Developing Closer Ties with Business

1. Developing Closer Ties with Business An Avenue for Lifelong Learning for South East Asian Universities Michael Burgess & Mike Turner

2. Burgess & Turner : Closer Educational Ties with Business About The Authors • Michael Burgess and Dr. Mike Turner: • Lecturers and Business Consultants. • In Vietnam, Australia, Mongolia, Hong Kong. • Research Areas: • Michael Burgess: Organisations in Vietnam. • Mike Turner: Entrepreneurship in Vietnam / Mongolia.

3. Burgess & Turner : Closer Educational Ties with Business Presentation Outline • Problem Identification • System Constraints • Higher Education Challenges • Organisational Changes • The Trans Pacific Partnership • The Role of the Educator • Education Constraints • Structure Changes

4. Burgess & Turner : Closer Educational Ties with Business Problem Identification • Before any action can be taken to solve a problem, one needs to recognise that a problem exists. • How do we see a problem? • Globally? • Nationally? • Locally? • Culturally? • We all see things differently. Source: Nature 1 July, 2010, Vol. 466(7302): p.29.

5. Burgess & Turner : Closer Educational Ties with Business Problem Identification • What might be a problem for Business Education in Vietnam? • Globally • The low Global Competiveness Index (GCI). • Nationally • Great strides forward but the GCI increases do not yet parallel. • Locally • Possible Structural Constraints.

6. Burgess & Turner : Closer Educational Ties with Business System Constraints • Every system must have at least one constraint otherwise it would be a perfect system. • The concept of the ‘weakest link’. • A constraint: • Anything that might limit a system from achieving higher performance versus its goal. • The existence of a constraint is not negative: • It represents an opportunity for organisational development and improvement.

7. Burgess & Turner : Closer Educational Ties with Business Higher Education Challenges • Academics and Administrators: • The development of a collaborative culture; • Both groups understanding and accepting that commercial practice is a necessity; • Gaining agreement that a competitive advantage is the key to the sustainability of the enterprise. • Perhaps a Constraint: • To be understood; • To be addressed in context.

8. Burgess & Turner : Closer Educational Ties with Business Higher Education Challenges • The Transfer of Knowledge: • Inside; • Alongside; • Outside. • The need to develop structures that allow: • Internal flow between: • Academics and Administrators; and • Students, Academics and Administrators. • External flow between: • Educators, business and all other stakeholders.

9. Burgess & Turner : Closer Educational Ties with Business Organisational Changes • We live in a world of relationships, not a world of things. • Industrial management emphasises a trusting environment: • Growth and empowerment of the individual are the keys to unlocking corporate success. • The education market cannot continue in isolation from the influences and ever changing needs of the labour market: • Both markets are interdependent.

10. Burgess & Turner : Closer Educational Ties with Business “ If you don’t have a strategy you will be . . . part of somebody else’s strategy.” Alvin Toffler (Author)

11. Burgess & Turner : Closer Educational Ties with Business The Trans Pacific Partnership • 9 Country agreement being discussed NOW: • Australia • Brunei • Chile • Malaysia • New Zealand • Singapore • United States • Vietnam • Japan and South Korea are also interested

12. Burgess & Turner : Closer Educational Ties with Business The Trans Pacific Partnership • This Partnership is designed to: • Enhance trade and investment among the TPP countries; • Promote innovation; • Promote economic growth and development; • Support the creation and retention of employment.

13. Burgess & Turner : Closer Educational Ties with Business The Trans Pacific Partnership • The TPP represents great potential for changes to commercial alliances in the Asia-Pacific region: • Especially for nations such as Vietnam seeking deeper integration into the world’s economy. • The key to a successful future means the shaping of commercial relationships: • But before this can be undertaken on a global macro-level, it also has to be undertaken at the micro-level. • This also means educational change.

14. Burgess & Turner : Closer Educational Ties with Business The Role of the Educator • As educators, we have three prime tasks: • Design the organisation and its architecture: • To encourage the learning process; • Be the stewards of the vision: • That inspires staff and students and is transmitted to others; and • Teach learning and critical thinking: • Developing systematic understandings of how to approach and exploit change.

15. Burgess & Turner : Closer Educational Ties with Business The Role of the Educator • The challenge for the education system in Vietnam, and in all South East Asian countries, is to: • Understand that interfacing with industry requires tools, concepts and flexibility derived not only from learning, but also from understanding… • Of interest, this matches the 2010 Directive of the Prime Minister of Vietnam, that states: • ‘…it is necessary to grasp thoroughly the perception: developing higher educational scope must be parallel with ensuring and enhancing training quality.’

16. Burgess & Turner : Closer Educational Ties with Business Education Constraints • Teachers of Technical and Vocational Subjects: • Must be both skilled workers and experienced teachers before taking a post as a trainer. • This will help meet market needs; • This will re-inforce quality education; • This also helps remove errors in teaching; • Increases competency based skilled workers. • Must keep up with technological changes while in service. • Essential professional development.

17. Burgess & Turner : Closer Educational Ties with Business Education Constraints • Techniques, like skills, may depend on the context within which they are interpreted. • Organisations can grow by: • Developing and allocating human resources; • Investment in research and development; • Embracing technological advancements; • Continuous learning at all levels. • Education and Business benefit from relationships with each other in contexts of research, growth and sustainability.

18. Burgess & Turner : Closer Educational Ties with Business Structure Changes • How to structure against constraints? • The key word is ‘organise’ • Activities need to be performed that are simultaneously orientational and instrumental. • The process of acquiring experience which shapes judgement: • Can be facilitated by creating flexible structures with business; and • Working with those who have already demonstrated qualities of judgement in business.

19. Burgess & Turner : Closer Educational Ties with Business Structure Changes • Typical hierarchy structure: • A rigid structure; • In this example 5 people, only 4 interactions (one way); • No horizontal communication opportunities; • ‘Do as I say’ mentality. • Moving to…

20. Burgess & Turner : Closer Educational Ties with Business Structure Changes • Relationship structures: • In this example, 5 people, 10 combinations of interactions; • Vertical and horizontal communication; • Opportunities for functional, not rigid leadership; • Open channels of communication and idea flows. • Co-ordination Vs Control: • Which is preferable?

21. Burgess & Turner : Closer Educational Ties with Business Conclusion • For some 20 years, Vietnamese education has undergone complex renovation and reform. • The next step is further integration: • With the educational needs of the labour market structure (both nationally and internationally); • Anticipating changes in economic, education and other relationships • for example, arising from the Trans Pacific Partnership As Vietnam continues its economic transition.

22. Burgess & Turner : Closer Educational Ties with Business Conclusion • Education in Vietnam is a complex matrix system: • Further achievements may be achieved by considering the structures at the local level; and • Having regard to the requirements of the Government of Vietnam. • A systemic view that will allow: • Educators to identify the relationships that are important to success both internally and externally; • An integrative, system-focused approach to educating, and associating productively with business.

23. Burgess & Turner : Closer Educational Ties with Business Thank You