Time to relook at the assessment of PhD

The past, present and future of the PhD thesis
http://www.nature.com/news/the-past-present-and-future-of-the-phd-thesis-1.20207?WT.ec_id=NATURE-20160707&spMailingID=51772103&spUserID=MjA1NTE2NjY5OAS2&spJobID=960792730&spReportId=OTYwNzkyNzMwS0

What's the point of the PhD thesis?
http://www.nature.com/news/what-s-the-point-of-the-phd-thesis-1.20203?WT.ec_id=NEWS-20160707&spMailingID=51777970&spUserID=MTc2NjE2MTIzMAS2&spJobID=960907569&spReportId=OTYwOTA3NTY5S0

Back to the thesis
http://www.nature.com/news/back-to-the-thesis-1.20202?WT.ec_id=NATURE-20160707&spMailingID=51772103&spUserID=MjA1NTE2NjY5OAS2&spJobID=960792730&spReportId=OTYwNzkyNzMwS0

AC: How are budget cuts affecting Malaysian public universities?

https://asiancorrespondent.com/2016/02/how-are-budget-cuts-affecting-malaysian-public-universities/

"However, one barrier to developing new ways to operate is the fact that universities themselves are not autonomous bodies. What courses universities offer, fees they charge, who they enroll, who they employ, and generally how a university operates is governed directly through the Ministry of Higher Education.

To a great extent, universities are limited in what they can do in Malaysia. The issue of autonomy and budget cuts is something that is yet to be addressed by the Government.

This has left some universities with very limited options. Some universities are letting go of foreign lecturers, cutting down on faculty operational costs such as stationary and air-conditioning, and travel, etc. These measures will not make up the budget shortfalls universities are facing and could seriously hamper the ability of Malaysian public universities to improve standards."