The 2nd IAFOR Conference for Higher Education Research – Hong Kong (CHER-HongKong2019), November 8-10, 2019, Hong Kong

Conference Theme: “Uncertain Futures: Repurposing Higher Education”

November 08–10, 2019 | Lingnan University, Hong Kong

Given the rate of change in today’s world, the future has never seemed less certain, to either students or teachers. This conference will concentrate on the role of formal education in preparing students for uncertain futures, and for societies that are changing at great speed.

To the positive aspects of globalisation that have transformed how we work and interact with each other, we must also consider the more negative impacts on societies and the natural environment. Nationalism, regionalism, populism and authoritarianism are frequently driven by fear-based politics, driven by the idea of an uncertain present, and scary future.

Technologies have made life better in so many ways, but they have also contributed to great losses of personal privacy, and increased reports of alienation as social media and online life vie for time with “real” life. Until fairly recently, technology was driven by policy, as opposed to the current situation where it exists before any ramifications can be fully considered.

Artificial intelligence and robots are already replacing many more routine jobs, and while technology may create many as yet unimagined jobs, teachers and professors are in the position of having to educate for the unknown. How then do we respond effectively to uncertain futures by repurposing education? How do we reimagine teaching, lecturing, nurturing, mentoring, and the curation and transmission of knowledge? How do we prepare for students to thrive when confronted with the unexpected? How do we plan for as yet unknown disruptive change?

This CHER conference will look at these questions and more. In these times of change, one thing is certain, we have a lot to learn from each other. We look forward to challenging discussions, engaging ideas, and helping to shape the future when we meet at the conference.

(Cited from CHER Hong Kong 2019 website)

Dr. Yangson KIM and Dr. Machi SATO at RIHE will attend and make presentation at this conference.