Knowledge Management and Capacity Building in Higher Education Holds Key to the Development of a Nation

Abstract

There are many indicators of the health of a nation and that includes the quality of life and gross domestic product. However, the development can happen only through systematic creation and absorption of knowledge in a society which requires imparting quality education. The development of a nation depends on the human development index (HDI) of the people of the nation. The HDI is primarily dependent on the education and health of the citizen. While basic education which is offered compulsorily provides the foundation of the quality workforce engaged in productive work for creation of wealth for the nation but imparting newer knowledge offers competitive advantage over others. Better knowledge is thus essential to produce superior quality goods and services at lesser costs in a sustainable manner which provides competitive advantage in global trade and commerce and serves as the key driver to the development of a nation. Managing knowledge therefore, holds the key. Capacity building on the other hand, enables the society to accomplish a specific task and activity in a desired manner and hence it really required dissemination of knowledge through continuous training and re-training. Capacity building helps in maximising the social impact in terms of implementation of any new knowledge for common good of the society and also for the nation at large. Capacity building therefore, has to be undertaken with all seriousness as it is normally required to do for project, program and portfolio management. In this article an attempt has been made to discuss the key components of knowledge management as a task and how that help in the development process of a nation, a society and a region. The paper also discusses the impact of capacity building in higher education for the development of the society and how capacity building should be attempted in a specific area of higher learning for maximising the social impact.