There has been a recent discussion on increased emphasis to appreciate buildings and the natural environment at educational centres. I disagree with the above sentence and will discuss below this paragraph.
To begin with, buildings and the natural environment surrounding it are designed by experts in the industry. Students, especially those that major in architecture and design can use the elements of the buildings as inspiration for their future projects. They can also add uniqueness to the local area and potentially iconic for the city. Take University of Technology, Sydney (UTS) for instance. It has exotic buildings scattered throughout the Central Business District (CBD) and has garnered the attention of the international and local media, attracting local and foreign students, and tourists alike. Jay Chou, an international artist who took a picture with the ‘Chau Chak wig’ building owned by UTS can be used as an example. The unique buildings have also resulted in a dramatic increase of student enrolment to the university and made its way to the top eight universities in Australia.
However, the primary purpose of schools and universities is to provide education to students. While appreciation and emphasis of buildings are important in the history of the universities and schools, core modules and academic subjects alike should still retain their highest priority. Good education and future employability from the university are data that potential families and students look for prior to enrolment, and primary source of revenue. Students can use the facilities and natural environment around it to relax, take a break with friends prior to studying.
In conclusion, appreciation of buildings and natural environment can boost enrolment and attract the local crowd to make the university feel vibrant, give students a place to unwind prior to studying. However, students should maintain their primary intention, which is to study.