Nancy W. Gleason’s research while affiliated with New York University Abu Dhabi and other places

The fourth industrial revolution (4IR) is transforming the skills and competencies needed to lead a successful working life. The climate crisis is threatening ways of life, and the Covid-19 pandemic has tested our social-economic systems. The work and training of public policy professionals is also changing as a result. How graduate and undergraduate learning is designed and delivered should adapt with pedagogies and content relevant to our changing world. This chapter details how public policy is transforming given the 4IR and the educational changes that can be implemented to deliver relevant, impactful public policy learning in Asia. Practitioners working in higher education across Asia can consider case study and simulation learning authentic to real-world scenarios and experiential learning to form professionals ready for the automated world’s demands. The chapter provides practical advice for pedagogy and content shifts.KeywordsPublic policyHigher educationDigital literacyFourth industrial revolution (4IR)Climate crisisCovid-19DisruptionGraduate-level training

This chapter addresses how higher education leadership may apply theories of intentionally created changes to improve diversity and inclusion of different learners within the higher education context across Asia. Theories of change can guide analysis and strategy development of change in higher education when appropriately applied to a specific organizational context. The intention is to identify tangible and actionable steps that can be pursued by those with a mandate for strategic leadership. The goal is to improve access to impactful learning for a diverse set of students, being taught by a diverse set of classroom instructors. This analysis identifies 5 areas within which faculty and higher education professionals can act to enhance and build an inclusive learning environment for a diverse student body across Asia.

This open access book offers pioneering insights and practical methods for promoting diversity and inclusion in higher education classrooms and curricula. It highlights the growing importance of international education programs in Asia and the value of understanding student diversity in a changing, evermore interconnected world. The book explores diversity across physical, psychological and cogitative traits, socio-economic backgrounds, value systems, traditions and emerging identities, as well as diverse expectations around teaching, grading, and assessment. Chapters detail significant trends in active learning pedagogy, writing programs, language acquisition, and implications for teaching in the liberal arts, adult learners, girls and women, and Confucian heritage communities. A quality, relevant, 21st Century education should address multifaceted and intersecting forms of diversity to equip students for deep life-long learning inside and outside the classroom. This timely volume provides a unique toolkit for educators, policy-makers, and professional development experts.

Developing the skills and mindset for lifelong learning is an essential response to technological unemployment. While Singapore has always seen education as a development tool, recent government initiatives reflect a determined commitment to develop employable citizens for the automation economy. Singapore has launched three initiatives—Smart Nation Singapore, SkillsFuture, and the creation of three new universities—in preparation for the automation economy. Gleason details these education-based initiatives and considers how they are intended to address employment challenges in the era of the fourth industrial revolution. Gleason concludes that Singapore’s Ministry of Education has provided a collection of sound policies for higher education leaders to consider and adapt to their context.

This book is open access under a CC BY 4.0 license. This collection examines how higher education responds to the demands of the automation economy and the fourth industrial revolution. Considering significant trends in how people are learning, coupled with the ways in which different higher education institutions and education stakeholders are implementing adaptations, it looks at new programs and technological advances that are changing how and why we teach and learn. The book addresses trends in liberal arts integration of STEM innovations, the changing role of libraries in the digital age, global trends in youth mobility, and the development of lifelong learning programs. This is coupled with case study assessments of the various ways China, Singapore, South Africa and Costa Rica are preparing their populations for significant shifts in labour market demands – shifts that are already underway. Offering examples of new frameworks in which collaboration between government, industry, and higher education institutions can prevent lagging behind in this fast changing environment, this book is a key read for anyone wanting to understand how the world should respond to the radical technological shifts underway on the frontline of higher education.