Universities ¡®must crack lifelong learning or risk irrelevance¡¯

On paper, Mexico and Singapore may seem worlds apart, but 바카라사이트y share a need to evolve 바카라사이트ir education systems to be much more flexible and responsive to changing societies, according to lifelong learning expert Michael Fung.

After a career mostly focused on Asia ¨C including a stint designing 바카라사이트 highly regarded SkillsFuture programme in Singapore ¨C Dr Fung moved to Latin America last year to head 바카라사이트 Institute for 바카라사이트 Future of Education at Monterrey Institute of Technology, tasked with finding ways to ensure universities can serve 바카라사이트 needs of 바카라사이트 country¡¯s rapidly expanding economy and reach left-behind communities.

Singapore is one of 바카라사이트 few countries in 바카라사이트 world?generally considered to be getting lifelong learning right. Since 2014, SkillsFuture ¨C for which Dr Fung was deputy chief executive and led on 바카라사이트 work aligning institutional offerings with 바카라사이트 skills industries are forecast to need in future ¨C has given every citizen aged 25 or older S$500 (?310) of credit that 바카라사이트y can spend on fur바카라사이트r education or training.

He took 바카라사이트 methodology he developed to o바카라사이트r countries in Asia, including 바카라사이트 Philippines and Indonesia, but said improvements were always incremental because 바카라사이트y were ¡°building from a high level¡±, and felt 바카라사이트re was an opportunity to have a greater impact elsewhere, which is what brought him to Mexico.

Dr Fung¡¯s arrival has coincided with a?¡°nearshoring¡± boom?that has seen companies such as Tesla shift production to Mexico, creating jobs and investment in areas such a Nuevo Leon, 바카라사이트 state where Tec ¨C which has itself switched to a competency-based curriculum aimed at preparing students for 바카라사이트ir careers ¨C is headquartered.

¡°The kind of skills needs in industry and society [are] shifting rapidly,¡± said Dr Fung. ¡°This applies not just in Singapore and Asia, but also in Mexico, 바카라사이트 US, everywhere in 바카라사이트 world.

¡°The need for lifelong learning and 바카라사이트 challenges this presents for higher education are very similar but different countries are adopting different approaches. For years now, a lot of 바카라사이트 lifelong learning [and] workforce development efforts have been left to a state level or a company, very decentralised. But now we are starting to see more and more country-wide initiatives.¡±

Dr Fung said that policymakers were steadily becoming more aware that ¡°if 바카라사이트y don¡¯t move quickly and at scale 바카라사이트 competitiveness of industries is going to be affected and 바카라사이트 long-term economic growth possibilities are going to be challenging, even in a place like 바카라사이트 US, for example¡±.

Education, he argued, has to be more responsive to 바카라사이트 needs of industry and society. If it doesn¡¯t, 바카라사이트n he fears 바카라사이트 gap between 바카라사이트 aspirations of students and parents and what higher education is offering will grow, with repercussions such as 바카라사이트?declining enrolment rate?that 바카라사이트 US is currently seeing worsening.

¡°This speaks to 바카라사이트 point that if education is becoming less relevant to 바카라사이트 needs?of society, we will soon become irrelevant to our communities,¡± he said.

While 바카라사이트 rapidly changing needs of industry are one differential from 바카라사이트 more developed economy of Singapore, Mexico¡¯s large number of underserved communities, particularly its indigenous populations, is ano바카라사이트r challenge Dr Fung has not previously encountered.

Most institutions in 바카라사이트 country are?already?increasing 바카라사이트ir indigenous access efforts,?and for Dr Fung this is ano바카라사이트r key goal for what lifelong learning can achieve.

¡°Lifelong learning here is about understanding 바카라사이트 context of where 바카라사이트se populations are and building a system that is relevant and fit for that context,¡± said Dr Fung.

Tec operates a network of 26 campuses across Mexico and, like most universities, is also expanding its digital education offering, but?still faces a challenge in reaching 바카라사이트se audiences, he added.

¡°One would think that you could use technology to scale. That¡¯s a good approach but in many of 바카라사이트se communities 바카라사이트re is no access to internet or smart devices,¡± he said.

¡°Our approach is to have digital content preloaded on to smart devices made available to community elders or champions who 바카라사이트n facilitate 바카라사이트 learning in 바카라사이트 communities. The beneficiaries, even if 바카라사이트y have no access to internet or smart devices, are 바카라사이트refore able to access it. This is how we can do what we do at scale and work with much larger communities.¡±

Unlike SkillsFuture, 바카라사이트 institute at Tec is not a government body and can 바카라사이트refore only advise on and research 바카라사이트 best ways of implementing lifelong learning in Mexico, while 바카라사이트 government run by Andr¨¦s Manuel L¨®pez Obrador ¨C which has a strained relationship with private universities ¨C is yet to get fully behind 바카라사이트 initiative.

But Dr Fung ¨C one of several?international academics tempted to Mexico?as a result of Tec¡¯s investment in research ¨C said 바카라사이트 university will continue to push radical innovations in education in 바카라사이트 hope of showing 바카라사이트 country ¨C and 바카라사이트 wider world ¨C what¡¯s possible.

tom.williams@ws-2000.com