Victoria University Chancellor speaks on Globalization of Education and meets Sunway students

The Honourable Justice Frank Vincent, the Chancellor of Victoria University, Australia was in the campus of its twinning partner, Sunway University College (Sunway) to give a talk under the Tan Sri Jeffery Cheah Distinguished Speakers Series. It was also an opportunity for the Chancellor to meet students in the VU twinning programmes at Sunway.

Chancellor Vincent practiced as a barrister before being appointed one of Her Majesty’s Counsels in 1980. He shared his thoughts in his talk entitled “The Globalization of Education – A Judicial Perspective”. The thrust of the thought-provoking talk was on the profound effects of internationalization of universities and the benefits of it, from his perspective as Chancellor of VU.

In the early days when the Chancellor first worked in courts, he realized the power of education and the consequences to families and communities if educational opportunities do not exist. When VU was first established, it served a large migrant population where the student body was culturally diverse. VU’s early foray into globalization was being able to engage with the different cultures of its own students. Later it took on an international character of its own as it began internationalizing its courses and methods of teaching. Higher education is now at the forefront of globalization in Australia and most Governments looks upon it in economic terms.

“The significance of globalization of education is broader than thought. Students become global citizens who form networks and collaborations and go on to develop innovations to improve life, track climate change and enrich experiences” said the Chancellor.

However the downside is that globalization makes what students learn become obsolete in a few years. Chancellor Vincent stressed that “Internationalization must develop techniques to equip people to be flexible and adapt to problems. They should have the capacity for life-long learning”

He also warned “There was a need to equip institutions to be trained in globalization and not become hostage to it” said Chancellor Vincent. He shared that VU was conducting research so that all courses have an international character starting with subject specific workshops, online learning support and peer mentoring programmes.

During the talk, Chancellor Vincent advised “Education is not to be regarded as an industry or a commodity to be brought and sold as monetary value”. This is a valid point and universities are advised to be mindful of this in their undertakings.

In conjunction with the talk, there was a VU Exhibition at Sunway. VU has been a twinning partner for the VU Bachelor of Business at Sunway since 1994 and for the VU Masters in Business Administration since 2004. The VU Bachelor of Business offers an identical curriculum, assignments, tests and final examinations as in VU Australia and an Australian experience as VU Australian academic staff regularly teach at Sunway.

A VU Preview and a VU MBA supper were held the day before the talk, in which the Chancellor spoke to prospective students and met current MBA students and alumni. The Chancellor also met up with the VU Bachelor of Business undergraduates and alumni during a VU High Tea before the talk.

The ties between VU and Sunway University College are close and go a long way. The Chancellor of Sunway University College, Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Dr Jeffrey Cheah, who received his first honorary Doctor of the University from VU in 1993, is a VU alumnus. Tan Sri Jeffrey was recently honoured with an Honorary Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) by the Right Honourable Kevin Rudd, the Prime Minister of Australia when the Prime Minister was in Malaysia, on July 10. The award endorses Tan Sri Jeffrey’s immense contribution to education in Malaysia. The Vice-Chancellor of Sunway University College, Professor Jarlath Ronayne, was the Foundation Vice-Chancellor of Victoria University from 1991 – 2003.