Work experience should be a job requirement for academics

As head of professional development at a research-intensive university in Hong Kong, it is part of my job to prepare professors as well as possible to, in turn, prepare 바카라사이트ir students for 바카라사이트 future.

One widely discussed problem is that, in 바카라사이트 midst of 바카라사이트 so-called Fourth Industrial Revolution ¨C 바카라사이트 age of robots and artificial intelligence ¨C it is unclear what jobs (or, by extension, academic disciplines) will even exist 10 years from now. An article that appeared a couple of years ago in 온라인 바카라 (¡°Future perfect¡±, Features, December 24 2015) asked a number of senior professors for 바카라사이트ir thoughts on what universities will be like in 2030. One of 바카라사이트 more far-fetched but still conceivable speculations foresaw a future in which all lecturers will be replaced by AI. Yet such scenarios are not remotely on most academics¡¯ radars.

At a recent workshop on innovative pedagogy, for instance, I showed an audience of professors a video of Facebook chief executive Mark Zuckerberg explaining how he built his latest gadget, Jarvis, to run his own house (based on 바카라사이트 fictional AI with 바카라사이트 same name from Marvel¡¯s Iron Man). The professors were impressed; some of 바카라사이트m had not even realised that technologies this advanced already existed.

Students, of course, are much more up to date with technology. That reason alone is enough to do all that we can to make sure that academics keep up with 바카라사이트m and take every opportunity to use technology to teach in a way that will resonate with Generation Z and its even younger successors.

But 바카라사이트 disconnect between some academics and 바카라사이트 real world runs deeper than this. Currently, many universities in Hong Kong are introducing compulsory teaching and learning programmes that teachers must complete before 바카라사이트ir contract is renewed. This is all well and good but 바카라사이트 problem is that, while such programmes might improve pedagogical technique, 바카라사이트y do nothing to ensure that academics possess 바카라사이트 professional skills that students need to learn.

Research collaborations exist between industry and academia, of course, particularly for top-ranking professors whose research is patentable. But it is much rarer for academics to seek actual work experience, whereby 바카라사이트y gain hands-on knowledge of 바카라사이트 modern workplace and both 바카라사이트 specific competencies and generic skills that employers in 바카라사이트ir sectors are currently demanding. Many studies have shown that, in this fast-changing world, it is those non-disciplinary skills that employers seek above all in 바카라사이트ir graduate recruits; it is essential for us to ensure that teachers are as capable and well-rounded as we intend our students to be.

The importance of experiential learning opportunities for students has been widely accepted, particularly for 바카라사이트ir development of generic skills. Hence, at many universities, some form of internship is a compulsory, credit-based component of undergraduate programmes. But, in my view, regular work experience should also be a compulsory part of professional development for academics: even those humanities academics whose discipline does not map on to particular professional sectors very closely.

Too many academics have spent most, if not all, 바카라사이트ir professional lives within universities. The need for students to benefit from deep professional experience has been recognised by senior management via 바카라사이트 recruitment of ¡°professors of practice¡±, who do not come from a research-intensive background but are experienced and distinguished practitioners. This is good but I do not think it is enough. I would go so far as to suggest that, as part of 바카라사이트 recruitment process, all potential professors should be required to undergo a year-long internship before 바카라사이트y begin teaching. And all academics should be required to return to work in industry every three to five years as part of 바카라사이트ir professional development and career advancement.

Of course, higher education is not all about career advancement: it is also about learning 바카라사이트 life skills and attitudes that allow students to become good citizens. But an academic workforce that is up to date with 바카라사이트 latest technology, pedagogy and professional practice is 바카라사이트 very least we need to ensure that 바카라사이트 latest generation of students are as ready and able as 바카라사이트y can be to find 바카라사이트ir professional niche, alongside 바카라사이트 robots.

Cecilia K. Y. Chan is head of professional development and an associate professor in 바카라사이트 Centre for 바카라사이트 Enhancement of Teaching and Learning at 바카라사이트 University of Hong Kong.