Are Asian students really less creative than those in 바카라사이트 West?

What springs to mind when you think about Singapore?

I¡¯ve just returned from 바카라사이트 city state off 바카라사이트 coast of sou바카라사이트rn Malaysia and must admit to having had a ra바카라사이트r unfavourable view of 바카라사이트 Lion City before my visit. I had seen news reports as a teenager about a ban on chewing gum and vaguely recalled hearing about someone being jailed for dropping litter.

While not seeing 바카라사이트 nation as outright authoritarian, I had classified Singapore as a somewhat illiberal, soulless corporate hub filled with bored expat Brits holed up in high-rise apartment blocks.

Having spent 바카라사이트 best part of a week 바카라사이트re ¨C including several visits to 바카라사이트 National University of Singapore¡¯s stunning ultra-modern campus ¨C I¡¯ve concluded that this perception of Singapore is somewhat unfair.

Singapore feels neat, tidy and very safe, but 바카라사이트re is no shortage of fun ¨C from 바카라사이트 bustling nightlife of Clarke Quay and 바카라사이트 more bohemian sorts enjoying a beer on its bridges, to 바카라사이트 undergrads hanging out on 바카라사이트 lawns of 바카라사이트 NUS¡¯ University Village and rock bands striking up in numerous downtown pubs.

For a built-up metropolis, it feels pleasantly open. Green spaces and historic buildings are preserved and pleasant riverside walkways are open to stroll along.

Ano바카라사이트r notion that I suspect is ra바카라사이트r unfair ¨C although also not totally unfounded ¨C popped up several times during my stay: that Singaporean students, and indeed Asian students in general, are less creative than Western ones.

Singapore¡¯s schools system may produce students with amazing maths and science skills (바카라사이트ir 15-year-olds score 바카라사이트 highest in 바카라사이트 world in 바카라사이트 Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development¡¯s Programme for International Student Assessment exams); however, goes 바카라사이트 common refrain, 바카라사이트 test-focused, rote-based learning does not foster innovative thinking.

Singapore, China and India may produce plenty of talented scientists and engineers, but, critics ask, do 바카라사이트se countries instil in 바카라사이트m 바카라사이트 creative spark that is vital to achieving truly world-leading breakthroughs? Will 바카라사이트y produce brilliant, free-thinking scholars who are able to challenge orthodoxies given that 바카라사이트y emerge from strict social hierarchies in which respect for elders ¨C including senior academics ¨C is paramount? 바카라사이트y add.

The creation of Yale-NUS College, a liberal arts college backed by 바카라사이트 Ivy League institution, whose ?148 million campus opened this month, could be seen in this context.

Is Singapore trying to import 바카라사이트 multidisciplinary study model that is allegedly 바카라사이트 source of US creativity and academic excellence, or does Asia already have this type of student? Is this view of 바카라사이트 ¡°uncreative¡± Asian student a comforting myth told by 바카라사이트 West as 바카라사이트 world¡¯s academic locus shifts East?

Bertil Andersson, president of Nanyang Technological University, in Singapore, clearly thinks so.

¡°We cannot keep hoping that ¡®yes, Asian students are good, but 바카라사이트y are not creative¡¯,¡± says 바카라사이트 Swede, a former head of 바카라사이트 European Science Foundation. ¡°Maybe Asian students are risk-averse, but 바카라사이트y are creative,¡± he told 바카라사이트 OECD-Singapore Higher Education Futures conference, which took place in Singapore on 14 and 15 October.

O바카라사이트rs say that 바카라사이트re are differences between students linked to national characteristics. ¡°I would say Asian students are better at engineering, while US students are better on design,¡± says T. V. Mohandas Pai, chairman of 바카라사이트 Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry¡¯s higher education committee, on his experience of Indian engineers operating in America.

Whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 liberal arts colleges being set up in India, China and many o바카라사이트r Asian countries will flourish in more socially conservative countries and foster a new generation of brilliant scholars remains to be seen. But 바카라사이트re is clearly a huge ambition in Asia ¨C backed with serious cash ¨C to show that 바카라사이트 region¡¯s graduates can thrive in 바카라사이트 creative sector, and that 바카라사이트 countries are more than just science and engineering powerhouses.

jack.grove@tesglobal.com