As vision and mission statements are supposed to reflect the values and goals of an institute, I was curious to read about the purpose some of the schools I am familiar advertised. I thought I would choose two schools which are distinct geographically and culturally, yet to both of which I relate. This criterion would allow me to reflect on the statements from a personal perspective, as well as an intellectual one. The first is Damascus University, a Syrian school that I have not attended myself but have visited several times and had lived in its vicinity for years. The second is McGill University in Montreal, a Canadian school that I have completed my Masters degree at.
I found it interesting that Damascus University’s vision and mission statements were not marked as two distinct paragraphs, but rather narrated in the flow of one single narrative that is significantly more wordy than the average length of such statements. But, to paraphrase, the statements can be extracted as follows:
Mission statement: “Damascus University seeks to excel in scientific research and educational programs related to economic and social development in Syria. Also, the university aims to graduate qualified students who are able to compete in local and regional labor markets and to pursue their learning and career development. It achieves this goal by investing in human resources and institutional development as well as through strategic partnerships aimed at developing scientific research, education and supporting learning opportunities by establishing a link between the university and the community.”
http://damascusuniversity.edu.sy/index.php?lang=2&set=3&id=705
Vision statement: ” Damascus University seeks to achieve success in education, scientific research and to meet the needs of society. Moreover, it tries to keep itself informed of the latest scientific and technical developments and to apply them in a way that allows the improvement of the quality of learning in all fields. Damascus University is dedicated to creating a supportive environment that enable students to grow and prosper in pursuit of their future.”
http://damascusuniversity.edu.sy/index.php?lang=2&set=3&id=705
Damascus University seems to adhere to the common components of a mission statement: The purpose, the belief, the policies, and the strategy. The language of this statement, however, is very skewed towards professional development. This is conveyed through words like “excel”, “economic”, and “compete”. Being the major university in Syria, one can understand the statement’s emphasis on the country’s development and its focus on local and regional markets, rather than global. Finally, Damascus University attempt to establish partnerships as part of its strategy.
Its vision statement, however, does not seem to map to the established convention. In fact, it sounds like a repetition of the mission statement. It does not allude to interdependence, uniqueness, or future goals.
In contrast, McGill University’s statements follow the conventional format. They are:
Our Mission
https://mcgill.ca/research/about/mission#:~:text=Our%20Mission&text=To%20stimulate%20research%20leaders%20in,tangible%20benefits%20for%20society%20internationally.
To support and enhance a cohesive university-wide environment of research excellence where faculty are inspired and challenged to push the boundaries of knowledge creation. To stimulate research leaders in Canada and around the world to partner with us in the advancement of knowledge discovery and the translation of discoveries into tangible benefits for society internationally. To be the voice of the research community at McGill and, in all ways, ensure the optimal and effective use of intellectual, financial and physical resources to foster an environment of research excellence throughout the university.
Our Vision
https://mcgill.ca/research/about/mission#:~:text=Our%20Mission&text=To%20stimulate%20research%20leaders%20in,tangible%20benefits%20for%20society%20internationally.
To be the premier research-intensive university in Canada and to be seen as a key partner in the development and advancement of national and international research and technology initiatives. To be leaders in the creation of a research environment that is second to none globally for the advancement of socially relevant research that dominates the world stage.
The focus here shifts in comparison to that of Damascus University’s. For example, while Damascus University’s purpose is professional development, McGill University’s is steered towards research excellence and pushing the boundaries of knowledge. The former is more industrial, while the later is more academic. Second, As McGill University is targeting Canadian and international impact, its domain extends much further than that of Damascus University’s. Last, in a similar spirit to Damascus University’s, McGill University’s strategy also aims to create partnerships that benefit society.
As for the vision statement, while it still mostly reflects the mission statement, McGill University’s has a very strong emphasis on its international identity; it aspires to be the world’s leading research school. The vision almost sounds like an inspirational quote from a historic figure.
After reading the statements of both schools, it can be easily seen that while Damascus University’s attention is the local workforce, McGill University’s is the global advancement of science. The contrast could not be more stark.
I do however wish to pose two questions. The first is whether these statements actually mean anything in practice. I personally think that it is important for organizations, just like individuals, to make a conscious effort to identify their aspirations and commitments. However, like a Lebanese comedian once said, and I paraphrase, “You could call for social justice and be the cause of social injustice”. So, statements can be merely flashy words and rhetoric phrases put together to sound sophisticated and committed. From my own experience, I have witnessed first hand McGill University’s commitment to international collaboration as my program was mostly composed of international students. Also, the university had many joint summer scholarships in other countries. On the other hand, while Damascus University preaches graduating competent students that are recognized regionally, its curriculum is mostly archaic and disconnected from the current global research community, especially that the mode of instruction remains mostly in Arabic. This explains why its ranking has been in decline, at least in the past 30 years.
The second question is whether the statements should address the development of students at the individual level. I find it lacking that both universities merely hone on the career development of their students, whether as skilled workers or as researchers. However, I personally believe that schools are more than just a place to be prepared and shaped into a production unit. It is also, perhaps more importantly, a place where you meet people, you join clubs of different interests, and you shape your personality. It is not just a place where your thoughts form. It is also a place where your character and ambitions come to life. In that sense, I believe these two universities’ visions, and maybe most university missions out there, fall short at the social level, and fail to arrive at the individual level. The individual is where it all begins.
Hello, Mohannad,
I was thinking how mission statement evolved through times. What was a mission of Damascus University when it was established? When and why did its mission change? These are more rhetorical questions. So don’t feel obliged to answer them.
To the second of your more philosophical questions, I think the term “alma mater’ that means “nurturing mother” expresses your idea. It is used to refer to person’s home institution. University is where you are “nurtured” as an individual.
Thank you, Kulyash
Those are all great questions. Unfortunately, I do not have easy access to that information. But, if I may say my hunch, I don’t think Damascus University’s statement has evolved much. The Syrian government in general is very slow and not much in its process changes even in a decade.
It would be nice if a university is where one is nurtured. However, in recent times at least, it seems it is the students that nurture the school as a business.