Joining The Dots
[1 April 2018, The STAR]
Instead of minding the gap between graduate expectations and employment
PROFESSOR Dr Feng Da Hsuan met a friend for a drink in Shanghai after a meeting. The evening went well and, on their way back, his companion connected to eDaijia, an app designed to hook up inebriated car-owners with a designated driver. By the time they reached his friend's car, the driver was standing next to it.
This idea of countering China's severe drink-driving law, according to Dr Feng, Senior Advisor of China Silk iValley Research Institute and Senior Fellow of the Institute of Advanced Studies of Nanyang Technological University, is not what students can expect to be taught in universities.
Instead of just focusing on a job-guaranteed education, students must be taught to push boundaries, think critically and learn on their own. "The ability to find that little need and address it is vital," he stressed. In today's fast-paced world, what matters is joining the dots that no one has thought of connecting.
While he feels the notion of bridging the gap between education and employability is still relevant, it needs to be defined differently.
"What kind of career are they going to have if they are employed in an industry that disappears within five years?
"Ultimately, what a university needs to do for a student – which UTP is doing so admirably – is to enhance curiosity and intellectual bandwidth. Without this, the future of a 21st century career could be in jeopardy!" says Feng.
The basic foundation of a university programme remains significant, but the circumstances and the volatility of an evolving marketplace do not offer any guarantees.
Yet, in Ivy League universities, not only is the gap marginal, but graduating students are in high demand as well.
At Princeton University, says its Environmental Institute Director and Civil & Environmental Engineering Professor Michael A Celia, not all engineers end up in the field they trained for. Many move into areas such as medicine, law and business administration.
"It's the skill set, critical thinking ability, data analysis and deductive reasoning inherent in an engineering education, in my opinion, that makes engineering an ideal academic training for many different professions."
Focus on Well Rounded Students
Professor Celia says despite UTP's initial vested interest in the oil and gas industry, the focus now is on producing well-rounded students.
In the current energy landscape, it is not the exceptionally skilled technical student who thrives, but the one whose mind is broad enough to understand the entire energy perspective.
"UTP emphasises not only a deep technical foundation for its students, but also enhances their understanding of the humanistic context of things that will solve the world's current big problems such as climate change, urban environment and water scarcity, for example," added Professor Celia.
Industry players have an equal role in shaping students. Says Professor Lord Kumar Bhattacharyya, Director of Warwick Manufacturing Group (WMG) at the University of Warwick, "If they want skilful people, they want growth, and if they want a space for their product in the future, they need to be involved."
In the last 30 years, this department, known for its academic excellence with industry relevance, has become one of the world's leading research and education groups, designing solutions to overcome challenges through collaborative research and development with research contracts from industry worth nearly £1 billion.
The solutions are not derived only from technical capabilities. Professor Lord Kumar observed, "You have to have an appreciation for the interaction between technical, natural sciences, social sciences and humanities."
By 2020 his department plans to take on 1,000 apprentices, making it the largest space of this kind, while maintaining the high standards required. "The method of presentation using form, standard and thinking remains, but method or vehicle will change. It has to evolve."
He believes UTP has put together a very clear and succinct set of directions to tackle the biggest problems and is facing them head-on. He recommends more blue-sky research, a "curiosity-driven science".
"The emphasis must be on a symbiotic partnership between the university and the market where students will go to work," he says.
The concept of a university as an ivory tower does not work anymore, claimed Professor Dr David B Prior, Executive Vice President & Provost Emeritus and Dean of Geosciences Emeritus, Texas A&M University.
International exposure is critical
He spoke on developing students into global citizens and responsible leaders. To him, a global citizen must be able to function in the world with the right creative capabilities and understand global issues such as pollution and climate change "… global issues that will have local impact in their countries, their communities."
In order to build the capabilities required, he recommends studying or interning abroad. At graduate level he suggests students doing relevant research in fields such as smart communities or energy sustainability, with projects enabling students to grasp global perspectives. He also thinks developing additional certificate programmes in global issues would be an added advantage for students in the workplace.
Research universities such as UTP should emphasise both the long-term fundamental blue-sky research – without expecting immediate application – as well as applied research that delves into a particular problem and offers a solution. "The two types of research can overlap or merge with each other. When the industry or market place gets involved, that's where the discovery has market value."
Professor Celia believes UTP has already put in place an extremely good, effective undergraduate curriculum across a range of disciplines. It is now focusing on broadening that scope to produce well-rounded students. That is what you aspire to as an institution, he adds, the enthusiastic expectation and ultimate confidence that feeds into students, empowering them to go out and do great things. "That's what we want. It's the purpose of education."
Relating to the current economy, there is a new theory co-created by Professor Dr Feng – the omnipresent economy. In general, the theory recognises the imperative need for connectivity and aims to bring about mutual learning, mutual benefits and openness to parties involved.
This "everywhere, every moment" is especially prevalent all over China. He takes the eDaijia example, where the company has basically employed people riding on little go-karts all over Shanghai waiting to rescue a merry, tipsy driver. "The person closest to your car can get there in less than five minutes."
"If you can think of it, it's there. If you can't….," added Professor Dr Feng cryptically.
