2010 national conference on information education

Part three

BELOW is part three of the key-note speech I delivered during the National Conference on Information Technology Education with the theme “Building an IT Enabled Nation” on October 21, 2010 at La Carmela de Boracay Convention Center, Station 2, Boracay, Malay, Aklan. The speech is 1,852 words long. The Manila Times issue of Sunday November 7 had Part 1, followed by part 2 on Sunday November 14. Today, Sunday November 21, has the conclusion of my speech.

___

In the developing world scientific and technological research after World War II was largely state-supported in government research institutions. This has changed radically universities in Asia and pacific region. The most revealing change has taken place in China where the university-based research is now more in line with the West. A number of developing countries are pushing forward ambitious agenda to raise the amount for quality of their research.

The Brazilian System awards 10,000 Ph.Ds and 30,000 MAs each year a 300-percent growth in the years. Graduate programs are ranked in terms of their research productivity and financed accordingly.

A survey on the budget HEIs allocate for these R&D program revealed that in most cases rely about 1 percent of the total operating budget. In the proposed CHED policies and standards for the grant of university status, 3 percent of the total operating cost must be allocated for research. In the Philippines, we have yet to identify a research university. Without implementable research and without executing this implementable research we’ll remain at the tail end among the top universities in the world.

THE USE OF ICT
The traditional university will be rendered obsolete with the advent of IT, distance education and other technology-induced innovation. While the demise of the traditional university will not take place anytime soon, major change is taking place and ICT is one of the key parts of the academic transformation of the 21st century.

Looking forward: Demographics and the impact of economics

Demographics will continue as a driving force for development and reform in the coming decades. The patterns and geographical scope will vary but the basic thrust will remain. Some of key elements are:

1. Student participation will continue to expand, as well as higher education systems;
2. Women will form slight majority in student population in developed countries and later even to developing countries;
3. The mix of student population will become more varied, with greater number of international students, older student part-time and other types;
4. The social base in higher education will continue to broaden along with uncertainty about how this will affect inequalities of educational opportunities;
5. The academic profession will become more internationally oriented and mobile, but will still be structured in accordance with national circumstances’
6. The activities and roles of the academic profession will be more diversified and specialized and subject to varied employment contracts; and
7. For many developing countries, the need for ever expanding numbers of university teachers will mean that over all qualifications, now rather low, may not improve much and current relevance on part time staff may continue.

My dear educators and fellow students, as a developing country, the Philippines is likely to be affected and so with the public and private HEls. As there will be constraints on the budget of every family and the government will be unable to provide the resources needed for their continued improvement. The multiple and diverse responsibilities of higher education are ultimately key to the well being of modern society. Understanding the broader role in a globalized world is the first step to dealing constructively with the changes and challenges that will inevitably loom on the horizon. The enormous challenge ahead is the uneven distribution of human capital and funds that will allow some families to take full advantage of new opportunities while many poor families risk drifting far behinds.

More than any other time, hand in hand, we need to work together to promote sustained global development in higher education. Rest assured that CHED will support you in your endeavor to promote quality education. The future hinges on education. Applied knowledge changes the destiny of a person and the nation as well. We must use the gifts and talents given by God to promote progress and quality in higher education that in return may bring blessings to our country and its people. Thank you!
Mabuhay ang Pilipinas!

___

These are the references I used in preparing my speech.

• Trends in Global Higher Education: Teaching in Academic Resolution-A Report Prepared for the Unesco 2009 World Conference in Higher Education
• Transformation of Philippine Higher Education in the Next Decade-A 2010-2016 Development Plan Prepared by the Commission on Higher Education
• Brain Gain Initiative–A Unesco-CHED Project
• New Dynamics in Higher Education: From Development to Sustainable      • Development – Michel Drancourt

-FELIZARDO Y. FRANCISCO, Manila Times
dirfyf@yahoo.com