4IR and Human Capital Development

Prof Ewe (left) receiving certificate and token of appreciation from the 50th Chung Ling Alumni Worldwide Carnival Organising Chairperson Ling Peng Tong

UTAR Vice President for Internationalisation and Academic Development Prof Ir Dr Ewe Hong Tat delivered a talk titled “4th Industrial Revolution and Human Capital Development” during the 50^th Chung Ling Alumni Worldwide Carnival (第50届世界钟灵校友嘉年华会). The talk was held at Kampar Campus on 27 May 2018.

Speaking to a crowd of over 100 audiences comprising Chung Ling alumni and UTAR students, Prof Ewe first gave an overview of the technology revolution origins, which started from agriculture, then industry and now digital. He explained that the digital revolution, unlike the previous agricultural and industrial revolution which could only transfer physical objects, is able to transfer items and messages through fibre optics or hyperspace medium. “The digital revolution is not limited by physical constraint. As long there is imagination, things can go far and beyond in the digital world,” he highlighted.

The Senior Professor also explained how the economic evolution has taken place, with labours firstly from the blue-collar workers, to white-collar workers and currently, the knowledge workers. This reflects an intensification of knowledge content at work in which these knowledge workers will grow and they will be required to have higher knowledge content. Prof Ewe then showed charts and statistics of the growing use of automation in employment and said mass production is no longer tied to having more labours, but can be achieved and also expedited through the use of automation.

He also pointed out some of the great achievements of the 20^th Century such as electrification, automobile, airplane, water supply and distribution, electronics, computers and so on, which had changed and shaped the world. “Science and technology have transformed lives, and we are becoming more dependent on these inventions. This century will show the rapid innovations and transformations that will take place, and we will see newer innovations replacing current innovations. Take example the film cameras, which were firstly replaced with digital cameras, and now, everyone is taking photos with their smartphones,” mentioned Prof Ewe.

According to the Fellow of the Academy of Sciences Malaysia, the whirlwind of technological change and development have also brought challenges to 21^st century education. Prof Ewe added, “The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) education directorate Andreas Schleicher said before that a generation ago, teachers could expect that what they taught would last their students a lifetime. Today, due to rapid economic and social change, schools have to prepare students for jobs that have not yet been created, technologies that have not yet been invented, and problems that we don’t yet know will arise.”

He then showed the audiences learning frameworks by organisations on 21^st century education which underscores the importance of the need to have content knowledge and 21^st century themes; learning and innovation skills such as the 4Cs— critical thinking, communication, collaboration and creativity; information, media and technology skills; as well as life and career skills. “Of course fundamental knowledge is still important, but we need to know that some knowledge will be obsolete and nowadays with smartphones, we can just get knowledge at our fingertips. Therefore, the 4Cs are essential as they are also transferrable skills which if developed, can be applied in all cases,” explained Prof Ewe.

Prof Ewe also pointed out that with regard to 21^st century skills, the World Economic Forum (WEF) also pinpointed the importance of foundational literacies such as numeracy, scientific, ICT, financial, and cultural and civic literacies which are essential to how students apply core skills to everyday tasks; competencies such as the 4Cs which influence how students approach complex challenges; and most interestingly, character qualities including curiosity, initiative, persistence, adaptability, leadership, and social and cultural awareness which shape the way students approach their changing environment.

In relation to character building, Prof Ewe said that good character, attitude and personality are heavily looked upon throughout one’s career. He also added that UTAR is guided by the six pillars of education which are Virtue and Morality; Knowledge and Intellect; Physical and Mental Health; Sociality and Humanitarianism; Aesthetics and Harmony; Creativity and Innovation, in educating its students. “Our vision is to be a global university of educational excellence with transformative societal impact because we believe the need to be relevant to the society and how to contribute to them,” presented Prof Ewe, who also added that UTAR’s students are developed in the eight domains encompassing knowledge, practical skills, social skills and responsibility, ethics and values, communication, problem solving, information management, and entrepreneurship, which are needed skills by 21^st century education.

The approach is bolstered by the University’s quality accredited programmes and strong industry collaborations which are important for human capital development. According to Prof Ewe, the UTAR Soft Skills Development Certificate is also in line with the Top 10 skills in 2020 listed by WEF, namely cognitive flexibility, negotiation skills, service orientation, judgement and decision-making, emotional intelligence, coordinating with others, people management, creativity, critical thinking, and complex problem-solving.

“UTAR’s Undergraduate Research Scheme encourages our undergraduates to do research which in turn spur their higher order thinking skills,” said Prof Ewe who also mentioned that the future of education should steer students in the direction of higher level thinking where they should be able to apply, analyse, evaluate and then create knowledge in the 21st century. The audience also learnt of the University’s effort in promoting cultural intelligence and inculcating the students with an appreciation of diversity via its student mobility programmes as well as community service programmes.

Before concluding his presentation, Prof Ewe likened education to an iceberg. “What we see above the sea level is just the tip which needs to evolve and keep up with the emerging technologies following the rise of smart services and globalisation in the Fourth Industrial Revolution. However, what we cannot see underneath the sea level will be the importance of ethics and morality, character building, higher order thinking, multiple intelligences, mind and hands, soft skill competencies and lifelong learning which will help us to be better prepared for the unknown challenges ahead,” concluded Prof Ewe.

The one-and-half-hour talk was part of the 50th Chung Ling Alumni Worldwide Carnival’s programme. Other activities such as friendly table tennis, golf, badminton, tug-of-war and basketball matches as well as campus tour also took place at the award-winning Kampar Campus.

An annual get-together by alumni of Penang’s Chung Ling High School (CLHS), the two-day carnival from 26 to 27 May was held at Kampar Campus for the first time and was attended by over 900 alumni who came from all over the world. Also present throughout the carnival were UTAR President Ir Prof Academician Dato’ Dr Chuah Hean Teik and Prof Ewe who graduated from CLHS in 1979 and 1985 respectively.

From left: Dr Tan Chin Nam, Tun Michael Chen Wing Sum, UTAR Planning and Development Committee Advisor Tan Sri Hew See Tong, Prof Chuah, Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon, Dato' Seri Hong Yeam Wah, Persatuan Alumni Chung Ling Perak Chairman Chong Sook Kian, Dato' Seri Koay Hean Eng during the carnival's welcoming dinner at Dewan Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik

CLHS flag bearers marching into Dewan Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik during the welcoming dinner