Matching Graduates and Employability in Myanmar

NEPC, 19 January 2021

The future of
higher education?
A world of science fiction?

 social and economic progress is achieved

principally through the advancement and
application of knowledge

World Development Report 1998/99

Are Myanmar universities
ready?
 Outline

• Knowledge for Innovation

• Matching Graduates and Employability
 Explaining the difference
between poverty and wealth
35,000.0

30,000.0
28,605.7
South Korea
25,000.0
GDP per capita (2010 US$)

Difference
in output due to
20,000.0 Total Factor Producti-
vity growth or
knowledge
accumulation
in Korea
15,000.0

10,000.0
Brazil 11,121.7

Difference in output
due to growth in
labor and capital in
5,000.0 3,417.4 Korea

932.0
-
1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 2019
 South Korea and Brazil

49.0 18.4
2018 39.2 2018 34.6
11.8 47.0

40.1 7.4
2010 46.8 2010 44.4
13 48

30.2 6.5
2000 52 2000 32.6
17.7 60.7
tertiary
secondary
9.1 4.3 primary
1980 49.8 1980 9.3
41.1 86.4

2.6 1.2
1960 17.8 1960 7.6
79.5 91.1

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
Scientists active in R&D
80.0%

72.1%
70.0%

60.0% 59.0%

50.0%

Firms
40.0%
Research Institutes
32.3% Universities
30.0%

23.1%

20.0%

10.0% 8.7%
4.7%

0.0%
Brazil South Korea
Patents/USPTO, 1985-2012
14,44
0

South Korea
population: 50 millions
50
33
6
39 Brazil
population: 200 millions
Exception
Evolution of Nokia turnover
Higher education
at the heart of economic growth

 Nordic countries

 Lisbon agenda of the EU

 Asian tigers / dragons

Singapore in 2016
Creation of the Solar Energy
Research Institute
Contribution of NUS

• Institute of Solar Energy Institute doing the research

• TVET institutes training technicians

• Results:
• Production of photovoltaic panels (3.5 billion dollar
investment)
• 5% of annual energy consumption
• Circular economy: recycling of solar panels
(partnership with Singapore Polytechnic Institute)
27
 Outline

• Knowledge for Innovation

• Matching Graduates and Employability
Three dimensions
of innovation

 New competencies, skills, attitudes and

behaviors

 New pedagogical practices

 Innovative use of new technologies

 The future of jobs
(labor markets in the digital era)
The future of jobs

 Jobs that disappear (700 professions)

 New jobs
Jobs that did not exist
10 years ago
 App developer
 Social media manager / YouTube content creator
 Digital risk manager
 Smart city / smart building architect
 Driver-less car engineer
 Cloud computing specialist
 Big data analyst
 Sustainability manager
The future of jobs

 Jobs that disappear (700 professions)

 New jobs

 Jobs that are undergoing transformation (47%)

 UK: 23% lacking basic digital skills

 Africa: 1% of graduates have coding skills

Fastest changing professions
in the USA

 mechanical drafters
 computer programmers & software developers
 architectural and civil drafters
 advertising and promotion managers
 pharmacists
 insurance underwriters
 environmental engineers
 electronics and electrical drafters
 actuaries
Economic Complexity Index
(Harvard U)

 Degree of export diversification

 From little variety with low technological level to a

lot of variety with high technological level

 Myanmar is # 111 (Malaysia is 25, Thailand 32,

China 33, Vietnam 52, Indonesia 71)

 Progress since 2011: +4 (Vietnam +11, Thailand

+2)

 Leading countries: Japan, Switzerland, South Korea,

Germany, Singapore
 Singapore

 Food

 Drugs

 Digital technology
 New Professions

 Robotics / Intelligent electronics / Cybernetics

 Organ and human tissue technology

 Digital industrial production

 Urban agriculture

 Circular economy specialists

 Deep ocean technology

 Battery technology

 Solar and wind energy technology

Close linkages with
employers /alumni

 Feedback through surveys and focus groups

 Participation in curriculum committees

 Internships for students

 Cooperative programs

 Practitioners as visiting professors

 Technology transfer projects

Generic complex competencies

 Information analysis, critical thinking &

problem solving

 Global contextual analysis

 Teamwork / collaboration

 Communication

 Creativity
Design
 Razr de lujo
con piel de lagarta
 Creativity

Process of generating original ideas and insights

that have value

Sir Ken Robinson

 Creativity

invent
experiment
think out of the box
take chances
break the rules
make mistakes
and have fun…
 Character qualities /
Socio-emotional competences

 Curiosity (motivation)
 Initiative (entrepreneurial thinking)
 Persistence / grit / resilience
 Adaptability
 Leadership
 Ethical awareness & reasoning (social, cultural
& environmental dimensions)
2019
Educational Neuroscience
 Take aways

 Intellectual simulation enhances development

 Enjoyable educational experiences provokes

pleasure (chemical reaction associated with
dopamine hormone)
Learning is not
a spectator sport
Student-Centered Learning

 Sparking Curiosity

 Igniting Passion

 Unleashing Genius
Curricular innovations

 Experiential learning (coop, service, simulations, role

playing)

 Multi-disciplinary programs
 Amsterdam University College
 U of Queensland School of Chemistry and Molecular
Biosciences

 Competency-based learning
 Western Governors’ University

 Internationalization
Innovative pedagogical
approaches

 Peer learning
 Clickers / Flipped classroom
 Project and design based learning
 Olin, Roskilde, Aalborg, Maastricht
 Simulations
 Serious games
 Self-learning using AI-based software
 Golden Triangle
Assessment

Appropriate Use
of Technology

Curriculum Pedagogy
 Assessment

 “Assessment = killer of learning”

 Need for alignment

 Formative rather than summative assessment

 Multi-dimensional assessment: general

education, key competencies, trajectory

 e-portfolios as self-evaluation and growth

assessment instruments
IE window
 New Technologies

 Computers and Internet

 Artificial intelligence

 Virtual Reality / Augmented Reality

 Collaborative Platforms

 3-D Printing

 Big Data

 Blockchain
Maria Bot

 A tsunami is coming:
Universities in the digital
era


A brave new world?
Library of retired humanities
professor in Maryland
 Library of
21st century professor
The digital gap
The digital gap
The digital gap
Competing in the learning society
Competing in the learning society
Competing in the learning society
Rule of the strongest
Rule of the most patient
What is your vision?