‘Rising demand for talents with cross-disciplinary exposures’: Liberal arts universities alliance

NEW DELHI: The Alliance of Asian Liberal Arts Universities (AALAU) was established in 2017. It now has 30 members, including two Indian institutions – Symbiosis School for Liberal Arts and Ahmedabad University – along with several universities of Hong Kong, Japan, China, Taiwan, Thailand and South Korea. The programme manager, Office of Global Education (OGE) at Lingnan University, Hong Kong, Jamie SO spoke to Careers360 about the challenge of changing the perception around liberal arts education. With Lingan University being one of the founding members, she also spoke about liberal arts institutions recording high graduate employability, earning outstanding reputations. Edited excerpts

Q. What was the need for the Alliance of Asian Liberal Arts Universities?

A. The Alliance of Asian Liberal Arts Universities (AALAU), established in November 2017, is a network of respectable liberal arts universities in Asia.

All AALAU members share common values, a global vision and a commitment to educating future leaders. Central to these values is the importance of liberal arts education in this era driven by innovation. Liberal arts education emphasises the breadth of knowledge, critical thinking and creativity, an ability to deal with novel problems and a love of learning. We believe that this type of education is conducive to the training of future leaders for a rapidly-changing world.

Members of the alliance, which include major liberal arts universities in Asia, deal with rapid changes of the education landscape by identifying future challenges, sharing best practices, and collaborating among themselves and beyond.

Q. How do institutes or universities qualify to become a part of the alliance?

A. Institutions that are interested in joining this alliance should send a letter of intent, the detailed introduction of the institution, including the major achievements, and a summary on the previous engagements and achievements in relation to their provision of liberal arts education and the plans ahead. These proposals are circulated among the existing members for careful reviews and discussions before a collective decision is reached.

Q. How were the institutes in India selected to be part of the alliance or is it entirely voluntary?

A. Liberal arts institutions that share similar goals and missions join this alliance on a voluntary basis.

Also read ‘We developed core courses around grand challenges’: Ahmedabad University VC

Q. How are the liberal arts universities in Asia different from the ones in the US?

A. Lingnan University and other members of the alliance have shared and unique niches. For instance, Lingnan University seeks to provide its students with quality education distinguished by the best liberal arts tradition from both the East and the West.

Q. Are institutes selected for presidency of the alliance or is the presidency permanent for just one institution?

A. The host of the Annual Presidents’ Forum of the Alliance rotates annually among the member institutions. Lingnan University, as a key founding member, provides administrative support to the alliance.

Q. What is the unique aspect of the liberal arts universities in Asia, especially of those which are part of the alliance?

A. The AALAU builds synergies between member institutions and creates opportunities for collaborative work within and beyond the alliance.

Q. How does being a part of the alliance help the individual institutes?

A. To address the major challenges of liberal arts education in Asia

Members will work together to identify the major issues with reference to international best practices in higher education.

Members will search for innovative approaches to liberal arts education given the current and future landscape in higher education in Asia.

Members will join efforts in addressing the new challenges and opportunities in liberal arts education.

To provide opportunities to students and staff that would not arise otherwise, members will develop global education initiatives that cultivate a sense of global citizenship and leadership amongst students.

Members will provide opportunities for faculty members to engage in international collaborative research.

Also read AI, design, field work: How summer schools are introducing children to liberal arts, universities

Q. What is the future of the alliance? Is it looking at increasing the membership further?

A. The alliance has recorded a steady growth over the past years, and it remains open to interested liberal arts institutions who want to join the network.

However, the primary focus appears to be on deepening the engagement and interdependence among its current member institutions. For instance, Lingnan has taken the initiative to invite faculties of alliance members to teach at its Liberal Arts Summer Institute. This presents a valuable opportunity for the alliance members to visit Hong Kong, share their expertise and perspectives with Lingnan’s students. Besides, Lingnan has also welcomed alliance members to send their students to participate in exchange programmes.

The goal is to create more opportunities for the alliance’s institutions to collaborate, learn from each other, and build stronger ties. This is crucial for strengthening the alliance as a whole, rather than just expanding its size.

Q. What are the challenges ahead for liberal art universities in Asia and more specifically, India?

A. One of the key challenges that liberal arts institutions in Asia face is the general perception that liberal arts education is not as practical or career-oriented as more specialised professional degrees. This societal mindset can make it challenging for these institutions to attract students and gain widespread social acceptance.

However, there has been a rising demand in the global market for talents with cross-disciplinary exposures, international experiences and rounded transferable skills, which are nurtured through liberal arts education.

Besides, many liberal arts institutions have recorded high graduate employability and earned outstanding reputations. We have noticed that more students and their parents have shifted to prioritise liberal arts education rather than those seen as leading directly to specific careers.

Also read Liberal Arts: ‘Our curriculum is forward looking,’ says Krea University dean

Q. How is the theme of the annual president forum decided? What will it be for this year?

A. The Hang Seng University of Hong Kong will host the 7th Annual Presidents’ Forum of the AALAU in November 2024 (exact date to be confirmed) and plan for the forum theme and discussion topics. The forum is expected to be conducted in hybrid mode.

Q. What is the status of the research collaboration group as of now?

A. Members are flexible to develop research collaborations with counterparts that share similar interests. They are welcome to form ties between individual institutions and research groups in any forms that best fit their needs.

Lingnan has taken the initiative to invite faculties of alliance members to teach at its Liberal Arts Summer Institute. This presents a valuable opportunity for the alliance members to visit Hong Kong, share their expertise and perspectives with Lingnan’s students. The goal is to create more opportunities for the alliance’s member institutions to collaborate, learn from each other, and build stronger ties.