IN September 2018, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim offered the following advice in his address to university students in Singapore: “You have to study hard and make sure you excel in your studies, but you must also know that you study not just to
become successful professionals, you must also aim to serve.
“You owe it to the community and it is this conviction that must stay with you. There are values in life beyond just making money and enjoying yourself. There are so many people who are being deprived, marginalised and oppressed here and elsewhere. Your duty as a student is to take this up.”
And to the universities, he said they not only have to be excellent as an institution but must also have a heart. He added that they must also train students to think and reflect, and not only to understand and have adequate knowledge to succeed. That would fail education.
Most of us accept that the main purpose of education is to help us attain a better life. This often means getting a good job.
Employability holds a significant importance in higher education, and it is no secret that as universities, we measure success based on the generation of new knowledge and the ability of our graduates to secure employment.
Nevertheless, the conventional educational system has frequently faced criticism for its institutionalised approach, which is believed to limit learning to narrow economic goals.
The criticism surrounding this issue continues to amplify. Many argue that the role and practice of education in today’s volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous world should undergo a transformation. Education should empower our youths to face the challenges of modern life, encourage their personal growth and enable them to contribute towards making the world a better place.
How should universities react to such criticism? Do we need to reshape our educational approach to stay ahead of the curve?
The answer becomes clearer when we try to understand the expectations of both present and future learners, whom universities will educate in the years to come.
Rise of purpose-led generation
Generation Z (Gen Z), the first generation of digital natives are people born between 1995 and 2010, spanning from 13 to 28 years old.
In a study conducted by McKinsey in 2018, four core Gen Z behaviours were identified, all anchoring on one element: this generation’s pursuit for truth.
Gen Z value individual expression and reject being defined by labels. They proactively engage in various causes and movements. Compared with previous generations, they demonstrate a heightened interest in human rights, issues concerning race and ethnicity, social justice and climate change.
They believe profoundly in the efficacy of dialogue to solve conflicts and improve the world. The Deloitte Global 2022 Gen Z and Millennial Survey revealed that 76% of Gen Z advocated for a better world, who wants to see us “invest in visible, everyday environmental actions, where they have an opportunity to be involved”.
Generation Alpha (Gen Alpha) are those born between 2010 and 2025. They will likely become a large segment of the global population, with approximately more than 2.8 million being born each week.
It is anticipated that the total population of Generation Alpha will exceed two billion individuals by 2025. Gen Alpha will enter universities after 2026.
Australian social researcher Mark McCrindle, who coined the term Gen Alpha, predicts that this group will become the wealthiest and most technologically savvy generation, who will also enjoy a longer life span.
Generation Alpha is expected to have longer educational journeys, start earning years later and stay home with their parents for extended periods.
They are likely to exhibit shorter attention spans, anticipate educational experiences
that incorporate gamification and have an entrepreneurial zeal.
Additionally, they seek opportunities to apply their learning in real-life scenarios beyond the confines of educational institutions. In essence, Gen Alpha will increasingly demand to see a
high degree of equilibrium between the outside world and how they interact and learn inside
the institution.
Multiple studies by Ernst and Young and Pearson and McKinsey in 2020 and 2021 have confirmed a major shift in learner expectations about university studies. Learners today and in the future are likely to be more socially conscious, want to support a good cause and are more driven to make a positive impact on the world.
Learners do not just want university credentials, instead, they seek out education infused with purpose and meaning that has a positive impact on communities and industries.
They have a strong desire for personalised and meaningful learning experiences, aligned with their identity and purpose or passion. This shift in generational behaviour presents a remarkable opportunity for universities today, allowing us to seize a unique moment to redefine our value proposition to cater to the needs and aspirations of these learners.
Apart from remaining relevant to learners, this is also an opportunity to not only produce highly employable graduates but a generation of youths, who are empowered to make a positive impact in the world.
By doing so, we can rekindle the humanistic essence of higher education by expanding beyond narrow economic objectives and
myopic focus on market value. Instead, we can foster a more profound cultivation of human values that recognise the inherent dignity of individuals and the world around us.
Education will no longer be just about getting good grades and accumulating credentials to ensure high employability but serve to empower our youths to take a productive place as purpose-driven leaders in the global community.
Purpose learning
A purpose-driven university is one where education and research are purpose-led and impact-driven, and will align the staff and students’ passion, purpose and profession.
By adopting a model similar to Ikigai (a Japanese concept meaning “a reason for being”), the aspiration will be for staff and students to live successful and meaningful lives. To do so, students and staff will need to do what they love, what the world needs, what they are good at and what they can be paid for.
In a purpose-driven university, students will articulate their purpose through “I will” statements, which will help guide them to
co-curate their study plans, with faculty members to focus on societal problems, understand the issues and craft solutions throughout their learning journey.
Almost all university faculties today are organised by discipline. Yet, the challenges facing our world are so complex that no single discipline can effectively solve these independently. Hence, universities must establish Impact Laboratories (Impact Labs), which comprise solution-focused teams of academics, practitioners and students with a common purpose and committed to working together to make progress on societal problems, while being guided by the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.
They will bring together transdisciplinary expertise from across the university as well as partners from government, businesses, non-profit organisations, philanthropic practitioners and beneficiary groups to generate new insights and creative approaches required to solve complex challenges.
Staff and students can live their “I will” purpose through such labs, which will enable the integration of research, education and advocacy to deliver practical solutions.
They will also shape new policies, practices or products that can contribute to people and the planet and towards its prosperity.
Through Impact Labs, learning and research will become more meaningful as staff and students feel empowered to believe that they can live their purpose and make a positive impact
on society.
In conclusion, it may be harsh to label current approaches to educating our youth as a failure. These approaches may have just outlived their original purpose and relevance.
We need to have a serious rethink about how we continue educating our youths, in light of the complex societal problems, and shift learner expectations.
Imagine the powerful and positive outcomes that can be unleashed when thousands of youths, driven by their respective “I will” statements, undertake education projects infused with impact.
Hopefully, we can start experiencing an endless list of contributions on issues of poverty, health, the environment, infrastructure, justice, renewable energy, governance, art, culture and many other areas.
Perhaps, universities can move from aiming to be the “best in the world” to becoming universities that are the “best for the world”.
The writer is Deputy Vice-Chancellor and
Chief Academic Officer at Taylor’s University.
He is also a multi-award-winning professor of Leadership and Innovation in Higher Education. Comments: letters@thesundaily.com
