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 Pac Rim Rising
Shih Chon Fong is the chairman of the Association of Pacific Rim Universities, a consortium of 36 leading universities from 16 economies, which is modeled after the Association of American Universities. He is president of one of the APRU's schools, the National University of Singapore. | |
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PAC RIM RISINGThirty years ago, it would have taken a far-seeing pundit to predict that the 21st Century would go down in history as the Pacific Rim century. “... improving higher education throughout the region has been crucial to this renaissance.”
After all, many of the countries that make up the area known as the Pacific Rim—from Chile to China—hardly seemed to have bright futures. Many were ruled by military dictators, with economies as stagnant and moribund as the hopes of many of the citizens.
Vastly improving higher education throughout the region has been crucial to this renaissance, and the Association of Pacific Rim Universities (APRU), a consortium of 36 leading universities from 16 economies, has played a leading role in pushing revitalization ahead. With a strong emphasis on collaboration and a recognition of the increasing interdependence of regional economies, APRU has become a catalyst for encouraging economic growth and social improvement. The Marshall Business School recently spoke with Shih Choon Fong, the chairman of APRU and the president of one of its member schools, The National University of Singapore. The Review was interested in his thoughts on APRU's role in regional development, how China is transforming higher education and what lessons the world can learn from India. Q: What is APRU's role in the development of Pacific Rim countries? A: Innovation and higher education are key engines for economic growth and social development. APRU has the potential to be the network of choice to realize the synergy between research, innovation and enterprise in the Pacific Rim, and contribute to economic growth and social development in the region. Q: In June 2002, you announced the creation of APRU Enterprise, which facilitates technology transfer between member universities. How important is this kind of cooperation to the future of Pacific Rim economies? A: In a knowledge-based global economy, innovation and entrepreneurship are vital in order to create the competitive advantage needed for sustainable growth. Research universities are wellsprings of ideas and talents and thus, play a key role as engines of innovation and economic growth. Many great discoveries would not have been possible without cross-border collaboration. An example is the human genome project. The discovery of just one specific human gene - the human telomerase gene - involved a Swiss postdoctoral student, a Japanese graduate student, a laboratory in Texas, and a mass-spectrometry facility in Heidelberg. APRU is unique in its ability to foster multi-lateral cooperation among the top research universities in the Pacific Rim, so that all may prosper together. Q: What would you like to see member universities, as well as governments and industries in the Pacific Rim, do to encourage entrepreneurship? A: Universities could explore "cross breeding" of ideas using existing technologies and IP. Such hybrids of ideas and technologies from different universities will improve the prospects of breakthrough and viable commercialization. The formation of APRU Enterprise has greatly facilitated a move in that direction, but all 36 member universities, diverse and different as they may be, must see the benefits of such a move in increasing the breadth of their position. The synergistic value is going to be quite compelling if we would all put our hearts and minds into it. We also need enterprising industries that are proactively seeking commercially viable opportunities and turning them into products or services. Finally, governments should continue to fund research and development efforts in universities and provide seed money through the universities to encourage commercialization of research. They should also provide incentives to industry to promote technology transfer and commercialization of technologies. Q: What is the significance of APRU being registered as a legal entity in Singapore? A: It is a growing recognition of Singapore as an educational hub to foster ties amongst top research universities. Being a cosmopolitan city at the crux of East and West, Singapore appreciates geopolitical sensitivities and is well-placed to be the facilitator of diplomatic exchanges. Singapore's experience and commitment to a multi-lateral approach is also demonstrated through the hosting of multi-lateral organizations such as Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) and the Pacific Economic Cooperation Council (PECC), upon which APRU could possibly leverage. Q: Higher education has focused on China with increased urgency in recent years. What are your thoughts on the growth of multinational education ventures in China? A: When China moves into the international market place, we will certainly see a surge in the demand for knowledge-based workers. The younger generation in China has a voracious appetite for knowledge and aspires to link up with the global economy. There is thus a huge unmet demand from young professionals in this education arena. Recognizing this void, many institutions utilize this window of opportunity to forge multinational education alliances in China. It is imperative for the rest of the world to be connected to this burgeoning superpower. The changing landscape of higher education, therefore, goes beyond the dynamics of demand and supply. In the past, the West led higher education. China is swiftly transforming the scene. Collaborations between the universities in the East and West will intensify as Chinese universities evolve and join the ranks of world-class universities. Already, we are witnessing a more balanced talent flow between North America and Asia, due to the lure of opportunities in the awakening dragon. There is now a compelling exigency to understand Greater China. With this trend, we will perhaps see a fusion of ideas and education models that will marry the best of East and West in near future. APRU is in an ideal position to be the driver of this fusion. Q: You have said the high standards in India show the value of synergy between research, education and business. What can other countries learn from India, and how significant to the future of the Pacific Rim is the Indian model? India has some strong basic fundamentals of a market driven economy. The widespread use of English in India constitutes a competitive edge in IT services and back office work. Moreover, its business-friendly environment is aligned with Western accounting standards. In addition, its legal infrastructure is also more developed than China. In terms of education, schools in India are exceptionally strong in computer science and mathematics. The elite schools like the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) produce world-class graduates who are well sought after in the global arena. The India effect and the Asian challenge will force both the developed and developing economies in the region to mobilize all their competitive differentiators in the most innovative ways possible to create their niche. This would propel the various economies to invest more in advanced education and in promoting innovation. Q: APRU is one group among several international university networks, such as The Euro League, The Worldwide University Network, and The South Pacific Alliance. How does APRU differ from other global competitors as a multinational network with staying power? A: APRU is modeled after the successful AAU (Association of American Universities). The vision of the APRU founders was to create a grouping of premier universities in the Pacific Rim to accomplish together more than what each could do through bi-lateral arrangements. Two such examples would be large-scale multi-university research projects on technology transfer and internationalization of university activities. “ In the new globalized world...we must now promote brain exchange. ”
In the old days, we worried about brain drain. In the new globalized world where talents are constantly on the move, we must now promote brain exchange. APRU will be a success if it can foster this new collaborative culture among its members and spread it through the Pacific Rim and beyond. Sources: |
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