After successfully completing the APRU Open Dialogues Pilot in 2023, on May 10th, the APRU Open Dialogues 2nd cohort took place on the topic “What is the right to higher education?”. This topic was selected based on the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which exposes the right to higher education as part of the fundamental right to education.
Sixty-five undergraduate students (59% female, 39% male, and other 2%) from 10 universities, nine economies, and 18 nationalities participated in the open dialogue. The participating universities were the National University of Singapore, Osaka University, Tecnológico de Monterrey, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, The University of British Columbia, The University of Melbourne, Universidad San Francisco de Quito, the University of Alberta and Universidad Católica de Salta*.
A team of experts and 14 moderators guided the dialogue exercise. Overall, the discussions highlighted the importance of global collaboration and advocacy in addressing educational inequalities and fostering inclusive higher education systems.
Perla Salinas, Director of Human Dignity training at Tecnologico de Monterrey, started the conversation by declaring that Dialogue is not debating. In dialogue, people do not fight to win but to seek meeting points where ideas can be built. She added that the dialogue does not intend to change a point of view that does not want to be changed; its primary function is to find ways for people to talk about their ideas from their perspective and reach agreements where all parties are satisfied. She said “I invite you to listen to the person next to you, understand their story, find your voice, and speak out because everyone wants to listen to you.”
In this online exercise, students had the chance to engage in candid conversations with peers from around the globe. Participants identified common challenges, such as economic hardship. However, they also learned about other barriers to accessing and remaining in college, such as distance, accessibility when having a disability, food insecurity, debt, and emotional burden, to name but a few.
Mariana Echaniz, lecturer, and undergraduate program director of International Relations at Tecnologico de Monterrey, expressed: “This was a unique experience for everyone. After the dialogue, students were impressed with some of the stories they had heard. Some had never realised how students from remote areas or war-torn countries struggle to access higher education. This was also an enriching experience for me as an instructor of the “Diversity in a Globalized World” class. We truly had the chance to be in a “global” environment exchanging ideas, views, and aspirations”.
In conclusion, some of the central learnings were:
- Economic barriers, cultural norms, and societal challenges affect access to education in various countries.
- Exchanging experiences with students from different backgrounds enriches understanding and empathy.
- Gender norms and societal expectations can also impact access to education, particularly for women.
- Refugee status and displacement present unique challenges in maintaining educational continuity.
- Encouraging awareness of available scholarships and advocating for inclusive policies are common solutions discussed.
- Recognizing the privilege of higher education and advocating for equitable access is a shared responsibility.
David Huerta, Director of international experiences at Tecnológico de Monterrey concluded that nowadays, when many young people’s lives are affected by someone with sizable social media followers, we can use technology to connect students differently, through dialogue, is about moving beyond being “interesting” to becoming “interested” in the views, cultural perspectives, opinions, and life stories of students around the world… in a way, I want students to experience what Bob Burg once said: “Sometimes the most influential thing we can do is listen.”
The Asia Pacific Open Dialogues aims to develop a collaborative model for promoting open dialogues among the consortium universities in the Pacific Rim, to create empathy and awareness on current shared topics, and to develop responsible leadership skills. More information here: https://www.apru.org/our-work/student-leadership/open-dialogues/
*Special guest non APRU University