It is a two day forum. I might be able to join today’s session. I have another event tomorrow. To capture some important points that I might use later on for my class, I create this post. YouTube link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JAP3vNO-p4w
Key note address 1: The COVID-19 aftermath: What the future holds for higher education and the sustainable development goals in a disruptive epoch.
By: Emeritus Prof Geoffrey Scott, Western Sydney University, Australia
- SDGs is not independent of each other. Each is interdependent of each other.
- Changes only happen when people find the values of changing current practice/situation. The drive to change depends on value on engagement and implementation for change and progress. But the real question is, does change bring about progress or does vice versa?
- Work ready graduates not only for today but for uncertain future – work ready plus graduates. Uncertain future is so unpredictable to certain extent, we might overlook and unable to foresee what the future holds.
- COVID-19 is a disruptive problem which brings about ethical dilemma. Decision making is value-laden. Graduates need to have values to guide their decision making. It is not enough to have technical knowledge if graduates are lack of values: honesty, authenticity, willingness to persevere, humility, compassion, kindness to others, learn from errors , inventive etc. Such value are grounded in religion and societal values.
- University needs to focus not only on competency (knowledge and skills) but also capabilities (self awareness, decisiveness, commitment, influencing, empathizing, strategize, flexibility, responsiveness). Individuals should have clear position on the tacit assumptions that drive the 21st century challenges.
- Good ideas with no ideas on how to implement them are wasted ideas (I LIKE THIS!!!)
- Change does not just happen but must be led and deftly. This is the responsibility of administrators to lead. Leaders need to be able to listen, link, leverage and then lead – always in that order.
- Moral purpose should be clear and use as a guideline. It is not enough to focus on STEM by neglecting moral purpose. So, the focus should shifted in STEAM. Arts are needed to inject the humanizing aspects of technical things which deal by STEM.
- Emerging myth? Teaching is learning? Information is learning? Leaning is not profoundly social experience. ICT is always the answer. Higher education is a cost, not an investment and is a business not a public service. Change is achieved through brute logic?
- Some things that I need to think. a) Wicked problems challenge us as human beings b) Ranking could lead to perverse consequences
Key note address 2: Higher education in the age of disruption: What are matters of Society 5.0?
By: Dr Yuko Harayama
- COVID-19 brings out and imposes new rules due to constraints on mobility, person-to-person relations, social issues such as social divide, digital inequality, surveillance for contact tracing, solidarity, preparedness, responsible actions for future generations etc.
- The question of what are the rules or ruling principles of delivering services (including education system)
- In Japan, Science and Technology Basic Law was proposed in 1995 and has been used as a guideline to deliver the values of openness, sustainability and inclusiveness which shifted Japanese society from technology-based society to humanity-based society. It is no longer about information society 4.0 but in the current situation of uncertainty, it necessitates Japanese society to move forwards and address not only economic growth but also well-being. Human-centered is needed more than before rather than focusing on advancement of science, technology and innovation (STI). Society is based by STI but human being will always be the center of everything. For example, the question of how to add a human touch of online teaching becomes more pertinent.
- Do not afraid to create space for experimentation even though we might make mistake (but we need to learn from the mistake that we do).
P/S: To be honest, there are back to back events organized by my faculty but I am starting to feel overwhelmed by it so, I need a breather. This forum gives me fresh invigorating ideas especially some of the ideas are coming from people outside my own faculty. There is nothing wrong with people in my faculty but after a while, I start to notice the similarity of ideas coming from them so I need different perspectives with regards to education system in general. There is also someone that I highly admired in this forum (tongue in cheek!)