Higher education’s future: Asia and technology
The development of technology, particularly online learning, and the emergence of Asian countries as strong higher education performers and a major source of students will shape the future of higher education in the coming years, according to the Higher Education Futures conference, jointly organised by the OECD and Singapore government, which took place yesterday. Furthermore, Singapore’s co-Acting Education Minister Ong Ye Kung, outlined the growth of technology as a major focus of the future of education: “"Today, one can offer a taxi service without owning any vehicles (Uber), offer hotel services without owning any rooms or buildings (Airbnb). And soon we may have a big successful university that has no classrooms," he said. He added that tertiary institutions must respond to allow individuals to "intersperse" study and work throughout their lives and not confine learning to the classrooms, and that he believes much of the learning will be done online and at the workplace.

Societies, too, are changing and technology is creating new opportunities. "Advances in technology have the potential to replace or transform jobs that not just involve manual work, but also cognitive and increasingly complex intellectual tasks," Mr Ong said.

"To prepare people well for this reality, education institutions must be well plugged into the needs of industries and the real and unpredictable world."

In the past, Singapore's higher education institutions were focused on serving the country's interests.

But to young people, education is often about choices - "where and how to channel their energies and passions", said Mr Ong.

"Every Singaporean counts, and he or she can count only if the system allows maximum play of what he or she is best at doing," he said.

Mr Ong said that while the Government expands the university sector to allow up to 40 per cent of every age cohort to attend university full time by 2020, it will not do so by adding "more of the same" but in the form of new programmes and new institutions.

"Diversity will not merely be in terms of course choices, but will be multi-dimensional," said Mr Ong.

SkillsFuture, launched last year to provide Singaporeans with opportunities to develop to their fullest potential throughout life, is a key part of this change.

Tertiary institutions must respond to allow individuals to "intersperse" study and work throughout their lives and not confine learning to the classrooms. Much of the learning will be done online and at the workplace.

The definition of merit and success must be broadened, said Mr Ong.

But what is beyond the Govern-ment's control is how society regards and recognises skilled workers and craftsmen.

"This will have to be part of our continuing evolution as a society," he said.

The two-day conference is attended by 500 leaders and experts in academia and public policy to discuss trends and challenges in higher education.

Mr Ong is one of two Acting Ministers for Education.

Mr Ng Chee Meng is Acting Education Minister (Schools).

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