APRU Presidents Approve Statement to Address “Our Digital Future in a Divided World”
June 29, 2018

Taipei, June 26, 2018 — Univeristy Presidents of APRU vote to approve a Presidential Statement as a commitment to action on issues raised by “Our Digital Future in a Divided World.”

Please see the statement below:

OUR DIGITAL FUTURE IN A DIVIDED WORLD

APRU COMMITMENT TO ACTION

01

The Asia-Pacific region is at the leading edge of digital technology in terms of innovation, of the emergence of giant tech corporations and of market growth in applications that bring together big data and information and communications technology.

APRU member universities are leaders in many fields from biomedical research and engineering to business management and social research which use big data, increasingly powerful computing capacity and advanced software.

In this fast-evolving landscape of artificial intelligence and data science we are aware of the opportunities to bring benefits to our societies and, also, that we have the responsibility to understand and mitigate the risks of powerful new technologies.

To this end, APRU is already:

• Partnering with APEC on policies for data science education throughout member economies
• Stimulating discussion on preparing our societies for the Fourth Industrial Revolution
• Advancing projects across the region on ‘AI for Everyone’ which address the social implications of new technologies, the future of work, and technologies for aging societies.

Therefore, we wish to play our part in ensuring:

• that our societies are equipped educationally for the changes in employment,social interaction and the role of citizens
• that the benefits of new technologies reach all those who need them not only those that can afford them
• that there is open public debate about the implications of new technologies
• that we pursue the application of AI and related technologies in pursuit of the UN Sustainable Development Goals
• that the rights to privacy and academic autonomy are protected.

Further, we seek to strengthen our collaboration across the borders of nation, sector, institution and discipline in order to build trust for the challenges ahead.

We welcome new partners from business, government, international organisations and communities in this endeavour.