Abstract:
Institutions of higher education exist to contribute to the collective growth of the society by nurturing the creative genius of individuals. This may be achieved by striking a fine balance between gifting intellectual freedom and monitoring the fulfilment of social obligations. An environment of this kind can only be built through a policy of non-interference and institutional autonomy. A governance structure like this does not necessarily suggest lack of accountability or decentralization of power. Rather, this implies great commitment towards academic, administrative and financial accountability through the process of self-regulation. Given that higher education is transcending international borders in the digital world, we are in greater need of establishing governance structures and international quality standards which foster competence and excellence in our higher education system without curtailing academic freedom.