APRU Senior International Leaders (SIL) convene annually to discuss important themes in higher education, advancing the impact of APRU initiatives and programs. International leaders engage and share best practices on the role of universities in responding to the educational needs of future generations. Each SIL meeting is hosted by a different member university each year.

The APRU Senior International Leaders’ Meeting 2024 represented this year’s key event where the Senior International Leaders (SIL) from APRU’s member universities could connect and exchange ideas on how to overcome a range of limits by leveraging lifelong learning, scholar and student mobility, and technologies in teaching and learning. Held under the theme Learning without Limits and hosted by the Keio University in Tokyo, Japan, October 9-11, the international meeting involved 88 attendees, including 32 Senior International Leaders and 38 Provosts/Vice Presidents from 44 universities across 16 economies, which made it one of the most-attended and diverse SIL Meetings ever. High on the agenda the discussions took a deep dive into the many challenges that universities face globally including declining birth rates, aging demographics, geopolitical risks, economic security, research integrity, regional disparity, globalization, and the advent of new technologies represented by AI. “This meeting harnessed the collective expertise and insights of the APRU network to enhance the resilience and adaptability of higher education institutions,” said Prof. Kohei Itoh, the President of Keio University in his keynote address. “It was not just a meeting but a collaborative effort to shape a unified approach towards a sustainable and inclusive future in higher education.” The event provided ample space for forward-looking panel discussions. Setting the scene, Prof. Motohiro Tsuchiya, Vice-President for Global Engagement and Information Technology at Keio University highlighted the importance of international university cooperation, with Japanese universities serving as a case study.  Prof. Natalie Konomi, Vice President for International Affairs, Kyushu University and Prof. Toshiya Ueki, Executive Vice President for General Affairs, International Affairs, and Academic Resources, Tohoku University shared the current challenges that universities face in Japan related to the economy, student mobility, and technology. In a keynote address on Innovating Higher Education through Creative Technologies, Prof. Yike Guo, Provost of The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, shared insights about how the integration of art and AI is transforming both the creation of art and the landscape of higher education.  “There are unprecedented avenues for creativity and innovation in higher education when you blend the intuitive and expressive nature of art with the analytical power of AI. As educators we can foster a new generation of thinkers who are not only technically proficient but also creatively inspired.” Prof. Helen Sullivan, Dean of The Australian National University’s College of Asia and the Pacific, in her keynote address delved into the role of educators in enhancing collaborative learning. “In the realm of collaborative learning–understanding, at the core, the point at which multiple spaces, knowledges, and technologies intersect is paramount. Our work must transcend traditional boundaries, integrating diverse perspectives and innovative tools to foster environments where all voices are heard and valued. This approach not only enriches the learning experience but also empowers communities to address complex challenges collectively,” Sullivan said. This was followed by a keynote of Laura Hassink, Managing Director of Elsevier’s STM Journals, sharing insights on the opportunities and threats of AI in the scientific publishing landscape and  exploring how the community can work together to ensure the responsible use of AI to maintain trust in science. “As we navigate the evolving landscape of artificial intelligence, it is crucial for the scientific community to collaborate in ensuring the responsible use of AI. To ensure trustworthiness of science we must use AI carefully, to avoid new biases or errors and ensure transparency and accountability with oversight of the human expert eye. We need to use AI responsibly in publishing and analytics and it is important to remember that technology alone isn’t enough. It all starts with people, good practices, and a strong research culture,”Hassink said. Two sessions focused on the values and impact of the association and strategies to embed this in the future direction. The speakers highlighted specific values and discussed their relevance to APRU as well as the challenges that are associated with upholding them in a multipolar world. Speakers also discussed how the network’s impact can be enhanced; how effectiveness and impact can be measured; and considered new ways the network should seek impact in collaboration with its member universities. Prof. Cindy Fan, Vice Provost for International Studies and Global Engagement, University of California, Los Angeles who moderated the session on Values in Education and APRU’s Work, added “Our APRU core values—trust and respect, diversity, equity, and inclusion, work collaboration and knowledge co-creation, and sustainability—will guide us in setting priorities and identifying what is truly important for our collective future. We believe that a statement of APRU values is essential.” “We hope that insights from these discussions can feed back into our common work on APRU programs and initiatives, or could be taken up by the International Advisory Committee in a more strategic way,” said APRU Chief Executive Thomas Schneider. SILM 2024’s keynote speeches and panel discussions were flanked by a guided museums tour of the Keio University Museum Commons (KeMCo) and The Fukuzawa Yukichi Memorial Keio History Museum. The Senior International Leaders also enjoyed a networking dinner overlooking the magnificent Tokyo Tower. SILM 2024 contributed to a carbon offset project via ClimeCo, a global sustainability company. The Afognak Island Forest Project, a landmark project in remote Alaska, was established in 2006 and designed to protect over 8,000 acres of a 200-year-old native spruce forest and increase carbon sequestration by providing financial incentives for shifting from timber production management to conservation management. Avoidance of emissions stems from the prevention of logging, whereas removals are derived by retaining native and naturally regenerating logged forests to store and sequester carbon. The SILM 2025 will be hosted by the Universidad San Francisco de Quito in Quito/ The Galápagos Islands, Ecuador, in the fall. This follows the 29th Annual Presidents’ Meeting 2025 at the University of California, San Diego, USA, June 22 – 24. Click here to access the photos of the SILM 2024.  Photo credit: Aki Takematsu, Keio University

Original Post on The University of Sydney News   Tackling natural disasters, food insecurity, poverty Senior leaders from Pacific Rim Universities this week discussed higher education’s role in addressing major challenges facing the region.   The Association of Pacific Rim Universities (APRU) comprises 60 leading universities from 19 countries. These institutions are known globally for their academic and research excellence. The theme of APRU’s 2023 leaders’ meeting was One Pacific: Breaking down education and research silos to address Asia-Pacific challenges. The program focused on how higher education and university collaboration can resolve issues facing the Asia-Pacific. Professor Kathy Belov, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Global & Research Engagement) at the University of Sydney said APRU leaders were determined to make progress on tackling the most urgent challenges facing the region. Professor Belov moderated a panel discussion on actions APRU members can take in the coming year to address issues raised during the conference. “We’re particularly excited about the new One Pacific theme which brings together 60 research-intensive universities around the Pacific Rim to tackle wicked challenges like sustainability, waste, biodiversity loss and health,” she said. One Pacific gives expression to the fact that the multiple challenges facing the Asia-Pacific are all interrelated, as are the fates of its civilisations, and the opportunities that the Pacific holds for the future. “We recognise that together we’re much stronger than we are alone,” Professor Belov said. Keynote speaker Professor Annamarie Jagose, Provost and Deputy Vice-Chancellor at the University of Sydney, discussed how technological advancements and workforce changes might shape our future universities.  “The critical thing to keep at the forefront of our minds when we think about the future of higher education is less what will be new and different about the universities of the future than what is distinctive and unique to universities,” she said. “Chief among those distinctive characteristics in my view must be the free and unfettered development of new knowledge in an environment also committed to student learning.” Keynote speaker Jonna Mazet, Vice Provost of Grand Challenges at the University of California, addressed the role of universities in fighting the climate crisis and emerging health threats, and advancing diversity, inclusion, and equity. Professor Emma Johnston, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) and Professor of Marine Ecology and Exotoxicology at the University of Sydney, opened the program by leading the delegates on the Coogee-Bondi coastal walk. “A walk like this is a great way to connect with each other, and with the ecosystems we depend upon,” she said. “We were able to share important understandings of our local biology, including sharks, whales, and seaweeds, and our local geomorphology, including beaches, sandstone, and rip currents.”  The APRU Senior International Leaders’ Meeting is the first of a series of major events being hosted by the University of Sydney this week including the Times Higher Education World Academic Summit and the World 100 Annual Conference.

Representatives of 41 universities exchanged their views on shaping a common future during the three-day in-person conference hosted by UC Riverside The Senior International Leaders’ Meeting (SILM) 2022, of the Association of Pacific Rim Universities (APRU), successfully concluded on 19 October after three fruitful days of discussions among leaders of 41 universities across the Asia Pacific region. This year’s annual conference was the first time since 2019 that leaders were able to share their opinions in person on the new global landscape of higher education. Hosted by the University of California, Riverside (UCR), under the theme “Reconnecting to Shape Our Common Future,” the event brought together institutes from 15 countries and regions across Asia, Oceania, North America, and South America at the in-person meeting and through a hybrid session. After two years of virtual meetings due to the pandemic, this year’s on-site gathering offered a valuable platform for senior university leaders to identify their common challenges and opportunities and develop collective strategies for a very different world from when they last met. Commenting on the significance of this year’s meeting, UC Riverside Chancellor Kim Wilcox, underscored the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on higher education and the importance for universities to carve a shared path through APRU. Chancellor Wilcox said: “After more than two years of disruptions due to COVID-19, UC Riverside is pleased to bring together leaders from APRU member universities, reconnect with them, and facilitate much-needed discussions on mutual interests at this year’s Senior International Leaders’ Meeting.” He continued: “The pandemic has reinforced the importance of universities deepening their connection with each other, and of pursuing a collective approach to addressing global challenges facing higher education.” Dr. Christopher Tremewan, Secretary-General of APRU, commended the outcomes of this year’s meeting and stressed the importance of the APRU network responding to members’ aspirations while also contributing collectively to solving global challenges. Dr. Tremewan said: “I am delighted that APRU’s Senior International Leaders’ Meeting has been able to resume in-person this year at the University of California, Riverside. We have a new sense of urgency because we know that the shocks to the system we have experienced are only the beginning of crises which will shake the viability of higher education systems. We will not be able to ignore the effects of climate change, inequality and increasing techno-nationalism. They are already upon us. “More than ever, we need to come together on APRU’s neutral ground to build on the relationships of trust and cooperation that have grown over many years. It has been encouraging to see that our members’ renewed commitment to each other and to the common good.” Highlights from the three-day meeting include the keynote speech on Tuesday titled “Policy is Stronger with Science” by Professor Susan Hackwood, Professor Emerita at the UCR, Former Executive Director of the California Council on Science and Technology, and current Director of the Science to Policy Program. Prof. Hackwood shared how educating Ph.D. students on the policymaking process and training them to communicate their research to a general audience can positively impact the health and well-being of communities around the world. Prof. Hackwood said: “It was wonderful to have the opportunity to share the UCR Science to Policy and the US-Japan SciCom Fellowship programs with a group of international educators from APRU. We not only shared the great work our students and colleagues are doing, but also brainstormed ways we can enhance the program and expand collaborations to work with students and policymakers outside of the U.S. who are addressing some of the world’s most pressing challenges.” Also on Tuesday, two panel discussions titled “Shaping the Landscape of International Higher Education”, chaired by Prof. Jeffrey Riedinger, Vice Provost for Global Affairs of University of Washington and “Global Learning and Student International Activities in the New Normal”, chaired by Mr. Will Johnson, Assistant Vice Provost and Director of Global Education Oregon (GEO) of University of Oregon, sparked illuminating exchanges among delegates on lessons learnt during the pandemic, new understanding of the future in higher education, and ways to develop trust for the benefit of students and societies. Prof. Riedinger said: “At a time of multiple geo-political tensions, we are mindful that cross-institutional, cross-continental collaborations are essential to effectively addressing the world’s most pressing challenges and most promising opportunities.” Mr. Johnson added: “After two long-years of disruption to travel-based programming, it is exciting to be back in-person with my colleagues from APRU partner universities. I am honored to be able to spend time engaging with fellow thought leaders who share the goal of collectively addressing the challenges and opportunities facing higher education and global engagement in the coming years.” Another high point was a panel discussion on Wednesday, chaired by Dr. José M Páez, Vice-Rector for International Affairs at Tecnológico de Monterrey in Mexico. The session, titled “Scaling Up Initiatives on Global Challenges”, evaluated the methods APRU member universities adopted to address global challenges. Panellists, who came from four universities and APRU, explored the effectiveness of these approaches and analysed the necessity of adopting new strategies to enhance the alliance’s presence. Following the three-day in-person event, a level of renewed respect and trust was established among the top university leaders and their institutions. There was also an eagerness to engage at a deeper level for the future landscape of higher education, especially in ways that leverage the strengths of APRU’s network. For more information on APRU, please visit: www.apru.org/event/silm2022 www.apru.org

SIL Meeting Resources   Photo Album APRU Secretary General Remarks and Presentation APRU Strategic Plan 2019-2021 Introductory video of SILM 2020   APRU Strategy: ‘Leading the Asia-Pacific Region: Contributing to the Global Common Good This year’s Senior International Leaders’ Meeting (SILM) held September 18-20 at The University of British Columbia’s Vancouver Campus showcased how APRU members leverage their collective strengths to address the pressing needs  of our planet. Held under the theme “Advancing a Just, Sustainable, and Prosperous World: University Impact and the UN SDGs”, the meeting’s first core component “APRU Strategy: ‘Leading the Asia-Pacific Region: Contributing to the Global Common Good” represented a new stage of implementing the APRU Strategic Plan 2019-2021 approved at the Annual Presidents’ Meeting last June. UBC President and Vice-Chancellor Santa Ono extended a warm welcome to all delegates. The Role of Universities in Serving the UN SDGs The keynote address was delivered by Lauren Sorkin, Asia Pacific Director of the Rockefeller Foundation’s 100 Resilient Cities, a global network with 83 chief resilience officers (CROs) tasked with promoting the embedding of resilience principles into city plans and practices.   Presented via video conference, Satya Tripathi, UN Assistant Secretary General and Head of New York Office at United Nations Environmental Programme, urged for attention also on social mobility, health and well-being. He reiterated the importance of cooperation to make an impact on scale instead of success with one-off ideas.   APRU Strategic Plan The new Strategic Plan, which sets out APRU priorities as building global impact; increasing APRU’s value to members; creating high-value partnerships; and generating the resources to achieve these priorities, comes in a time humankind is facing unprecedented crisis. Scientists have been warning that many thresholds of irreversible climate change have been crossed, and that in the unlikely event that we can limit the rise in global temperature to under two degrees by the end of this century, the effects would still be catastrophic. “The challenges seem overwhelming, but many of the solutions are now within reach, and we know what to do, given that we probably passed the tipping point when the green economy is more efficient and profitable than the carbon economy,” said Christopher Tremewan, APRU Secretary General. “The challenge now is to work collectively to educate the last generation that has a chance to fix the planet and thereby both generate political will and implement the technical solutions at scale,” he added. Review his presentation and remarks. Directors of research programs and SILs presented on a wide range of projects and programs, spanning from the Pacific Ocean Program and Digital Economy Program to the Mayors’ Academy for Sustainable Urban Development.                 Student Mobility and the SDGs SILM’s second core component “Student Mobility and the SDGs” through a flipped conference model and active workshops led participants exploring greater cross-institutional student experiences focused on big, global challenges. To facilitate the co-creation of student mobility and engagement platforms, a survey of all APRU members had been conducted before the meeting to identify interests of universities to address the UN SDGs and document their activities to do so. Student Panel: Cross-Disciplinary, Cross-Institutional and Cross-Continental Experiential Learning In a cross-disciplinary, cross-institutional and cross-continental experiential learning student panel, discussions led to the idea of creating an APRU passport for students to collect stamps for attending various courses, as well as a program among all APRU universities to come together to build at least one course on SDG, faculty collaboration to advance curriculum. Participants also said that student mobility would greatly be advanced by the creation of a 3-week internships program in which all member universities are obliged to pitch in jobs or projects. Travel costs, visa requirements, communication with key stakeholders, i.e., faculty, parents and administrators, as well as the need to identify champion universities to drive the initiative were singled out as the main challenges to improved student mobility. “Real problems require cross disciplinary and diverse perspectives, as the gaps between different disciplines do not really exist in the real world,” said Parsa Chani, a Civil Engineering and Urban Studies Student at UBC, who worked in June as a summer consultant at 100 Resilient Cities in India. During breakout sessions participants were asked how to measure the strategic priorities. Participants called for the crafting of a shared curriculum among universities for students to enhance on their understanding on SDGs; more self-reflection to reduce the carbon footprints of campuses and networks; and the development of means to find out how exactly policy papers are utilized by governments and policy makers.               UBC Provost and Vice-President Academic Andrew Szeri (first on the left) who welcomed delegates to the Conference Dinner and the UBC team at the Office of the Vice-Provost International led by Vice-Provost Murali Chandrashekaran (3rd from the right). Welcome to New Members and International Policy Advisory Committee (IPAC) Co-Chairs During the welcome reception on September 17 evening, APRU welcomed its three new members Shanghai Jiao Tong University, the University of Queensland, and the Universidad San Francisco de Quito. The network also welcomed the new IPAC Co-chairs Kathy Belov of The University of Sydney and Alan Chan of Nanyang Technological University. The Co-chairs will be taking a leadership role in shaping the development and outputs of the APRU Senior International Leaders (SILs) in the coming years. SILM 2020 The Senior International Leaders’ Meeting in 2020 will be hosted by Far Eastern Federal University in Vladivostok, Russia on October 8-10, 2020.  

APRU successfully held its Senior International Leaders’ Week 2020 on October 6 to 9 which attracted over 450 participants around the world. Originally scheduled for hosting by the Far Eastern Federal University (FEFU) in Vladivostok, Russia, this year’s annual meeting was held virtually and was extended to four days as a response to the global health pandemic. The main Senior International Leaders’ Meeting held on October 7 was the platform for senior leaders to discuss the issues facing their societies and the Asia-Pacific region, and to review and plan our international strategy as a network. Attended by nearly 120 APRU delegates, this year’s meeting was chaired by Kathy Belov, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Global Engagement) at The University of Sydney and International Policy Advisory Committee (IPAC) Co-Chair. In his opening address of the meeting Secretary General Christopher Tremewan noted that many presidents of APRU member universities have recently been emphasizing their support for the network because of the obviously pressing need to communicate, share ideas and cooperate in the face of the crisis. “Even before the pandemic we had been having a sense that the world was moving abnormal in many ways,” Tremewan said. “Indeed, COVID-19 makes it even more important for us to act as a community amidst all these challenges and stresses,” he added. The panel discussion “Acting Together in the New Abnormal” was moderated by Victoria Panova, FEFU’s Vice-President for International Affairs. During the discussion, Kai-Ming Cheng, Emeritus Professor at The University of Hong Kong, projected that there will be no going back to the old normal for universities, with the new normal entailing reduced traditional learning and expanded self-directed learning with online means. Cheng explained that this shift will most likely be driven by declining public appropriations and philanthropic donations, with falling enrolment numbers reducing universities’ tuition income in the meantime. Nevertheless, Cheng went on to identify political factors as the overarching dilemma, as reflected by globalization, collaboration, open doors and market competition having given way to protectionism, hostility, domestic development and state intervention respectively. “All this seems irrational, but it is happening due to government behaviors,” Cheng said. “Higher education should advance despite these government behaviours, and I am confident that this is possible, given that the people are still friends, collaborators and partners,” he added. John Aubrey Douglass, Senior Research Fellow, Public Policy and Higher Education at UC Berkeley, giving a scan of variables in the post-COVID era. Cynthia Rose Bautista, the University of the Philippines’ Vice-President for Academic Affairs, outlined the new developments in teaching and research catalysed by the pandemic. Two discussants, Masahiko Gemma, Waseda University’s Vice President for International Affairs, shared the Mini-Max (to minimize the maximum regret) principle of crisis management, and Lisa Xu, Vice President for Education and International Affairs at Shanghai Jiao Tong University, elaborated her experience of new models of strategic partnership and collaboration in teaching. In the past two years the addition of nine new members (Monash University and The University of Queensland from Australia; Harbin Institute of Technology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University and Xi’an Jiaotong University from China; Universidad San Francisco de Quito from Ecuador; and Universidad de los Andes from Colombia; and University of California, Riverside and University of California, Santa Cruz from the US) brings the number of APRU members to 56. In the two orientation sessions held on October 6, each new member was invited to give a short presentation about their universities and to share with the APRU Secretariat and other members their expectation of joining the network and potential areas of collaboration and engagement were also explored. Veteran senior leaders from the region were also invited to share their experience with new members on deriving value from the network. The webinar “STEM Education across the APRU Network: Shaping Learning Experiences for Students” was moderated by Elly Vandegrift of the University of Oregon and was participated by STEM faculty coming from various disciplines in different geographic regions. Panelists discussed how innovative teaching practices can be culturally responsive and adapted to the wide variety of learning environments, and how inclusive teaching practices can continue to support global education as a central component of student learning.  In collaboration with the Ocean Nexus Center of the University of Washington, the APRU Pacific Ocean Program – Engaging Conversation on Ocean and Social Equity was held on October 7 where panelists unpacked ocean issues and their societal implications which are often left out due to the non-residential characteristics of oceans. In the session Global Health Program’s online courses APRU students and faculty had the chance to hear from former students and current faculty participants on their feedback on the distance education courses offered by the program, and observed in real time the student-led breakout room discussions. The eventful week was concluded by the Indigenous Knowledges Network Working Group Meeting, which was attended by nearly 30 subject experts and colleagues. Participants were briefed on the current state of indigenous studies in individual institutions and regions and shared their views on developing an Indigenous Knowledges Network among APRU members. Click here to view the the Senior International Leaders’ Week photo album.

APRU’s Senior International Leaders’ Week 2021, hosted virtually October 19-21 by The University of Sydney, highlighted many ways to strengthen APRU’s network’s activities based on what members have learned from the current crisis. Addressing nearly 100 delegates coming from around 43 universities, welcome remarks were given by Professor Mark Scott, the University of Sydney’s new Vice-Chancellor and President. Scott pointed out that the Covid-19 pandemic made the future arrive much earlier than what had been expected, with many new issues needing to be tackled with today as opposed to in the next decade. He praised Australia’s international student community for staying the course when the pandemic forced universities to shift to remote teaching dramatically fast. “We need to create environments where we can catalyse and stimulate research partnerships that then shape public policy and drive innovation,” Scott said. New South Wales Scientist of the Year, Professor Eddie Holmes from USYD’s School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, in his keynote speech “Lessons from COVID-19 in the New Pandemic Age” explained the need for a broader set of pandemic plans as opposed to the current plans that are based on the influenza response. It is crucial, Holmes said, that research funding for cross-protection vaccines and antivirals will be drastically increased and that a global surveillance mechanism for the human-animal interface is created; this mechanism would cover a wide range of fields, such as wildlife trade farms and animal markets. “We need a global pandemic radar that allows us to quickly identify new viruses and respond to the developments,” Holmes remarked. Christopher Tremewan, APRU’s Secretary General, for his part, highlighted some key developments in the APRU network. According to Tremewan, a report on the research relationship between China and the United States is expected to be completed later this year. He also reported on former New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark in September briefing the APRU Steering Committee on the global plan for preventing the next pandemic. This will feed into a report by the Steering Committee’s Presidential Working Group – comprised of the presidents of The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), Chulalongkorn University, The University of Auckland and The University of British Columbia – that will recommend what actions the network should take, Tremewan explained. And, APRU’s high-level policy dialogue on climate change is expected to facilitate new activities in the first part of 2022. “The Senior International Leaders’ Week is a very important meeting because, in these difficult times, it is vital that we keep in touch with each other and continue to build trust and cooperation to understand what each of us is going through,” Tremewan said. The breakout room discussions on Day 1 and 2 aligned with the three post-pandemic priority areas set out by the APRU Steering Committee: providing a neutral platform for policy development; advancing action on climate change; and enhancing social well-being. Co-chaired by Professors Kathy Belov of USYD and Alan Chan of CUHK, the 2-day meeting also heard various collaboration proposals suggested by members for addressing imminent higher education and global issues which include advancing diversity, equity and inclusion; establishing new models of student engagement; fostering research collaborations and partnerships, and integration of efforts in climate actions. This year’s SIL Week also served as the stage for the celebration of the first cohort of the Asia Pacific Women in Leadership (APWiL) Mentoring Program. This pilot Mentoring Program was launched almost exactly a year earlier, having since matched dozens of mentors and mentees to provide international and intercultural opportunities for the development of aspiring women leaders within the network. “It’s really important that we come together at this time to celebrate the accomplishments of 50 mentors and mentees from across Asia Pacific, because it showcases our commitment to work together in a world that is becoming increasingly fractious,” said Professor Dawn Freshwater, The University of Auckland’s Vice-Chancellor, in her keynote speech for the Mentoring Program Inaugural Graduation Ceremony. “During the year, you created sustained commitment to ensure that woman leaders have a path to higher education’s future and showed that this program is about doing, not just about talking,” she added. Participants used the event to report on the impact of the program to the APRU community and introduce the incoming cohort. The APWiL Program is led by the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, UC Davis, the APWiL Core Group, and the APRU Secretariat.   Click here for the photo album. Click for the recordings of Senior International Leaders’ Week 2021 Day 1 and Day 2.  

  16th Senior International Leaders’ Meeting  16th Senior International Leaders’ Meeting, Hong Kong, October 8-10, 2018 Host: The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Click here to view the meeting program.   The 16th Senior International Leaders’ Meeting held on HKUST campus welcomed more than 70 delegates to deliberate on ‘APRU’s New Strategic Plan’ which refines the network’s strategy and directions for the next three years. The three-day meeting was kicked off by President Wei Shyy’s keynote address on ‘HKUST in the Age of Innovation: Contributions, Opportunities and Expectations’ which set the scene for the discussion.   HKUST President Wei Shyy (second on the left) delivered the keynote address Professor Juan-Carlos Molleda, Dean of School of Journalism and Communication, University of Oregon highlighted their Media Center for Science and Technology (MCST)’s new model for science and technology communications using storytelling. Molleda pointed out collaborations among APRU members, developing industry partnerships around science communication research and practice, and engaging students in professional development training are pivotal to better communicate the impact of science and technology to the public. Professor Juan-Carlos Modella, University of Oregon, calls for partnerships to explore better communication of science and technology to the public On the panel ‘APRU and APEC: Closing the Digital Skills Gap,’ representatives from APEC Project DARE (Data Analytics Raising Employment) Secretariat presented their findings from the recent workshop which aimed at preparing the workforce for the digital age. In developing Asia-Pacific economies’ competency and addressing the gap of digital literacy, panelists called for cross-disciplinary collaborations, as well as partnerships among universities, industry and governments.   Panelists addressed how partnerships address the shortage of digital literate workforce. L-R: Adriana Rojas, Tecnológico de Monterrey; Patricia Wu, C&M International and APEC Project DARE Secretariat; and Christopher Watson, US Department of Labor Drawing on inputs from partners and research-related hubs, participants were invited to share their insights on the draft Strategic Plan and the implementation of strategy in breakout groups and in the speaking frankly session. Candid feedback on members’ aspirations of the network and the international impact that all members can make collectively were heard.   Panel on APRU Research-Related Programs draws out the impact various programs achieved and identifies key action forward The meeting also saw the launch of the APRU Impact Report 2018– Amplifying Impact: Transformative solutions to Asia-Pacific challenges. The report provides metrics and case studies that show the ways that APRU and its member universities are responding to the complexity of global challenges.   Breakout group discussion on draft Strategic Plan     Professor Toshiya Ueki reports back on the discussion of the breakout group to the meeting     Speaking frankly session     Members of Editorial Advisory Group of Impact Report share on how to communicate the report findings to the university community   On the same occasion, the APRU-The New York Times Asia-Pacific Student Case Competition on Artificial Intelligence 2018 also announced its winners. A team of three students from The University of Auckland clinched the competition, while teams from National University of Singapore and Nanyang Technological University were the first and the second runners-up respectively.     Participants viewing the video featuring the winning team from The University of Auckland     Presentation of trophy to the winning team. L-R: Christopher Tremewan, APRU Secretary General; Deborah McAllister, The University of Auckland; Helena Phua, The New York Times; Jenny Dixon, The University of Auckland; Carl Worker, New Zealand Consul General of Hong Kong The celebratory event also featured an expert panel on ‘AI For Good: Advancing Ethical, Transparent, and Equitable Strategies for AI’ where panelists discussed the promises of AI and where its solutions lay with respect to environmental sustainability, gender equity, representation of marginalized communities in data, civil rights and surveillance.   L-R: Chong-Fuk Lau, The Chinese University of Hong Kong; Bárbara Navarro, Google; and Christine Loh, HKUST and Former Under Secretary for the Environment; and Jeffrey Riedinger, University of Washington APRU Senior International Leaders’ Meeting 2019 will be hosted by The University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada on September 18-20, 2019.  

Click here to view the photo album. The Voice of Knowledge and Innovation – Challenges, Opportunities and Actions 1. Meeting Opens Amidst National Tragedy The 15th Annual Senior International Leaders’ Meeting (SILM) discussed the strategic direction of APRU and updated members with the progress of initiatives and recent innovations in higher education. Dr. José Manuel Páez, Vice Rector for International Affairs at Tec de Monterrey, welcomed fellow academic leaders, updating delegates on the previous day’s tragic earthquake before opening with a message of global cooperation, envisioning a more just world through cutting edge ideas. Co-Chairs of the International Policy Advisory Committee, Prof. Cindy Fan, Vice Provost for International Studies and Global Engagement at UCLA, and Prof. Jiro Kokuryo, Vice President for International Studies and Global Engagement at Keio University, welcomed attendees to the two-day conference. In a separate statement, Professors Fan and Kokuryo joined APRU General Secretary in expressing their condolences to the Tec de Monterrey colleagues and friends in Mexico. Vice Rector Dr José Manuel Páez shares his vision for innovation in higher education. Prof Cindy Fan (middle) and Prof Jiro Kokuryo (left) welcome delegates to the 15th SILM. 2. Current Issues in Higher Education in Latin America Latin American institutions responded to a shifting employment landscape with new educational models, to keep pace with the changing skill-demands faced by fresh graduates. Tuning Academy Pablo Beneitone, Director of the Tuning Academy, University of Duesto introduced the Tuning Academy, a global consortium of universities looking to update higher education for 21st century needs. The Academy works to develop curricula that better matches the needs of an advanced workforce. In order to accomplish this, the Academy will develop a framework of comparable and compatible qualifications, the Bologna Tools, to deploy through its regional initiatives. Through regional initiatives (Tuning Southeast Asia, Tuning China etc.), the Academy plans to adapt its model to suit local requirements on the ground. Tec21 Educational Model José Escamilla, Director of TecLabs (the disruptive educational innovation unit of Tec de Monterrey), presented the Tec21 model, which aims to reform higher education to provide the skills needed for a twenty-first century labor market. The model exposes students to real-world problems, with an emphasis on sustainability and inter-disciplinary learning. Alongside technical competencies, the model looks to expose students to civics, ethics, critical thinking and a breadth of different cultures, teaching in both Spanish and English. 3. 21st Century Workforce: A Case Study of the Technológico de Monterrey Showcasing pedagogical innovation in practice, hosts Tec de Monterrey shared their experiences from the Tec21 example. Tec21 Innovation Week José Manuel Páez, Vice-Rector for International Affairs of Tec de Monterrey, unveiled Innovation Week, a Tec21 student hackathon geared towards health and safety, clean energy and intelligent cities. The hackathon plans to host a series of workshops and conferences to connect students with leading experts in their fields. Prof Jaime Bonilla shares his experiences of the Tec 21 Educational Model during the second session of the 15th APRU SILM. Tec21 in Action Jaime Bonilla, Associate Dean of Continuing Education and International Affairs at Tec de Monterrey, explained the need to update education methods and infrastructure for a new generation of digital natives. Meanwhile, Pedro Nájera, Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering and winner of the 2016 Inspiring Professor Award, shared classroom examples of Tec21 in action. 4. APRU Vision—The Voice of Knowledge and Innovation: An Overview APRU Secretary General reviewed the year’s strategic direction, briefing delegates on the year’s progress towards long-term, strategic goals. APRU Secretary General Christopher Tremewan provides a strategic overview of the Association’s goals for 2017 and beyond. Christopher Tremewan, Secretary General of the APRU, recapped the year’s strategic dialogue and introduced new strategic activities and projects such as the Pacific Ocean initiative and the APEC Project DARE (Data Analytics Raising Employment). Both initiatives showcase the ways in which the APRU can link members’ expertise to advocacy and policy development through unilateral organizations, such as the UN and APEC. Dr. Tremewan outlined upcoming APRU initiatives, highlighting the 2018 APRU Impact Report and inaugural APEC University Leaders’ Forum (AULF), Da Nang, Vietnam, November 8. The Forum focuses on issues of sustainability and closing the skills-gap. APRU’s official partner for the Forum was the Ministry of Education and Training, Vietnam, and university partner Vietnam National University, Hanoi. The Forum is a notable step towards APRU’s goal of connecting research and education to policy impact through engaging with APEC. The Forum will run alongside the APEC CEO Summit, where business leaders from the world’s most influential companies will join political leaders to discuss the opportunities presented by the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Both events precede the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting, where world leaders will to discuss the region’s economic development. Meanwhile, APRU’s 2018 Impact Report will focus on modes of collaboration between the social sciences and humanities and STEM disciplines to find solutions to Asia-Pacific challenges. In addition, the Secretary General updated members on APRU’s communications strategy, including the planned development of a new web site following a re-branding project with brand consultant Landor. Finally, Dr. Tremewan presented the APRU’s collaborations with partners. He highlighted the APRU’s continuing collaboration with Elsevier, its engagement with APEC bodies, as well as recent and planned projects with the NYT, Google and AT&T. 5. APRU Enhancing Impact APRU’s lead-collaborators and representatives presented the year’s progress in ongoing activities. Sustainable Cities and Landscapes Dennis Galvan, Vice Provost for International Affairs of the University of Oregon, updated members on the Sustainable Cities and Landscapes Hub, sharing details from new projects and the recent, inaugural APRU Sustainable Cities and Landscapes Conference. Working groups formed at the conference aim to publish the conference’s first edited volume—a collection of studies and white papers to help inform policy. The ten working groups will each tackle a key aspect of sustainable living in the finished volume. Additionally, the Hub seeks to introduce specialist courses, tailored to city planners and government officials across the region. In planning the course, the Hub drew inspiration from the Sustainable Cities Year Program (SCYP), developed by the University of Oregon. The Hub hopes to replicate the SCYP’s modus operandi across APRU, adapting existing university courses to better match a city’s sustainability needs. Multi-Hazards Takako Izumi, Associate Professor with the International Research Institute of Disaster Science (IRIDeS) at Tohoku University and Program Director of the APRU-IRIDeS Multi-Hazards Hub, reported on new, cross-border contributions to Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR). The GNSS Tsunami Early Warning System Workshop, hosted by the APRU-IRIDeS Multi-Hazards Hub with support from NASA, aims to explore the potential for a regional tsunami warning system. To develop compatible systems, the two-day workshop sought to understand the data needs of different countries on the Pacific-Rim. To improve on existing systems, the workshop reviewed state-of-the-art early warning systems. Separately, the Elsevier report on disaster science research is due to be launched during the first World Bosai Forum on disaster risk reduction on November 26, 2017. Global Health Mellissa Withers, Assistant Professor with the Institute for Global Health at the University of Southern California, and Program Director of the APRU Global Health Hub, updated delegates on the experiences of Global Health LIVE!, the Hub’s program of online courses developed for APRU member institutions. The program now features two courses, Global Health Leadership and Global Health Ethics, helping to bridge the gaps between research, practice and policy. The program’s courses set themselves apart by involving leading experts from government, the private sector and NGOs such as the World Health Organization. Under the program, the Virtual Global Health competition engaged students both in and beyond the APRU network on real-world issues in Global Health. Currently, the competition involves 38 teams across 19 universities on issues of tobacco control, a near-four-fold increase from the previous year. Global Health LIVE! augments health education by using new distance-learning tools and hosting events with leading experts, giving students exposure to the cutting edge of research and practice. Proposed Hubs Nasruddin Yusuf Rodjali, Head of the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Indonesia, proposed a new research hub, the Cluster of Renewable Energy (CoRE), providing a six-year roadmap. Potentially hosted by the University of Indonesia’s Tropical Renewable Energy Center (TREC), the outlined hub would link research in support of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal #7 (SDG7): to ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all. The proposed hubs would aim to develop policies, guidelines and standard operating procedures by 2020. The initiative looks to create a new international conference and workshop to advocate for the development and adoption of renewable energy systems. Member unviersities were asked for expressions of interest in joining the core group to plan the initiative which can only be launched if there is sufficient support. Upcoming Projects APRU’s Christina Schönleber, Director of Programs & Policy, and Jackie Agnello Wong, Marketing and Business Development Manager, informed members of a Google-backed AI research projects, as well as a student-hackathon supported by AT&T. 6. Challenges, Opportunities and Actions APRU introduced new models to further research and advocacy, for more effective policy impact. The Pacific Ocean Chair Kathy Belov, Pro-Vice-Chancellor of Global Engagement of the University of Sydney, asked delegates for feedback on initiatives and key areas of interest within oceans-related research. During an interactive session, members were invited into working groups to and discuss areas of focus and opportunities for collaboration. The Pacific Ocean initiative is an evolution of prior APRU programs, connecting members’ ongoing research to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals #14 (SDG14): to conserve and sustainably develop the world’s oceans. The initiative would support SDG14’s implementation in the Pacific. APEC Engagement APEC collaborators Debbie Hughes, Tracy Huang, Lydia Cheng (2nd, 3rd, 4th from left) present APEC’s Project DARE. APEC collaborators Debbie Hughes, Tracy Huang, and Lydia Cheng introduced the APEC Data Analytics Raising Employment (DARE) project. The DARE framework looks to address a projected shortfall of Data Science & Analytics (DSA) talent in a rapidly changing labor market. The project aims to introduce and implement a list of core competencies in data sciences along-side a companion toolkit for higher education institutions with the aim to close the skills gap on DSA across the APEC region. The tools will hopefully enable institutions to match curricula, courses and programs to industry’s evolving DSA needs. Debbie Hughes serves as Co-Chair of APEC Project DARE and Vice President of the Higher Education & Workforce Business Higher Education Forum (BHEF); Tracy Huang sits on the APEC Project DARE Secretariat, and serves as Associate Director of C&M International; and Lydia Cheng is the US Regional Lead of Digital Custom Solutions at Wiley. 7. Higher Education Policy Challenges and National Contexts APRU Members shared experiences facing higher education challenges, in different regional contexts. America Victoria Jones, Chief Global Affairs Officer at the University of California, Irvine, outlined the challenges faced by higher education in the US. Jones highlighted three main obstacles to overcome, listing uncertainty from federal cutbacks, negative public perception and US international relations. Chile Eduardo Vera, Director of International Affairs, University of Chile, presented the CARÉN Initiative, a 1.022-hectare research park planned on the outskirts of the capital city of Santiago. A short distance from Santiago International Airport, the Carén site will promote international collaboration in food science, computer science, biomedicine, disaster science, hydrology and renewable energy. Hong Kong John Kao, Vice-President and Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Global) at The University of Hong Kong (HKU), explained how government funding and policy has affected the development of public universities in Hong Kong. In addition, Prof. Kao explained how the government’s policy stance feeds back into HKU’s strategic goal of becoming Asia’s global university. Korea Sunhyuk Kim, Vice President of International Affairs, Korea University, allueded to Korean challenges despite the nation’s reputation of high participation rates and research spending. Using cultural context, Prof. Kim affirmed the need for education reform if Korea wants to meet labor market needs in a post-internet era. Prof Kim also commented on Korean government interventionism—touching on tuition, enrollment and education inflation. 8. Next Steps for APRU: Feedback and Takeaways Closing the year’s Senior International Leaders’ Meeting, attendees highlighted the event’s key developments and shared their thoughts of the two-day conference. Delegates from across the APRU network traveled to Monterrey for the annual SILM event. Co-Chairs Cindy Fan, Vice Provost for International Studies and Global Engagement, UCLA, and Jiro Kokuryo, Vice President of International Collaboration, Keio University, concluded the conference with a summary of the two-day’s discussion. Describing the proceedings with the acronym “FIRE”, the pair highlighted the meeting’s themes: Forward-looking, Impact, Resources, Engagement. When asked for feedback, attendees strongly supported the continued development of year’s direction, moving beyond technology and innovation towards enacting effective societal change. Building on the previous year’s strategic dialogue, members echoed the importance of seeing research through to advocacy, “from lab to legislature.” In addition, members expressed optimism around the strategic opportunities offered by APRU International Secretariat’s new Hong Kong location.