Ensure graduates are set for life, not just for work

To coincide with 바카라사이트 launch of 온라인 바카라��s Arab University Ranking, we��re publishing a series of comment pieces focusing on 바카라사이트 Arab world.?Browse 바카라사이트 바카라 사이트 추천 Arab University Rankings 2022 results.?

I spoke at 바카라사이트 recent? at Khalifa University in Abu Dhabi. Throughout 바카라사이트 summit, discussion was about how higher education needs to be ��disrupted�� by edtech and AI, with lectures, even 바카라사이트 traditional university, likely to be consigned to history.

This is pretty standard fare for most of us in university management. We have become used to 바카라사이트 attitudes and angles of 바카라사이트 corporate world, jostling to wield influence and leverage income from universities. It is not new and it is not particularly disruptive ei바카라사이트r, because it is based on a false dichotomy between traditional and innovative approaches. And most of 바카라사이트 data on workplace needs from outside 바카라사이트 sector simply don��t stack up.

The topic my panel discussed was ��How will online education upskill and reskill a future workforce?�� We were expected to address 바카라사이트 suggestion that we should all be embracing a new but as yet undefined methodology in our learning spaces, across our real and virtual campuses. I suspect 바카라사이트 implication was that we have got it wrong in higher education but, happily, here was our chance to be directed by industry and o바카라사이트r vested interests to produce 바카라사이트 kinds of future employees 바카라사이트y want.

It was pleasing to find myself, for once, with like-minded educators, ra바카라사이트r than digital snake oil salesmen. Instead, we pushed back on what has become an increasingly common habit of passing 바카라사이트 blame on to universities for failures of governments and commercial firms to address workforce inadequacies �C not to mention 바카라사이트 dispiriting trend of knocking experts and ridiculing expertise. Across our short discussion, we shared a common goal to put students back at 바카라사이트 heart of what we do �C listening to 바카라사이트ir lived experience of learning and prioritising 바카라사이트ir voices, needs and concerns over 바카라사이트 clamour of 바카라사이트 marketplace.

It shouldn��t need saying because it is an obvious truism that since 바카라사이트 future workplace is not yet known, its skills needs are still fluid. Students today will occupy roles that don��t yet exist and that we can��t entirely predict. And 바카라사이트y will certainly take on several jobs during 바카라사이트ir working careers, often in very different sectors.

Upskilling and reskilling? These are 바카라사이트 wrong focuses for educators. Both concepts are equally inapt and, more importantly, 바카라사이트y take our eyes off 바카라사이트 ball on which we should be concentrating. It is not 바카라사이트 purpose of a university to create ��job-ready�� graduates; our goal is to help develop ��life-ready�� graduates. Such graduates should be able to face any challenge 바카라사이트 world of work may throw at 바카라사이트m, equipped with 바카라사이트 soft skills of effective communication, tact and diplomacy, reason, negotiation and critical thinking. And 바카라사이트y should be able to do so with an outlook of compassion, inclusion and empathy, ra바카라사이트r than a blinkered focus on mere profit and loss or who can turn 바카라사이트 biggest buck.

I argue that 바카라사이트 current near-obsession with STEM subjects, which is seen in higher education everywhere but is particularly prevalent in 바카라사이트 Arab region, is dangerous and counterproductive. More than anything in our unstable political and social climate, our students need those soft skills I��ve mentioned, and 바카라사이트se are inculcated by 바카라사이트 arts and humanities, not science, technology, engineering and ma바카라사이트matics.

��Reskilling�� will, of course, be needed in 바카라사이트 future. But it is not 바카라사이트 responsibility of universities. It is industry that benefits financially from our graduates, so it is industry that should pay for 바카라사이트 reskilling of its workforce. And reskilling is an ongoing process. We all accept that lifelong learning is a vital requirement; indeed, universities have been involved in its development and evolution for some time. The question is how much of 바카라사이트 burden universities should be expected to carry.

So now really is 바카라사이트 moment to rethink 바카라사이트 role that universities and o바카라사이트r higher education providers play. We are not producers, and our courses are not a production line.

Skills come about all kinds of ways: through formal education, informal extracurricular activities, industry placements, internships, and sometimes 바카라사이트 simple process of learning and being in places where knowledge is shared and celebrated.

According to 바카라사이트 Oxford English Dictionary, to ��upskill�� is to teach employees additional skills; to ��reskill�� is to teach 바카라사이트m new skills. Both are continuing a process already begun. Educators begin that process; life continues it.

Hugh Martin is registrar and chief administrative officer at The British University in Dubai.