By Jun Ji-hye
Universities should offer education that prepares students for employment and cultivates well-rounded citizens capable of contributing to the betterment of society, according to Fernando Leon-Garcia, president of the International Association of University Presidents (IAUP).
These two aspects are not mutually exclusive, but can instead be taught in a combination striving for both, the IAUP president said. The comments come amid ongoing rapid shifts in the debate over the roles and services of universities in a changing world.
"We must make sure that students are well-prepared and equipped with the knowledge and skills that will allow them to be excellent professionals in their respective fields. But we must also provide for the reflection, analysis, awareness and connections that entail being exposed to some of the challenges of society," Leon-Garcia said in a recent interview with The Korea Times.
"Universities must do both based on what their respective mission happens to be. It must be interwoven across the curriculum."
Leon-Garcia said there will continue to be progress with artificial intelligence (AI) technology such as ChatGPT, calling on universities to reflect upon the issue deeply, rather than disregarding and dismissing it as a fad or something temporary that will pass.
"The challenge for a university is to have a deep reflection regarding where it is currently with respect to AI, what gaps exist and how does the institution want to begin at the very least raising the awareness of the potential and limitations that AI provides as students are progressing through their studies and then as they join the ranks in their respective professions," he said.
Leon-Garcia also noted that the COVID-19 pandemic has brought some changes and leadership challenges in the education sector, citing a study conducted by the IAUP during the pandemic.
The study, which involved over 700 university presidents across continents, presented observations that universities would be moving in the next three to five years from teaching face-to-face only to a scenario where the basis would be face-to-face but increasingly combined with online or a hybrid of the two.
As for Korea's transformation and its education system, Leon-Garcia said that higher education is key to the societal and economic development of the country.
"The diversification of the higher education system in Korea is distinctive relative to many developing economies that have not found the right focus and approach to have higher education be a key ally in development," he said. "All of this involves the regulatory environment, collaboration and funding, which might be a given in Korea but is not a given in many countries."
He cited the extensive collaboration with key industrial and business clusters as another important feature of Korean universities, saying this important linkage allows synergies that might provide a simple conduit for students to be connected to real-world challenges.
"Broader interaction might also involve problem-solving projects, scholarships or financial aid for students or laboratories specialized facilities and academic buildings," he said. "At the higher end, this cooperation might also involve important research and development."
Leon-Garcia, who also serves as president of CETYS University in Mexico, one of only five Mexican universities accredited in the United States, said his home institution has enjoyed and learned much from its cooperation with Korea's major universities, including Korea University, Yonsei University, Hanyang University and Sungkyunkwan University.
Citing the fact that Mexico is Korea's sixth-largest trading partner but largest one in Latin America, Leon-Garcia called for stronger ties not only between the countries to increase trade but also synergies between universities that might help Mexico accelerate its contribution to business, industry and overall economic development.
"Therefore, I would encourage stronger and more strategic ties between key universities and associations," he said.
The IAUP, founded in 1964 in Oxford, England, is a global network of university leaders and institutions seeking to strengthen leadership through the exchange of knowledge and strategic insights.
Leon-Garcia said the organization has had intensive engagement with leaders from Korea such as Lee Se-ung, honorary chairman of Seoul Cyber University.
"I have been involved and engaged in IAUP for about 20 years, initially taking advantage of the opportunities that the IAUP provides for university presidents from around the world to connect, to share best practices, to establish partnerships and to improve the leadership of their universities to their respective regions, all in an increasingly interconnected world," he said.
Universities should offer education that prepares students for employment and cultivates well-rounded citizens capable of contributing to the betterment of society, according to Fernando Leon-Garcia, president of the International Association of University Presidents (IAUP).
 |
| Fernando Leon-Garcia, president of the International Association of University Presidents (IAUP) / Courtesy of IAUP |
"We must make sure that students are well-prepared and equipped with the knowledge and skills that will allow them to be excellent professionals in their respective fields. But we must also provide for the reflection, analysis, awareness and connections that entail being exposed to some of the challenges of society," Leon-Garcia said in a recent interview with The Korea Times.
"Universities must do both based on what their respective mission happens to be. It must be interwoven across the curriculum."
Leon-Garcia said there will continue to be progress with artificial intelligence (AI) technology such as ChatGPT, calling on universities to reflect upon the issue deeply, rather than disregarding and dismissing it as a fad or something temporary that will pass.
"The challenge for a university is to have a deep reflection regarding where it is currently with respect to AI, what gaps exist and how does the institution want to begin at the very least raising the awareness of the potential and limitations that AI provides as students are progressing through their studies and then as they join the ranks in their respective professions," he said.
Leon-Garcia also noted that the COVID-19 pandemic has brought some changes and leadership challenges in the education sector, citing a study conducted by the IAUP during the pandemic.
The study, which involved over 700 university presidents across continents, presented observations that universities would be moving in the next three to five years from teaching face-to-face only to a scenario where the basis would be face-to-face but increasingly combined with online or a hybrid of the two.
As for Korea's transformation and its education system, Leon-Garcia said that higher education is key to the societal and economic development of the country.
"The diversification of the higher education system in Korea is distinctive relative to many developing economies that have not found the right focus and approach to have higher education be a key ally in development," he said. "All of this involves the regulatory environment, collaboration and funding, which might be a given in Korea but is not a given in many countries."
He cited the extensive collaboration with key industrial and business clusters as another important feature of Korean universities, saying this important linkage allows synergies that might provide a simple conduit for students to be connected to real-world challenges.
"Broader interaction might also involve problem-solving projects, scholarships or financial aid for students or laboratories specialized facilities and academic buildings," he said. "At the higher end, this cooperation might also involve important research and development."
Leon-Garcia, who also serves as president of CETYS University in Mexico, one of only five Mexican universities accredited in the United States, said his home institution has enjoyed and learned much from its cooperation with Korea's major universities, including Korea University, Yonsei University, Hanyang University and Sungkyunkwan University.
Citing the fact that Mexico is Korea's sixth-largest trading partner but largest one in Latin America, Leon-Garcia called for stronger ties not only between the countries to increase trade but also synergies between universities that might help Mexico accelerate its contribution to business, industry and overall economic development.
"Therefore, I would encourage stronger and more strategic ties between key universities and associations," he said.
The IAUP, founded in 1964 in Oxford, England, is a global network of university leaders and institutions seeking to strengthen leadership through the exchange of knowledge and strategic insights.
Leon-Garcia said the organization has had intensive engagement with leaders from Korea such as Lee Se-ung, honorary chairman of Seoul Cyber University.
"I have been involved and engaged in IAUP for about 20 years, initially taking advantage of the opportunities that the IAUP provides for university presidents from around the world to connect, to share best practices, to establish partnerships and to improve the leadership of their universities to their respective regions, all in an increasingly interconnected world," he said.
![[INTERVIEW] Ecolab helps Korean partners profit from ESG management](https://img.koreatimes.co.kr/upload/thumbnailV2/7a924189dbb7426ab12275ba98702309.jpg/dims/resize/178/optimize)
![[INTERVIEW] 'Lifeline for migrant workers in Korea' - Rev. Kim fights for foreign employees' rights](https://img.koreatimes.co.kr/upload/thumbnailV2/8fb4b5d381da49df90276394550f2889.jpg/dims/resize/178/optimize)
![[INTERVIEW] Korea to work with US, Japan to fight climate change](https://img.koreatimes.co.kr/upload/thumbnailV2/800d9054a14b4a0f9cc576366cc1b914.jpg/dims/resize/178/optimize)
![[INTERVIEW] Hip-hop group Uptown returns after 13 years with new lineup](https://img.koreatimes.co.kr/upload/thumbnailV2/0eae35da5e9c40c38cf439e550a2eb3e.jpg/dims/resize/178/optimize)
![[INTERVIEW] ASTRO members aim to shine in musical theater](https://img.koreatimes.co.kr/upload/thumbnailV2/df16760dc50f469d93434f66a069465c.jpg/dims/resize/178/optimize)
