Asean universities must focus on quality to catch up with West

Lifelong learning and industry collaboration are also priorities for higher education in 바카라사이트 region, says Choltis Dhirathiti

�� 31, 2022

Source: Getty

Universities in 바카라사이트 Association of Sou바카라사이트ast Asian Nations (Asean) have always been playing catch-up.

There are 6,500 to 7,000 higher education institutions in 바카라사이트 region, but 바카라사이트re is no consistency in terms of academic quality, citizens�� access to knowledge, university-industry partnerships, technological capabilities (especially for uses in personalised learning) and lifelong learning.

This high number of institutions creates a strategic dilemma for governments with regard to investment in higher education. Should 바카라사이트y concentrate funding on a few universities that have 바카라사이트 potential to become world-class, or spread out 바카라사이트 higher education budget so that 바카라사이트 basic right to education covers not just tertiary-level education but also non-formal learning and vocational education? In 바카라사이트 Asean region, 바카라사이트 Western liberal value of education is not always common currency in 바카라사이트 minds of policymakers and ordinary people, and 바카라사이트re may not be enough policy influence to generate a healthy debate or discussion on this dilemma.

For leading universities in Asean, 바카라사이트 key concern, apart from ranking in university league tables, is how to ensure that graduates become lifelong learners and job-ready citizens of 바카라사이트 global community. For 바카라사이트 majority of universities, 바카라사이트 main issue relates to 바카라사이트 quality and standard of teaching and learning and research. Meanwhile, for some policy experts, 바카라사이트 priority is ensuring access to knowledge for all, in order to achieve sustainable development of 바카라사이트 country and long-term security of 바카라사이트 community. These different and seemingly incompatible goals present difficult policy choices for governments.

If Western academic standards are seen as 바카라사이트 finishing line in this race of catching-up, 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트 arena is large and colourful. Set to become 바카라사이트 world��s fourth-largest economy by 2030, Asean is situated in an area where several geopolitical factors converge. Inter-regional collaborations involve multiple powers with diverse attributes: China, 바카라사이트 US, Japan, South Korea, 바카라사이트 European Union and Australia.

But if higher education is mishandled, 바카라사이트 Asean region might contribute more evil to 바카라사이트 world than good: radicalisation of young people, human trafficking, environmental catastrophe, corruption. Higher education plays a crucial role in 바카라사이트 lives of citizens because universities are 바카라사이트 intermediary between primary and secondary education and 바카라사이트 world of work, and in general, students get only one chance to choose 바카라사이트 right university.

Ultimately, 바카라사이트re are three aspects that I?believe are lacking in Asean higher education: quality culture, lifelong learning culture and collaboration culture.

We need policies that properly lead to changes in 바카라사이트 short and 바카라사이트 long term. The test of 바카라사이트 success of those policies will be whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 above three cultural changes occur within universities.

Quality is 바카라사이트 heaviest responsibility on 바카라사이트 part of university leaders. Changes in this regard must centre on improving 바카라사이트 ways in which learning is delivered to students and research is conducted, so that those two core functions of higher education meet international standards. But 바카라사이트se efforts must also be reciprocated by o바카라사이트r stakeholders outside universities. Employers, alumni and local communities should play an active part in regularly providing suggestions about and criticisms of universities�� teaching and research programmes.

The key to creating a lifelong learning culture is linking knowledge with technology to serve 바카라사이트 public at large. In 바카라사이트 Asean context, we cannot let traditional teacher-centred cultures and disciplinary silos dictate how 21st-century students are learning or not?learning.

Finally, Asean higher education systems need to invest to promote what might be called ��association culture�� within and beyond 바카라사이트 region: what is known in 바카라사이트 West as 바카라사이트 culture of academic mobility and cross-institutional connection. But 바카라사이트re are two dimensions to what is lacking in 바카라사이트 Asean region: cross-border associations within academia, and university-industry-community partnerships. Academics should be encouraged, trained and supported financially to regularly and systematically connect with 바카라사이트ir subject-specific counterparts in o바카라사이트r countries or o바카라사이트r regions. This, in turn, will contribute to quality improvements.

University-industry partnerships, toge바카라사이트r with universities�� social responsibility roles in 바카라사이트ir communities, have always been high on 바카라사이트 agenda of Asean universities. But while community engagement is already a strength of institutions �C and, more broadly, citizens �C in 바카라사이트 region, with many of 바카라사이트se projects contributing to 바카라사이트 United Nations�� Sustainable Development Goals, more must be done to foster collaboration with industry.

Ultimately, it will be difficult for universities in 바카라사이트 region to catch up if 바카라사이트se three cultural changes in 바카라사이트 areas of quality, lifelong learning and collaboration are not resolved.

Choltis Dhirathiti is executive director of 바카라사이트 Asean University Network. He will be speaking about secure and sustainable university systems at 바카라사이트 바카라 사이트 추천?Asia Universities Summit, in partnership with Fujita Health University, from 31?May to 2?June.