At the CBExchange APAC 2024 conference's closing plenary panel, “Developing Competencies for Innovation,'' speakers from industry and higher education agreed on the need for closer collaboration between industry and academia to solve real-world problems.
CBExchange APAC 2024, held in Singapore from February 29 to March 1, was a collaboration between Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) and Competency-Based Education Network (C-BEN), a US-based non-profit organization that advocates for competency. It was hosted in partnership with. Learning based on.
Competency-based learning approaches differ from traditional approaches because their focus is on the ability to apply knowledge and skills in a real work environment.
At the conference, several speakers referred to competencies as the intersection of knowledge, skill application, and attitude.
The panel speaker was Professor Lim Khiang Wee, Director (Academic Affairs and Research Strategy) of SIT. Professor George Siemens, Principal Investigator, Southern New Hampshire University. and Grace Yip, Managing Director of Accenture. Amber Garrison Duncan, executive vice president of the Competency-Based Education Network (C-BEN), moderated the hour-long panel discussion.
Call for closer industry-academia collaboration
“As skill sets continue to evolve, we need more than just funding to support workers in their continued pursuit of learning,” said Accenture's Yip.
She emphasized the importance of leveraging digital and AI solutions to address existing friction points within the skills ecosystem. Fostering collaboration between governments, businesses and higher education institutions (IHL) can better equip workers with the latest skills and ensure they are ready to perform effectively in the workplace. .
In an interview with GovInsider, Professor Lim said a key motive for universities to innovate is to consult with industry to address real-world problems.
“Real-world problems are not limited by disciplinary boundaries, and solutions usually require interdisciplinary collaboration. “We need people with knowledge about the types of food products and the engineering know-how to quantify the properties of these foods and streamline the production process,” Professor Lim said.
It’s important to recognize failure as part of innovation
“Innovation often involves taking risks and accepting failure as a valuable aspect of the learning process,” Yip said. She acknowledged that fostering a culture of acceptance of failure remains a challenge in Singapore and Asia. Nevertheless, the ability to learn and bounce back from failure is an ability in itself.
Professor Lim said the emphasis is on instilling a growth mindset in SIT students. For example, SIT takes an innovative approach to offering its applied computing bachelor's degree program through a competency-based stackable microcredential (CSM) pathway.
This pathway provides flexibility for working adults to take bite-sized modules called micro-credentials that cover key competencies needed in the workplace. Microcredentials can be earned on their own or built toward a bachelor's degree.
CSM Pathways classifies learners who fail a test as 'working'. They are given the scaffolding to bounce back from areas of weakness and can make multiple attempts to achieve desired competencies in the workplace.
Additionally, universities are training faculty to deal with failure when experimental teaching approaches do not meet intended outcomes. You are always encouraged to try new methods, even if they don't work at first.
From the 2022 academic year onwards, SIT will focus on the core critical skills needed to “navigate an increasingly volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous (VUCA) world” across all degree programs. We are developing five university-level modules based on
These core important skills include curiosity, creativity, critical thinking, communication, and collaboration.
Skills-based recruitment is the way forward
All speakers unanimously acknowledged the good work of SkillsFuture Singapore's National Skills Framework in guiding the transition to competency-based growth and learning at a macro level.
“Gone are the days when employers simply selected talent from prestigious universities and top technology consulting firms,” Yip said.
“We take a competency-driven approach, leveraging technology to assess and find the right proclivities for people to meet the needs of an organization.”
She further highlighted that adopting a skills-based recruitment approach can increase social mobility. At Accenture, she followed this approach and observed a more gender-diverse talent pool.
“We are evaluating whether we are attracting enough women, not just because they are women, but through a more competency-based approach, assessing their proficiency in skill sets. This way you avoid the biases that are common in interviews,” she explained.
Siemens, a professor at Southern New Hampshire University, also warned of a “collapsing degree cartel” in the United States, with recruitment becoming less and less dependent on degree requirements that were once essential for high-paying jobs. It pointed out.
“This is partly due to the fact that there are a number of innovative academic programs offered by our technology partners. More importantly, whether you are looking for a project manager or a data scientist, there is not necessarily a formal It’s not about what qualifications you have, it’s about your experience and what you can do with your work,” he explained.
Universities are therefore challenged to remain relevant, provide added value to learners, and meet the needs of a rapidly evolving workforce. Professor Lim noted that it is important that academic staff across IHL are aligned on the move to a skills-based teaching and learning approach.
