ago
- General
Catholic students find refuge at Princeton University's worship space and cheer new pope
PRINCETON, N.J. -- While other students might be in class or socializing at lunch, a group of young Catholics attends Mass every weekday at noon at the Princeton University Chapel. They sing Gregorian chants in Latin, pray and receive Communion at a side chapel — inside the huge, nondenominational Princeton Chapel — that young, devoted Catholics see as a sacred refuge in a mostly liberal and secular Ivy League environment. 'I feel that people's faith is so strong here,' student Logan Nelson said of the dedicated Catholic space where he attends daily Mass. 'It feels like a home — even more so than my own house.' The Gothic university chapel was built in 1928. At the time, Princeton says, its capacity to seat more than 2,000 people was second in size only to King's College Chapel at Cambridge University. Today, the chapel hosts interfaith services, concerts and weddings throughout the academic year and is known by the university as 'the bridge between town and gown.' On May 8, Catholic students were worshipping as usual at daily Mass in the side chapel when the service was interrupted by news alerts on their phones. In the Vatican, white smoke billowed from the Sistine Chapel, indicating that a new leader of their faith had been elected. The Rev. Zachary Swantek, Princeton's Catholic chaplain, told the group to gather at the Catholic Ministry office. Together, they watched on TV as the election of the first U.S.-born pope was announced. 'It was electric,' Nelson said, adding there was 'uproar' in the room when Chicago-born Cardinal Robert Prevost became the 267th pontiff. 'It was so cool to see an American pope.' Like other members of the Catholic ministry, he is hopeful that Pope Leo XIV will help bring a revival for Catholicism in America. 'I feel that there's a resurgence of Catholicism today,' said Nelson, who was religiously unaffiliated until last year when he converted to Catholicism. 'You see people who are passionate about their faith. There's a new wave coming, and we're going to have more converts like me, who are coming from the 'nones.'' Across much of the world, the number of people who are nonbelievers or unaffiliated with any organized religion has dramatically increased over the years. The people known as 'nones' — atheists, agnostics, or nothing in particular — comprise 30% or more of the adult population in the U.S., according to a survey by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. Princeton's Office of Religious Life says it supports members of the school community 'of any religious identity or of none.' Being a devoted Catholic on a mostly secular campus can be challenging; Swantek says he's never felt 'more needed as a priest.' He is proud of the tight-knit, welcoming Catholic community that he leads, and how they've helped recent converts come into the faith. News of the first U.S.-born pope was welcomed by Catholics across the ideological spectrum in Pope Leo XIV 's homeland. 'Something that did bring me a lot of hope is Pope Leo has a missionary background,' said Ace Acuna, a Princeton alumni. He recently attended a Mass at the chapel before beginning a nearly five-week Catholic pilgrimage from Indianapolis to Los Angeles. 'In a world where in some places it might look like faith is on the decline, a church that's willing to go out to the margins and evangelize and be on mission, that's going to be so important,' Acuna said. When he was an undergrad at Princeton, Acuna said the chapel became crucial to his college life. On his way to class every morning, he'd pass by the chapel for a silent prayer. He'd return for the noon Mass and again at the end of the day for one last prayer. 'Princeton is a very busy place and there's a lot of noise both externally but also internally because we're so busy and we're always worried about the next thing,' he said. 'Sometimes you just want silence, and you just want a place where you can lay down your burdens.' At the close of one recent Mass, David Kim and his girlfriend Savannah Nichols continued to pray near the altar, holding hands, kneeling or prostrating on the floor in a sign of reverence. Kim, a recent graduate of the Princeton Theological Seminary, converted to Catholicism last year and has been serving as an altar server at the Princeton University chapel. He called the chapel's side altar "an island of Christian life in an unbelieving world.' Princeton University has always had a vibrant religious community and a religiously diverse one, said Eric Gregory, a professor of religion there. 'In a way it's either so secular or even post-secular that it's not threatened by the Christian presence on campus,' he said. "Religious students in our campus are not cloistered from campus. They're also in sports teams, clubs and the newspaper. They're integrated.' Catholics at the the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign were elated by his election — and reinvigorated in practicing their faith. 'Being able to live out my faith in this extremely secular campus is such a blessing to me,' said student Daniel Vanisko, a lifelong Catholic, later adding in an email that the pope's election 'really helps me to draw closer to my faith, seeing that someone that grew up in the same state as me, is the successor of Peter in the Church." Cavan Morber, a rising junior, said attending UIUC 'gives me chance to be challenged in my beliefs, think critically about what I believe, and share my faith with others.' 'I am hopeful for how he will be able to unite the Church in a time of a lot of division among Catholics and everyone around the world,' Morber added.
The Star
a day ago
- Business
- The Star
Sarawak approves effort to boost bilingual proficiency
KUCHING: The Sarawak Government will begin implementing a standardised assessment for the Dual Language Programme (DLP) based on international standards of Cambridge University Press and Assessment (CUP&A) for Year Six students in October. Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg announced that the Education Ministry has granted approval for the Sarawak education, innovation and talent development ministry (MEITD) to collaborate with Cambridge University to roll out the initiative. 'This DLP programme will be reviewed and validated by Cambridge University Press and Assessment to ensure its implementation aligns with international standards,' he said in a statement issued by the Sarawak Public Communications Unit yesterday. The announcement follows the signing of a service contract between CUP&A and Swinburne Innovation Malaysia (SWIM) in Cambridge on Wednesday. The event was part of the premier's working visit to the United Kingdom, which began on Tuesday. Jane Mann, managing director of Partnerships for Education at CUP&A, represented the Cambridge side, while SWIM was represented by its chief executive officer George Ngui, Bernama reported. According to Abang Johari, the programme would follow the national curriculum utilising Bahasa Malaysia as the primary medium, while English would serve as the secondary medium for assessment based on Cambridge's international syllabus. Swinburne University, a strategic partner in the initiative, would work alongside Cambridge to implement the assessments in Sarawak. 'This initiative aims to produce students proficient in both languages, thereby equipping them to pursue higher education in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics,' he added. The premier also noted that MEITD is collaborating with Cambridge University to develop a range of high-quality bilingual programmes and scholarship opportunities to allow Sarawakian students to pursue studies in emerging strategic economic sectors. He added that both parties had agreed to facilitate the placement of qualified Sarawakian students from international school systems in world-renowned institutions, including the University of Cambridge, Oxford and the London School of Economics in the United Kingdom, as well as Harvard University in the United States. 'Sarawak is targeting a special quota of 10 placements for outstanding students in selected fields,' Abang Johari added.
