Advancing enterprise activities

Category: Deriving impact from universities

Section 4: Understanding the ‘Knowledge-Capital Value Chain’

The omnipresence of rapidly changing environments within which universities now operate has been a presiding theme in the opening sections of this series, prompting the call to focus on the ‘North Stars’ (section 2) that help universities set ‘direction’ and the (‘Spheres of Impact’, section 3) through which universities can better articulate their ‘purposes’. In the case of the former, we pointed to the changing natures of workforces, the rise of innovation and entrepreneurship, and significant societal needs; while the overarching aim to maximising societal impact from tangible education programs and research outcomes through collaborations with partners guided our thinking around the latter. Setting direction and articulating purpose in this way establishes the ‘intent’ which galvanises shared action across a university. Read More

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Section 3: Spheres of Impact

Meaningful direction for universities is best established around ‘North Stars’ – those major trends and demographic shifts that impact society. Universities must then couple this with a strong sense of purpose in order to establish ‘intent’ and galvanise shared action within its academic fold.  But how is such a strong sense of purpose arrived at? What is the procedure through which that purpose is identified, agreed upon and then garners ‘buy-in’ from all quarters of the university populace? Read More

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Section 2: The ‘North Stars’

Meeting the challenges that universities face in the dynamic environments of today commences with determining direction. Finding our way can be difficult at the best of times, but given the rapid pace of change in the world right now, it can seem a little like being cut adrift in an ocean storm. Clearly, universities need to mobilise their resources in different ways in order to manage, but to what end and in which direction? How can universities reset their bearings to remain relevant to the issues of today? An appropriate way to start answering these questions is by examining major trends and demographic shifts and the associated roles that universities play. This is where opportunity lies for universities. Read More

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Section 1: The University Imperative

We live in a changed world. We live in a changing world. This space where once we set down roots with some certainty and nurtured dreams and ambitions is no longer the same space. Everything moves differently – faster, more furiously, in directions we once thought not possible. Disruption will not be the new normal, it is that already. Today we lead disrupted lives. Read More

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Deriving impact from universities – foreword

Ever since their establishment as institutions of higher education and research, universities have been different. Their evolution across the past ten centuries has seen them infused with an enduring ethos to benefit society. A university is still a community of teachers and scholars, a veritable epicenter of ideas, a concept factory, a birthplace of innovations and products that make the world a better place in which to live. A university is fueled by thought and progress, it is a think-tank for the betterment of society, an environment where the very act of education is an exercise in social enrichment. Certainly that is the intent. However, we live today in a world of constant change, uncertainty and unprecedented challenges, a situation only accentuated by the global events of 2020. We find ourselves in profoundly difficult territory. Read More

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