Educating for innovation
November 7, 2001 | 12:00am
Some of the programs at the World Economic Forum’s "East Asia Economic Summit" in Hong Kong last week centered on non-economic subjects such as governance, social responsibility, philanthropy and innovation. One session chaired by Noboyuki Idei, chairman and chief executive officer of Sony Corporation, explored ways Asia’s educational institutions and teachers will have to shift how they educate for the present knowledge society, which demands creativity and innovative thinking.
Mr. Idei and a very distinguished panel composed of presidents of Asian universities (Yuchiro Anzai, president of Keio University, Japan; Choue Chungwon, president of Kyung Hee University, Korea; Paul Chu, president of Hong Kong University of Science and Technology; Arthur Li, vice chancellor of The Chinese University of Hong Kong; Shih Choon-Fong, president of the National University of Singapore; Tatchai Sumitra, president of Chulalongkorn University in Thailand; Fanny Law, secretary of Education and manpower of the Hong Kong SAR) were in unanimous agreement that the technological advancements of the last 100 years will require a restructuring in educational institutions – especially at the tertiary level. They also generally agreed that present teaching methods requiring discipline, learning by route and skills for productivity, need to shift to allow the student to think outside of the box. What should be done to empower students to explore and probe freely from an ever-expanding pool of knowledge? Here are some of the points made from which we can learn:
"Learning and innovating are continuous life processes."(Idei)
Students of the future will have to learn beyond school and specializations through books and knowledge that is ever changing. Dr. Shih pointed out that there is an emerging paradigm shift from having career goals of "life long employment" to "life of employability." This will mean that schools must rewrite their mission statements from offering mere specialized knowledge to equipping a young mind with life-learning skills, which involve building a broad knowledge base, and promoting "creative enterprise." Students of the future will need to have a keen eye to pick up what is new and innovative.
Dr. Li argues that educating for innovation does not require abandoning Asian teaching methods like route memorization. He believes that there is a stage in one’s schooling where route plays its role. The question is at what point does one shift from learning by route to more non-conventional methods that allow a rebellious and critical nature to emerge? How do we develop minds that are free to inquire and to allow diverse viewpoints within an Asian setting?
Innovation transcends pure science and technology. It encompasses all of human endeavor. In this way, technology "fosters wealth, health and well-being." How can Asia’s schools produce brilliant minds, engineers, and "netpreneurs"? Some ideas expressed by professors in the audience explained how European and American Universities form alliances and have visiting professors traveling from college to college, sharing knowledge somewhat like the "minstrels" of the past.
"The success of an economy is dependent on the quality of its human resources – death or breath?"(Chungwon)
We must shift from "one-way thinking to exploring and discovery. Therefore, governments must realize that education is an investment rather than a cost." The primary prerequisite for Asian educational institutions is to be equipped with Internet facilities so that students can access knowledge and are free to roam.
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