Transformative knowledge for social change
Professor Tan Sri Dato' Dzulkifli Abdul Razak
Learning Curve: Perspective
New Sunday Times - 26-05-2013
PARADIGM SHIFT: Set priorities in generating and using knowledge in societies
THE mood in Barcelona, Spain, on a recent weekend was jubilant. The soccer team had won the 22nd La Liga Spanish League title for the fourth time in five years. The celebration at La Rambla, the city's main thoroughfare, though was measured. The austerity drive and prevailing economic situation seemed to have taken hold.
At Universitat Politécnica de Catalunya some distance away, the atmosphere was even more sombre, what with education budget cuts all round.
The mood was felt throughout the recent 6th International Barcelona Conference on Higher Education co-organised by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) and the Global University Network of Innovation. Themed, Let's Build Transformative Knowledge To Drive Social Change, it boldly called for the need "to reinvent all systems that organise life -- economic, political, environmental and social -- to respond to new needs, overcoming the limitations and undesirable side effects of the models that we have used to date".
It noted the urgency to seriously consider priorities in generating and using knowledge in societies since the very idea of progress is at stake. We have yet to resolve two major conflicts despite the fact that at no time are education and knowledge resources more available than today, and advances in science and technology have been nothing short of spectacular.
One dispute results from human coexistence, while the other, the relationship between humans and the natural environment. In summary, a "crisis of scale" is imminent, calling for a new paradigm of interdependence in understanding life on Earth.
Against this background, the conference deemed that the post-industrial development model is no longer working. It is neither extensible nor sustainable. Neither are we any happier, failing to meet the aspirations for joy and well-being.
This column has highlighted the outdated system for some time now. In the coming years, the greatest challenge to higher education -- in terms of social value -- is to materialise the contributions made by knowledge to build a sustainable future. The emerging idea of social engagement is vital indeed.
The discourse led by UNESCO Chairs and various experts in the relevant areas belaboured the theme. Seven key issues were identified to offer new visions for the future: Learning to read reality; building the world we imagine; why engagement is critical to social change; building partnership: making cooperation mainstream; enlarging the conception of knowledge; redefining political frameworks and structures for making engagement to happen; and engagement with added value and collective impact.
Higher education systems are responsible for not only understanding the past but also preparing for the present. They must be critical, open-minded and creative to build a better world. Now is the time to rethink the process, purpose and substance of education at all levels, encompassing spirit, heart and mind. This goes beyond educating professionals and teaching citizens ethical awareness and civic commitment.
The paradigm shift must move from individual competitiveness, economic profitability and a short-term focus to teamwork and individual and social responsibility for the common good and long-term sustainable development. It is imperative to link what have previously been disconnected, especially in sociocultural terms.
It necessitates struggle for change through the process of engagement that alters current social structures and power relations. Engagement is more than a key to break the conformity of thought by proactively criticising the world of ideas and transforming beliefs about the way we organise our community established in social systems.
Based on this main idea, community engagement, which is central to the creation of a new citizenship, also aims to approach the challenge of engagements faced by higher education institutions in an integrated manner for the larger society. This is to enable more exploratory ways to enhance teaching and research at the same time. In addition, it is necessary to analyse the reason why and the manner in which engagement takes place to ensure a positive social process of transformation.
I felt privileged to participate in and contribute to this event on reinventing higher education. Its clarity showed tremendous commitment and potential to further the cause of humanity through innovative educational paradigm. No doubt the Albukhary International University is one of its proponents.
My fervent hope is that the newly formed Ministry of Education and Higher Learning can be persuaded to quickly leverage on the conference outcomes to develop the next phase of the strategic mindscape for Malaysian education, with the 13th General Election polemics still resonating nationwide.
- The writer is the vice-chancellor of the Albukhary International University