Scholars and experts gather at Lingnan University and HKIEd to discuss the sustainable development of Asia-Pacific Higher Education in the era of massification

Scholars and experts from the United States, Japan, Malaysia, Vietnam, mainland China, Taiwan and Hong Kong gathered at The Hong Kong Institute of Education (HKIEd) on 12 November and Lingnan University today (14 November) for the Asian University Leaders Program (AULP) and an international symposium entitled “How Sustainable is the Current Massification Surge in Asia Pacific?”. The event was hosted by the Centre for Greater China Studies and Department of Asian and Policy Studies at HKIEd, and the Centre for Asian Pacific Studies at Lingnan University in collaboration with the Asian Pacific Higher Education Research Partnership, United Board for Christian Higher Education Asia, One Asia Foundation and HEAD Foundation.
 

The objective of the AULP was to provide a lively platform on which scholars could share their valuable insights into and discuss the differences in higher education throughout the Asia-Pacific region in the overall process of massification. Over 40 participants from universities in southern East Asia attended for professional training and exchange with leading scholars and experienced university administrators.
 
Following the AULP, invited scholars and experts from the field of higher education policy and governance coming from Asia Pacific continued their in-depth discussion at the “2015 International Symposium: How Sustainable is the Current Massification Surge in Asia Pacific”.
 

At Lingnan University when the second day of the symposium is held, Prof Leonard K Cheng, President of Lingnan University, delivered an opening speech highlighting the contributions of liberal arts university against the context of massification of higher education. Prof Jill Perry, the Executive Director of the Carnegie Project on the Educational Doctorate (CPED) and a Research Associate Professor in the Department of Administration and Policy Studies at the University of Pittsburgh, discussed the Carnegie Project on the education doctorate with a focus on transforming education practice in multiple contexts. Prof Bundit Chaivichayachat, Associate Professor of Kasetsart University, shared his recent research on the public financing in the massification of public university in Thailand. Prof Han Chien-Shan, Associate professor of Fu Jen Catholic University, discussed the value-enhance programs by industry-academy cooperation. Prof Joshua Ka Ho Mok, Vice President, Chair Professor of Comparative Policy of Lingnan University, and Dr Jin Jiang, Postdoctoral Fellow at Department of Sociology and Social Policy, Lingnan University, Research Associate at Centre for Greater China Studies, HKIEd, critically examined the impact of the massification of higher education on graduate employment and social mobility. Dr Arthur Yung-feng Lin, Director of Center for Teacher Education at National Chung Cheng University, highlighted the challenges to a post-mass system of higher education in Taiwan. Prof Heidi Ross, Director of the East Asian Studies Center and Professor of Educational Policy Studies at Indiana University, shared her recent study on the moral geography of international higher education.
 
The international symposium also provided an opportunity to enrich students’ learning experiences, develop their global insights, and prompt their international and intercultural understanding. Students from HKIEd and Lingnan University attended the symposium and joined the in-depth discussions with the speakers.