[Vitit Muntarbhorn] Re-energizing higher education in ASEAN

Higher education, implying the tertiary level associated with universities and parallel institutions, is at an inflection point in the region where the trajectory of sociopolitical, economic and cultural development is changing rapidly. Paradoxically, there is a tightrope to be walked between progressive advancement and dispiriting conflict, exemplified by stellar progress in some countries contrasting with disruptive armed conflict in other countries. There is also a marked divergence between the aging and dwindling population in some countries and the burgeoning young population of other countries in the ASEAN region.

In this ambiguous state of affairs, much can be done to re-energize the system by means of leadership, commitment, adaptive approach and agile alignments to prepare learners and teachers to explore their fullest potential. Impetus from the business sector, in collaboration with other stakeholders, can be an essential part of that momentum. To address these issues in a "quantum" manner, a mini-summit supported by the UN Global Compact took place in Malaysia recently. Interestingly, instead of beginning with speeches and discussions usually associated with conferences, it began with a session on mindfulness, inviting the participants to appreciate the process of inhalation and exhalation, and gentle meditation as the basics of self-reflection and self-awareness. This was not an exercise based on any religion, but it had a spiritual element linked with the inner self as the starting point for transformative change.

The rationale behind education, coupled with both the substance and methodology, was then broached through participatory discussions and group work ready to disrupt the business-as-usual curriculum, with sparks of iconoclasm challenging the established system astutely. There is already a global response to the issue embedded in the current UN-backed Sustainable Development Goals which are now approaching their termination point in year 2030. While it is common knowledge that the world will not attain those goals by the designated year, the essence of those goals, especially on education, is as pertinent as ever.

There is a universal call to ensure that education is inclusive, equitable, quality-based and open to lifelong learning. Education is a means to an end, in the sense that humanity aspires to well-being of a holistic kind, both material and nonmaterial. The aspirations are grounded on the need for human rights, democracy and good governance, peace, sustainable development with an intergenerational connection, environmental protection especially on climate change, and most recently, responsible technologies, especially Artificial Intelligence -- "AI" for Good.

A longstanding debate on higher education is to what extent it should be academic rather than vocational. There is a possible contrast between education for life, on the one hand, and education for living, on the other hand. The former advocates learning space with a critical mind and capacity for self-fulfillment, not necessarily geared to a particular profession. The latter claims that more attention should be paid to the jobs (or lack of jobs) awaiting graduates and the realities of economic upturn or downturn linked with the labor market.

A pervasive notion for consideration is "employability," especially in a world where automation accelerated by algorithms and AI might lead to dislocation with a cascading effect to reskill and upskill. Yet, employability is not necessarily about being employed by someone else. It can also mean the capacity to be self-employed. In fairness, if the issue of equity is borne in mind, special measures may be required to lift people out of poverty, and various vulnerabilities, such as age, disability, gender, displacement and ethnicity should not be overlooked. There should thus be provisioning of social protection to help those who are on the fringe or are unable to compete, reskill or upskill.

Another key element of the mini-Summit was to interlink the humanities -- social sciences such as history, languages and law -- and the STEM spectrum (science, technology, engineering and mathematics). Currently, the drive to technologize and related budgets are creating an imbalance with more emphasis on the latter than the former. In reality, both are important and need to cross-fertilize.

An innovative subject to be introduced in the university curriculum is the history of STEM bridging the personal histories of individuals and communities which had a hand in scientific and other development and the subject matter of the natural sciences such as biology and physics. This historical affiliation would humanize the curriculum and enable technological progress to be anchored on human development, with an ethical touch embodying values with a human face, such as inclusivity and empathy.

In regard to methodology, higher education is well-placed to foster critical analysis and action-based activities which might be called "practicum." The former can be propelled by casework, debates and group dynamics with multiple role-playing so as to enable differing viewpoints to be shared. The sources of information should be plural to avoid a mono-focal, textual approach and related learning by rote.

The educational environment might be a hybrid between face-to-face classrooms, online links and fieldwork, such as internships with businesses and civil society organizations. Students should be geared to project-based learning through actions with the various stakeholders, which can give rise to qualitative longer-term assessment, while at times quantitative assessments such as through "closed book" exams may still be needed.

Most challenging of all is the advent of AI and how to have sound guardrails for its role in education. The preferred premise is to enable AI to augment rather than to replace human capacity and initiative. Learners should try to use their own brainpower before resorting to AI assistance. A key example is to invite students to write their own essays and theses, before opting for help from AI to check or add to the initial human endeavor. Excessive reliance on AI might lead to "cognitive offloading" where the brain becomes increasingly lethargic and corroded by technological overdose.

A holistic educational approach should also target the "affective" component which concerns attitudes and the heart itself in their relationship with humans and nature. They go hand in hand with the other factor of skills and behavior, incentivized by a socialization process enhancing our conscience, consciousness and consideration towards other elements of life together.

Vitit Muntarbhorn

Vitit Muntarbhorn is a professor emeritus at the faculty of law, Chulalongkorn University. He is the recipient of the 2004 UNESCO Human Rights Education Prize. The views expressed here are the writer’s own. — Ed.

(Asia News Network)