Re-energising higher education in Asean

Higher education, implying the tertiary level associated with universities and parallel institutions, is at an inflexion point in Southeast Asia, where the trajectory of sociopolitical, economic and cultural development is changing rapidly.

- Vitit Muntarbhorn

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 others. There is also a marked divergence between ageing and dwindling populations in some countries and the burgeoning youth populations of others in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) region.

In this ambiguous state of affairs, much can be done to re-energise the system through leadership, commitment, adaptive approaches and agile alignments to prepare learners and teachers to realise 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 recently in Malaysia. Interestingly, instead of beginning with speeches and discussions usually associated with conferences, it opened with a session on mindfulness, inviting participants to appreciate 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 carried a spiritual element linked to the inner self as a starting point for transformative change.

The rationale behind education, together with its substance and methodology, was then explored through participatory discussions and group work designed to disrupt business-as-usual curricula. Sparks of iconoclasm challenged the established system astutely.

There is already a global response to these issues embedded in the UN-backed Sustainable Development Goals, which are approaching their 2030 endpoint. While it is common knowledge that the world will not fully attain these goals by the designated year, their essence — especially those relating to education — remains as pertinent as ever.