The Swami Dayanand Institute of Management (SDIM) celebrates its tenth glorious year in the provision of tertiary education to Mauritius. Launched on 30th June 1995, from a World Bank (WB) initiative under the strategy of developing semi-professionals to work at middle management level, SDIM has lived up to the expectations of its incumbents and stakeholders even if there are still more improvements to be made.

Before the creation of such a polytechnic, the ?polytechnic? concept was limited to the provision of basic technical education linked with rudimentary mechanical engineering, garage maintenance, electrical engineering and crafts. This perspective limited the scope of polytechnic education where it was sufficient to become a skilled worker with basic secondary education and some technical coaching. The WB clearly found out that the Mauritian economy could not afford having either too highly qualified academics or semi-skilled technicians. A report by consultant Pillai on behalf of the ministry of Education, Arts and Culture in 1991 mentioned the need for advanced technical education more geared towards tertiary level.

The recommendation highlighted that the wider polytechnic concept would be broadly similar to the one favoured by Singapore Polytechnic, a reference in higher technical education in South East Asia. Considering that higher technical education remains a link between technical skills training and academic teaching provided by universities, the new polytechnic concept would blend both high level tertiary academic teaching while emphasis on the technical aspect so needed in a developing economy like ours.

Starting with some 80 students and five full-fledged lecturers on 30th June 1995, SDIM had to carve its path off the beaten track to become the primary institution that offered tertiary level technical education. At a time when only 20% of A-level holders got a seat at the University of Mauritius, the remaining 80% had the limited choices of getting a first job, going abroad for tertiary education or gaining access to a two-year tailor-made programme for the job market. SDIM modeled its curriculum on the Singapore Polytechnic framework by recruiting SC holders but accommodated almost HSC holders who had no other opportunity for tertiary education. In a ten-year span, SDIM has provided nearly 1,000 diploma graduates to the job market while being selective and adding value to the concept of higher level polytechnic education.

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As almost every institution, the government of Mauritius and stakeholders call for a periodic review of the mission statement and corporate objectives. At first instance, professionals within the SDIM and board members approved that British polytechnics had almost rapidly acquired university status while having their own identity as technical education providers. This concept could not spare SDIM where it was assumed that the right for further education after a diploma is a normal expectation.

In 1998, SDIM got affiliated to TAFE (Western Australia), which is the link between a technical education provider and a university. TAFE benefits from the advantage of getting the approval from registered Australian universities to allow students to step into degree programmes with advanced standing where they can complete a bachelor?s degree in an additional year or so. SDIM considered the importance of bridging the gap but had to confine itself with what it actually proposes.

In a country where business schools are burgeoning in every corner, the demand from stakeholders for an advanced programme after a diploma should have been duly considered. British polytechnics, now transformed into universities, do still have a label of their own. They have offered flexible entry opportunities to non-British citizens in the Commonwealth and the developing world who consider that higher technical education of degree standard can be an alternative to achievement in life. Empirical research and evidence have also proved that Indian polytechnics and colleges have the competence to read up to degree equivalent status and above. The resulting outcome has been that, in India, polytechnics and colleges have globally contributed to the development of professionals in management and Information Communication Technology while the country has stepped as a future giant in business at close range with the new economic power, China.

In this context, the contribution of polytechnics in furthering their existing diploma should be appraised and duly considered. Programmes beyond a diploma course should not be the privilege of universities or other private institutions. Admittedly, academic degrees are exclusive to universities but tailor-made BTEC programmes that blend management with IT education should be appreciated as a sensible argument to improving the status of Mauritius as a newly-industrialised country. Taking into consideration the achievement of SDIM over a decade, the high calibre of its academic staff, the infrastructure it proposes and the enviable reputation of its students as ambassadors both in the government and private sectors, it is a saving grace to accredit SDIM?s intention to pave the way forward.

<B>Staff development</B>

Academic staff at SDIM has also commonly voiced its expectations to management and the government. Staff development programmes have contributed to the concept of the learning organisation in the early years. Fellowship programmes and exchanges with Singapore Polytechnic and TAFE in the initial years of operation have added value to staff expectations.

Such effort has to be sustained since the academic staff is aware that new teaching techniques and methodology have to be at par with the changing business environment. There is also the understanding that improvements in the teaching approach can only benefit students attending the institute.

Over a decade, the teaching expertise has only been consolidated through substantial curricula re-engineering that are suitably focused to the needs of the superior technician. However, the development of a career path for lecturers has been too summarily considered. Academic staff view that it is inadmissible to have a single position that remains self-contained and final. Senior positions in lectureship can only add value to the organisation where such advancement would encourage staff to shoulder wider academic concerns and possibly conduct research within a field that requires ongoing evaluation and diagnosis.

A country can only progress if it re-engineers its educational programme. The lower the failure rate, the better will be the educational aspiration of a nation. The wider the opportunities for further learning are developed, the better will be the chances to succeed in life. The same applies to a polytechnic institute. When there is an opening of opportunities for advancement, there is every reason to look back with utmost satisfaction that the milestones achieved by the institute over a decade are emblems of successive achievements. Also, there is the expectancy that the future will not be a travel through troubled waters. That?s exactly what the Swami Dayanand Institute of Management strategically plans in the next decade in a world where looking forward is the very reason for survival. Happy anniversary!

<B>Nirmal Kumar BETCHOO</B>

Mr Nirmal Kumar Betchoo lectures in business and management at SDIM. He is for nearly two decades in the education sector and has authored two books: The Mauritian Workplace and Introduction to Public Sector Management. He is a regular contributor to the trade press.