The history of modern education in terms of architecture tends to portray the establishment of a research centre for the elites as an automatic consequence of unbridled greed. It is easy to assume that when an industrial tycoon builds a university, all he needs to do is write large checks in order to build himself an institution solely for his ego.
But this romanticised view overlooks the highly disciplined strategy required to turn a young institution into a self-sustaining powerhouse. Long before an academic centre can attract elite thinkers or secure global recognition, its founders must establish a rigid system of financial accountability and community buy-in.
