Wisdom beyond Education: My Journey at the BIDTI
View(s):In an era where everything is considered a race – a rat race – starting from education to careers to even human relationships, our search for happiness & satisfaction continues to be an ongoing quest. In the case of education, many view it as a means to an end, often a promotion, career change or even migration. But, in my experience, education unlocks your mind the most, when you have no strings attached to it, so that it doesn’t just become a tick in a checklist. The success of education shall not be defined only through the act of gaining knowledge.
In my opinion, the true triumph of education comes down to one word – Wisdom – acquired by pausing to think, reflect & apply one’s learnings. To quote Albert Einstein, “True Education is what remains after one has forgotten everything they’ve learnt”.
Mr. Shamil Akbar
This refreshed perspective on education was among the many things that evolved in me, as I onboarded the journey of learning Diplomacy & World Affairs at the Bandaranaike International Diplomatic Training Institute (BIDTI). In my early schooling career, I too was a fierce competitor in the said ‘rat race’ – from being a front row student to acing all examinations and wanting to “always be the first in class”. However, during my teenage years, I had started to realise, that amidst the processes of modern-day education with all the book-filling and exam-taking, I had started to lose my childhood curiosity. This thought had become even more fortified by the time I stumbled upon BIDTI. Even though it was right after my MBA, I was still craving an intellectual challenge which would kindle my thinking and elevate my worldview – beyond education, towards wisdom.
This is when BIDTI truly cashed in. Being a marketer by profession, and therefore, a complete novice in the field of diplomacy & world affairs, I had no strings attached. I was simply curious to learn new things and had no pressure of “superior academic performance”. My notes were a mixed bag of interesting facts, structures, and my own thoughts & ideas during the lectures. The lecturers too, did not focus on spitting out theory after theory, rather, the lectures were focused on taking practical phenomena from all around the world into a discussion, enabling the understanding of underlying ideas, themes & patterns, exposing the non-dichotomic nature of world affairs. Participating in lectures was not about simply listening while taking pictures of slides – it was about partaking in an intellectual multi-perspective dialogue. BIDTI was not aimed at “teaching for a qualification” but rather “training for wisdom” in the field of diplomacy.
At an age, where education has transformed to be an industry where the sense of business & competitiveness prevails over academic quality, I applaud the leadership of the BIDTI, for focusing on the quality of education above all. Starting from the value of the course content, which supersedes the cost of it, to the standards of assessments and all self-learning tools that are made available including workshops, talk shows & a magnificent library, BIDTI invites all its students to embark on a wholesome educational experience.
Let’s remember that the essence of education can only be achieved when one pauses from running the race, to sit back, think, challenge & apply everything that we learn – in pursuit of wisdom. Institutions like the BIDTI reinforce & reward our confidence in education, in its true spirit.
Shamil Akbar
Recipient of the
Lorna Dewaraja Award
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