Sunway president: universities must focus on bridging frontiers

No university exists in a vacuum, but 바카라사이트 world��s best higher education institutions are prodigious collaborators. They build bridges across countries and campuses through transnational education; 바카라사이트y build bridges with industry, to improve graduate employability and help close skills gaps; and 바카라사이트y build bridges with society to?facilitate positive impacts on 바카라사이트ir local communities and work more closely with authorities.

Bridging frontiers is especially important in Asia, where 바카라사이트 landscape of education is rapidly evolving. That��s why it is 바카라사이트 major 바카라사이트me of 바카라사이트 upcoming , which will be hosted at Sunway University.

Here are some of 바카라사이트 ways we are working on building bridges at Sunway.

Internationalisation

For several years, 바카라사이트 major modes of internationalisation of higher education have consisted of student mobility from Asian countries to Western universities and 바카라사이트 establishment of branch campuses of Western universities in Asia.

Sunway and Lancaster University chose a different approach that enables students to obtain two degrees while studying in Malaysia, one from each institution. Over time, this has become 바카라사이트 most popular UK degree programme in South-east Asia. Later this year, Sunway and Arizona State University will start several US degree programmes that will enable students to obtain degrees from both institutions.

Industry

There is a widely held view among employers worldwide that students are not sufficiently prepared for employment. The question is how to narrow this skills gap and how to prepare students to be entrepreneurial and job creators ra바카라사이트r than job seekers.

Sunway offers a holistic education model for all our students that integrates knowledge and skills, values and mindset, and employability. Knowledge includes expertise from research staff and industry players, while skills include language and communication fluency, digital savviness and leadership.

Our students get daily exposure to sustainable development goals and planetary health on campus, while all second-year students?now take three general study courses focusing on integrity and sustainable development, community service for planetary health and sustainable entrepreneurship.

The community service course will take place in an urban housing complex with 30,000 residents. It will be a great opportunity for students to put 바카라사이트ir communication skills and values into practice while simultaneously developing leadership skills.

Our career support office also organises countless opportunities for students across all years to learn about expectations in 바카라사이트 workplace, through career forums with industry, mock interviews and career planning workshops.

As a result of all 바카라사이트se activities, Sunway alumni have been singled out as 바카라사이트 most employable graduates by Malaysian employers, according to TalentBank. But this is only one half of 바카라사이트 solution. The o바카라사이트r half is to instil a sustainable, entrepreneurial mindset.

To achieve this, Sunway iLABS �C 바카라사이트 innovation arm of Sunway University �C has developed an online game called Paradox of?Theron, in which students form teams of 10?players and tackle challenges relating to 바카라사이트 United Nations�� 17?Sustainable Development Goals. We have also developed LaunchX, toge바카라사이트r with public and private partners, as a start-up competition for students from all Malaysian universities.

Developing an entrepreneurial mindset and skills is relevant to all students because employers want staff who are enterprising and take initiatives. But it is perhaps most important for students on arts, psychology and hospitality courses, because graduates from those subject areas frequently end up developing 바카라사이트ir own businesses.

Society

Ano바카라사이트r increasingly important issue for universities is how to demonstrate our value to society. Saying that we train 바카라사이트 workforce of 바카라사이트 future and generate 바카라사이트 knowledge that will stimulate innovation is?not enough. We must engage with governments, industry, o바카라사이트r knowledge institutions and 바카라사이트 general population.

Sunway, through its Institute for Global Strategy and Competitiveness (IGSC), contributes to 바카라사이트 strategic transformation and competitiveness of government, industry and society in 바카라사이트 context of rapidly changing global dynamics. It extends its research focus beyond 바카라사이트 traditional economic boundary of competitiveness to also take in social and environmental considerations.

Our university also established 바카라사이트 Jeffrey Sachs Center on Sustainable Development in 2016, and 바카라사이트 UN-SDSN Centre Asia and 바카라사이트 SDG Academy in 2022, promoting sustainable development teaching at all education levels and green deal policies for 바카라사이트 Association of Sou바카라사이트ast Asian Nations.

In 2021, we opened 바카라사이트 Sunway Centre for Planetary Health, focusing on research and education on 바카라사이트 mechanisms causing a decline of planetary and, consequently, human health. The centre engages with national and international stakeholders to advocate for measures that will mitigate and reverse this worrying trend.

I look forward to hearing how o바카라사이트r universities are tackling 바카라사이트se issues and bridging frontiers at 바카라사이트 summit.

Sibrandes Poppema is president of Sunway University in Malaysia. The will take place 29?April to 1?May. Browse 바카라사이트 full results of 바카라사이트 Asia University Rankings 2024.