Algerian historian outlines pillars of university faculty's role in society

Algerian historian and academic Nasreddin Saidonni has described the role of a university faculty member as resting on three foundations: a solid academic title, continuous scholarly production, and ethical conduct. In his view, the academic title is the entry point to higher education and scientific research, requiring faculty to continue learning throughout their careers and to follow scientific and technological developments. Scientific research and ongoing scholarly output, he said, form the spirit of the university and a measure of its progress, warning that faculty who abandon research gradually lose the ability to track modern developments. Academic integrity and ethics, the third pillar, represent an educational mission that faculty carry before their teaching duties. Saidonni listed qualities expected of a successful faculty member, including deep expertise, a commitment to continuous learning, research productivity, broad general knowledge, scientific honesty, fairness toward students, humility, openness to differing views, and the use of modern technologies. He pointed to Germany, Japan, South Korea, and Finland as countries that stand out in education and innovation through their support for academics and scientific research. A university faculty member, he added, is not an ordinary civil servant bound by fixed working hours but a mission-bearer who contributes to societal progress through solid knowledge, continuous research, and high moral standing.