APRU is honored to be one of the official nominators of the Techstyle for Social Good Competition.

The Association of Pacific Rim Universities (APRU) has entered into a collaboration with the Digital Education Council (DEC), a global community of practice with a shared vision to drive sustainable innovation and AI adoption for higher education and workforce development. The partnership expands access for APRU members to structured global insights and comparative research, and focuses on practical implementation. Through this collaboration, APRU members will participate in quarterly leadership briefings, synthesising insights from DEC’s global Executive Briefings and thematic working groups. The partnership will also enable the co-development of a joint research initiative looking at some of the challenges APRU universities face with AI adoption. By engaging with DEC’s global network of higher education leaders and policymakers, APRU further strengthens its capacity to ensure that institutions across the Pacific Rim are contributing meaningfully to shaping the evolving global higher education landscape. “Our collaboration with the Digital Education Council marks an important step in strengthening APRU’s global leadership in digital and AI‑enabled higher education. By combining DEC’s global insights with APRU’s deep regional expertise, we are equipping our universities with the intelligence and partnerships they need to navigate rapid technological change and shape the future of learning across the Pacific Rim,” said Prof. Thomas Schneider, Chief Executive of APRU. “The integration of AI in higher education is not simply a technological issue, it is a people and governance challenge. Through this collaboration with APRU, we are able to work through some of these challenges in a thoughtful way that is relevant across Pacific Rim countries.” said Danny Bielik, President of the Digital Education Council.   The Digital Education Council is a global community of practice for education innovation. DEC brings together leading institutions, experts, and innovators to shape the future of education and work. For more information about the Digital Education Council and its initiatives, please visit www.digitaleducationcouncil.com Media Contact: Gabrielle Soh                            Marketing & Communications Lead [email protected]

The University of Hong Kong (HKU) hosted HKU Partner Day 2026 on February 22–23, a dynamic two-day event serving as a prelude to the Asia-Pacific Association for International Education (APAIE) 2026 Conference. The event brought together over 400 higher education leaders, institutional partners, and scholars from around the world to strengthen global collaboration and explore emerging trends shaping the future of education. APRU contributed to the success of the two-day event by preparing an in-depth discussion titled, “Building Resilient and Inclusive Higher Education Systems” featuring Professor Cindy Fan, Vice Provost for International Studies and Global Engagement, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and Prof. Erik Lithander, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Strategic Engagement), The University of Auckland. Opening the session, Professor Thomas Schneider, APRU Chief Executive, placed APRU in a long arc of cross‑border collaboration, emphasizing how a 64‑member network can operate as a “super connector” between universities, governments, industry and civil society, particularly when geopolitical or technological shocks test campus systems. He challenged participants to interrogate what “resilience” and “inclusion” actually mean across different Asia-Pacific contexts and argued that diversity of perspectives, such as biodiversity in nature, strengthens institutional ecosystems: “Nature is always a good example… hubs of biodiversity are more beneficial than monocultures; diversity is always beneficial.” The discussion would treat resilience not simply as “weathering a storm,” but as responsiveness grounded in mission; and inclusion not as a set of siloed equity programs, but as a whole‑of‑institution orientation supported by transparent leadership and international partnerships. What Resilience Looks Like on Campus Professor Cindy Fan, UCLA described resilience in practice as pursuing two concurrent goals during crises: (1) academic continuity (keeping teaching and research going despite disruptions) and (2) strengthening community (using crises to rebuild trust and connection). She shared UCLA initiatives such as Dialogue Across Difference and targeted efforts to combat antisemitism, designed to “reset the table” for listening across profound disagreements. Her metaphor: resilient universities are like palm trees, “You might see branches coming down, but they don’t really break… universities that have deep roots, in mission clarity, bend with the winds but don’t snap.” She later tied inclusivity to the concept of inclusive excellence: diversity and excellence are “two sides of the same coin.” Resilience must be built before the next crisis through trust, transparency, and connectivity (e.g., frequent senior‑leadership briefings; open communication about decisions and budgets). Fan shared a new framing of DEI as inclusive excellence, embedding it into academic standards rather than treating it as an add‑on.     Resilience Without Responsiveness Is Stubbornness Professor Erik Lithander, University of Auckland cautioned against the “dark side of resilience”: “When you have resilience without responsiveness, that’s stubbornness.” He argued that while universities admirably protect core missions during shocks, the sector has been slow to adapt a centuries‑old instructional model and has “lost social licence” with publics, media and governments by failing to articulate value beyond teaching and research headlines. The task ahead is to “recapture the imagination and the support of our constituents” through consistent engagement, diversified revenue, and coalitions of external partners, including international associations like APRU. He also emphasized that resilience is not only internal capacity; it also depends on external legitimacy. Universities need systematic outreach to rebuild relationships with government, media, business and alumni, to communicate tangible societal contributions, not just institutional needs. Inclusivity: Holistic Vision, Practical Delivery The panel contrasted holistic inclusion with group‑by‑group approaches. Lithander noted Auckland’s Māori‑informed values (relationship‑building, kinship, generosity) as a compass for creating a campus climate that is inclusive for everyone, while acknowledging the continued need for targeted services (e.g., disability support) in the near term. Fan offered LA‑grounded metaphors (“salad bowl” over “melting pot”) and examples (heritage graduations that are open to all), underscoring that inclusion honors difference without reverting to silos: “The only way to achieve excellence is to encourage and embrace diverse viewpoints.”  A model which builds a pervasive culture of inclusive excellence and maintains practical supports for groups with specific needs is necessary so the philosophy and the infrastructure reinforce each other. AI, Futures, and the Skills That Endure In audience Q&A, speakers explored AI’s uncertain effects on student demand, disciplinary enrollment, and academic integrity. Lithander flagged the strategic risk to programs if careers are perceived as “in the firing line.” Fan argued universities should focus on foundational competencies, such as critical thinking, analysis, communication, teamwork, and mindset development so graduates can navigate job markets that don’t yet exist: “How do we help students acquire skills and resilience to be competitive in a job market that is always changing?” While the technology trajectory is unclear, a mission‑anchored skills core remains the most reliable hedge. Institutions should also collaborate through APRU on shared AI challenges (policy, pedagogy, integrity). Lessons on Building Resilient and Inclusive Higher Education Systems Anchor in mission; design for responsiveness. Resilience equals continuity and the capacity to adapt, not a return to the status quo. Rebuild social licence. Proactive, long‑horizon engagement with external stakeholders is essential to sustain support. Make inclusion systemic. Treat inclusive excellence as core to academic quality while retaining targeted services that meet concrete needs. Leverage the network. Use APRU as a platform for coalitions and co‑design (e.g., APWiL, Indigenous Knowledges, AI in Higher Education initiatives) that translate principles into scalable practice.

APRU at APAIE 2026 APRU was delighted to contribute to APAIE 2026 with a series of panel sessions showcasing how our network’s collective expertise is shaping the future of international higher education across the Asia Pacific. This article is one of four in a special APRU series sharing insights from our conversations at APAIE 2026. APAIE 2026—the premier gathering of international higher‑education leaders, policy makers, and industry professionals—hosted by The Chinese University of Hong Kong convened from February 23–27 under the theme Asia‑Pacific Partnerships for the Global Good. This year’s conference brought together 3,592 participants from 72 regions, featured 600+ organisations in the exhibition, welcomed 570 delegates to pre‑conference workshops, delivered 120 presentations and 3 plenaries. Session Report Voices of Inclusion explored how universities can critically evaluate partnerships to ensure they are equitable, accessible, and designed to empower students across diverse contexts. Chaired by Patricia Montaño, Director of Innovation and International Networks, Tecnológico de Monterrey, Mexico the session featured three case studies from the APRU network. Speakers shared programs spanning sustainability, Indigenous knowledges, and global health collaboration. Waste and the City — NTU Singapore Wanda Preiser, Head, Office of International Engagement, Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore highlighted NTU’s flagship sustainability course, jointly taught with partner universities across multiple time zones, integrating speakers from Google, Procter & Gamble, and the Alliance on Plastic Waste. Highlighting the partnership value to the program, Preiser said, “Partnership is based on neutrality, equity, and common ground… if everyone at the table can’t see value, it doesn’t last.” Indigenous & First Nations Knowledges Network — APRU APRU’s Indigenous Knowledges initiative, co-founded with The University of Melbourne and Tecnológico de Monterrey, was presented as an evolving model for inclusive research collaboration, showcasing annual summits and the “Roots and Bridges” webinar series. Adriana Rojas, Senior Director, APRU Programs, highlighted the importance of building trust and reciprocity, she said, “We started with good intentions, then listened, with empathy. The magic began when scholars could finally come together and co‑create.”     Global Climate Change Simulation — USC & University of Oregon Professor Mellissa Withers, Program Director, APRU Global Health Program and Professor of clinical preventive medicine, Dept of Population and Public Health Sciences, University of Southern California spoke about the program’s growth to 26+ universities and its new assessment framework measuring leadership and diplomacy competencies. She highlighted the importance of committing to the process and refining key aspects of the program as it develops, she reporting on a key measurement tool, “We asked: how are we measuring leadership and global citizenship? … We built a survey from the literature and we’re seeing very high gains across the board.”     Key insights from the discussion: Design for equity up front. NTU’s course is intentionally structured for inclusion and reciprocity: cross‑time‑zone synchronous teaching, curated small‑group case discussions, multi‑disciplinary faculty teams, and a blend of industry and NGO speakers. Partners jointly shape content while students receive NTU credit and a UNITAR‑endorsed certificate, recognition that matters for career value. Broaden who’s “at the table.” APRU’s Indigenous Knowledges initiative began with a listening posture, and it grew into an annual summit and public webinar series (Roots and Bridges), and is now building a mentoring stream and student opportunities which are open to scholars within and beyond APRU to ensure breadth and reciprocity. Measure leadership and global citizenship—not just content knowledge. The climate simulation expanded from a one‑day exercise into a month‑long, multi‑university learning experience that now uses validated instruments to track changes in students’ self‑efficacy, diplomacy, and cross‑cultural skills. Inclusion is operationalized via fee differentials for lower‑income contexts and active recruitment of Pacific Island perspectives. This session demonstrated how APRU institutions are pushing beyond traditional models toward inclusive, equitable, and globally connected education. As universities continue to address climate change, social inequity, and global mobility disruptions, these partnership models offer a roadmap for collective action that is both ambitious and grounded in evidence.  

This article was featured on University World News on October 17, 2025 and written by Thomas Schneider, Chief Executive of APRU. There are currently 15 active war zones on our planet and approximately 25 other regions of civil unrest or violence, highlighting the failure of political crisis-solving. Many other forms of geopolitical turbulence are widespread; society is highly politicised and divided. Higher education is not exempt from such turbulence, with assaults on science and internationalisation multiplying, not the least in the United States. I wish to call to my rescue – and inspiration – Pablo Neruda, Chile’s poetic beacon and humanitarian advocate. The poet’s work, as a literary scholar has stated, is “at once a chronicle of tumultuous times and the intimate diary of a nomad”, “the voyage of awakening to the responsibility of the intellectual to society and to history”. After relating this arduous voyage in his Nobel lecture of 13 December 1971, under the title “Towards the Splendid City”, Neruda evokes the vision of the splendid city – a future of humanity in justice, dignity and equality. He concludes: “Lastly, I wish to say to the people of good will, to the workers, to the poets, that the whole future has been expressed in this line by Rimbaud: ‘only with a burning patience can we conquer the Splendid City which will give light, justice and dignity to all mankind. In this way the poetry will not be sung in vain’.” How can university networks pursue the same goal, to conquer the splendid city with a burning patience? How can we make sure that our poetry – the poetry of higher education – will not be sung in vain? This article is part of a series on Pacific Rim higher education and research issues published by University World News and supported by the Association of Pacific Rim Universities. University World News is solely responsible for the editorial content. Transnational networks At a time when most geopolitical turbulence occurs among nation states and their claims to territory and resources, focusing on universities’ ‘transnational’ networks emphasises their capability to operate outside, be effective beyond the limitations of nation states or interstate relations and prioritise broader humanitarian and planetary issues. Developments such as the massification of higher education, human-driven climate change, the Fourth Industrial Revolution and Industry 5.0, the shift to virtual communications, the rise of social media and financial and health crises have brought a lot of change. Higher education, too, has undergone significant structural transformations, including increasing professionalisation, the emergence of more market-driven models, the questioning of its role in society and a focus on sustainability. This has been mirrored by the establishment of a new type of specialised university alliance which prioritises social and environmental issues, marking a new kind of global university engagement. In contrast with conventional partnerships that tend to be defined by geographical and political terms, we are seeing the emergence of transnational partnerships, and maybe at some point in the future, transnational universities. The power of transnational networks The broad shift of higher education towards civic engagement has also reshaped comprehensive global networks such as the Association of Pacific Rim Universities (APRU). Established in 1997, APRU today comprises 63 member universities across 18 economies of the Asia-Pacific. Using this example, I will demonstrate how university consortia can address global challenges in times of geopolitical turbulence. They can do so through a threefold ability: the ability to amplify the creation of knowledge in research and education; transnational connectivity as an agent of multilateral diplomacy; and cohesion within a value-based, planetary community. I designate the three areas by the terms ‘meta-university’, ‘multi-connector’ and ‘macro-community’; you may imagine them as the three vertices of one triangle. ‘Meta-universities’ In 2007, former Massachusetts Institute of Technology president Charles Vest coined the term ‘meta-university’ for distributed and decentralised university networks. Such meta-universities would share scholarship, increase access to education and create societal impact. Recent assessments of the concept have described meta-universities through the lens of a ‘value net’, picturing market relationships between the centre of a network (the meta-university) and other stakeholders. They have emphasised their role as a catalyst for new systems thinking – integrating different perspectives into a higher, general level of understanding of complex systems. APRU presents the key characteristics of a meta-university thus: “The combined research power of our 63 member universities translates into 12% of the annual global research output. If we were treated as a country, APRU would rank third globally – after China and the United States – in terms of research production. “As a transnational platform of collaboration, we co-create knowledge and advance technological innovation in all fields of human inquiry. “Our signature research-informed programmes focus on the big challenges of the Pacific in the areas of health, hazards, sustainability, food, biodiversity and technology. We facilitate research, train students, and create policy frameworks through our annual research summits, workshops and competitions. “Through our member institutions, APRU has a combined enrolment of 2.5 million students and employs more than 200,000 professors, offering through its institutions an estimated 10,000 degree programmes and 300,000 annual courses. “On a network level, APRU offers a comprehensive range of programmes (some of them for credit or as a certificate), informed by multiple academic disciplines, including health sciences, natural sciences, the social sciences and cultural studies. APRU expands access to education through a wide variety of programmes, builds professional capacity and enhances student engagement and the development of global citizenship.” In summary, APRU has the capacity to leverage the vast collective research power, the extensive resources in education and culture, and the profound socio-economic impact of its member institutions towards the further development of higher education and the solution of planetary challenges. Multi-connectors Transnational university networks fulfil a crucial second objective – by functioning as a multi-connector among universities and between universities and other segments of society (the government, NGOs and the corporate sector), they pursue educational diplomacy as a deliberate means to bypass geopolitical tensions. Beyond its past, rather narrow political definition and the sphere of interstate relations, diplomacy is nowadays a preserve of multiple actors. It has extended to specialised fields of diplomatic engagement such as trade diplomacy or climate diplomacy. Over the past three decades, APRU has established itself as an important multilateral actor of educational diplomacy, a role embedded in APRU’s constitutional mission. At APRU’s inaugural meeting in 1997, J Stapleton Roy, US ambassador to Indonesia after previously serving as US ambassador to Singapore and China, made the following remarks of unabated relevance: “Expanding cooperation among Pacific Rim universities is desirable for a variety of educational, cultural and social reasons. “But it is also necessary to help ensure that the accelerated flow of information across and on both sides of the Pacific contributes to knowledge, mutual understanding and appreciation of our common values. “Equally important, such cooperation can reinforce the efforts of diplomats, academicians, the business community and good citizens everywhere to make the next century – the Pacific century – a peaceful, prosperous and enlightened one.” Today, the need for such multilateral diplomacy is even more essential in a world characterised by contrary tendencies of development. On the one hand, the current globe is hyperconnected through trade, finance, modern communication and a mobility of people unseen in earlier phases of history. The unprecedented and ubiquitous pace of technological development calls into question the very foundations of how life will be lived in the future. Simultaneously, the globe is politically increasingly fragmented. We have witnessed a global diffusion of power to new national and institutional stakeholders, further exacerbated by demographic shifts, environmental degradation and socio-economic inequality, in addition to political and military conflicts. In recent months, the enforced termination of joint US-Chinese institutes by the US administration and the request for payments of up to US$1 billion for the release of federal funding – like in the case of Harvard University and UCLA – have been illustrative of political threats to the global mission and the international nature of higher education. APRU’s diplomacy appears thus more urgent in 2025 than before. A transnational framework apt to overcome political divisions and to build purpose-based trust is offered by the concept of planetarism. It moves beyond the limitations of internationalism by centring on the sustainability of human civilisation and the well-being of the entire planet, rather than the interests of sovereign nations. Moving beyond the nation-state as the primary political unit, this framework promotes a new understanding of human interdependence with planetary systems, suggesting that a consciousness and collective responsibility for planetary issues is necessary to address the challenges of the Anthropocene. This past summer, the University of Chile hosted one of our key events featuring educational diplomacy – the APRU Undergraduate Leaders’ Programme. Held for the first time in South America, the event convened 72 students from 13 economies. The programme’s activities – including an international seminar on the future of democracy (attended by the President of Chile, Gabriel Boric, and featuring world-renowned speakers such as Nobel laureate Joseph Stiglitz and economist Ha-Joon Chang) – are entirely about educating a new generation of global leaders: leaders who will champion a visionary future form of leadership that is ethical, collaborative and transformative. As University of Chile Rector Rosa Devés emphasised in her opening address: “[The world’s] complex, interconnected challenges… cannot be tackled in isolation. They demand cooperation, empathy and collective intelligence, especially from the new generations who will forge the future… “It speaks to the ethical responsibility to act in a global context, to recognise the interconnection of our realities and to affirm that the dignity of every person, regardless of origin, is a shared obligation… We need leaders who understand that global citizenship is not about erasing differences but about learning to live with them and to lead through them.” Macro-communities Finally, a key purpose of transnational university networks is their power to help form a cohesive global community underpinned by the same values and priorities, a ‘planetary polity’. This is particularly true for university networks with a high degree of density per region of the globe, such as APRU in the Asia-Pacific. When APRU was established in 1997, this happened purposefully and against the growing profile of the Asia-Pacific as a global economic superpower. The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) had just been founded in 1989, in response to the growing interdependence of Asia-Pacific economies and the emergence of regional trade blocs in other parts of the world. The mastermind behind the creation of APRU – Steven B Sample, president of the University of Southern California – intended APRU to be “analogous to, and supportive of, the efforts of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation’s (APEC) leaders to stimulate the creation of a community of Pacific nations”. He invoked the social imaginary of such a community as APRU’s mission, namely “to help these institutions become more effective contributors to an increasingly integrated Pacific Rim community”. As a purpose-driven model community of scholars, administrators, teachers and students from across the Pacific Ocean numbering close to three million people, APRU is thus a supporting architect of the Asia Pacific macro-community. We mirror the diversity of the Asia Pacific through all our activities, to mention only our network on Indigenous and First Nations Knowledges. We enhance the representation of female leaders through our Asia Pacific Women in Leadership programme. We pursue the search for scientific truth and the fair and equitable implementation of solutions in our research-informed programmes on the region’s grand challenges – multi-hazards, global health, biodiversity, sustainability, food security and artificial intelligence. We foster global citizenship – understanding, empathy and respect for the complexity of the globe and the very different local identities and contexts. Like in each community, civic participation is a key responsibility of global citizenship – one that we build through student leadership programmes, summer schools and student competitions. Considering unprecedented global challenges and persistent global turbulence, it is vital to reaffirm for the mission of university networks – with the words spoken by Pablo Neruda – that “only with a burning patience can we conquer the Splendid City which will give light, justice and dignity to all mankind”. Thomas Schneider is the chief executive of the Association of Pacific Rim Universities. This is an abridged version of his recent keynote speech – “The role of transnational university networks in addressing global challenges in times of geopolitical turbulence” – at the opening of the University of Chile’s International Week. This article is a commentary. Commentary articles are the opinion of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of University World News.

Original post: Keio University News (18 May 2023)  The Office for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion implemented a pilot mentoring program in AY2022 to promote women’s empowerment and leadership development at Keio University. In AY2023, Keio will be launching it as an official program for the first time and is accepting applications until May 31 from interested full-time faculty members of Keio University to join the program. Vice-President Akiyo Okuda welcoming the participants In March, a closing ceremony was held for the AY2022 pilot program, where President Itoh presented certificates of completion to 19 mentor-mentee pairs, a total of 38 participants. At the closing ceremony, each pair offered comments on the program. The mentees mentioned the advantages of the program, such as being able to network beyond their affiliated faculty and discuss joint research with other staff they met through the program. They also highlighted the benefit of being able to discuss how to manage research groups or labs as well as common pitfalls and tendencies for women in management. The mentors commented on the importance of putting their own experiences into words and thought that it was good that they were forced to speak about topics they previously dared not broach with their younger colleagues. Both mentors and mentees affirmed that their experiences in the program were fruitful. In her welcome address at the ceremony, Vice-President Akiyo Okuda touched on the importance of forming individual connections to build a larger network and expressed her determination to continue promoting women’s empowerment in a unique Keio style. President Itoh presenting certificates of completion to program participants This program was formulated through consultation with faculty members (WG members) who participated in the Asia Pacific Women in Leadership (APWiL) program conducted by the Association of Pacific Rim Universities (APRU), of which Keio University is a member. The structure of the program has been tailored to fit Keio University by incorporating its characteristics. Keio University believes that its women leaders should be at the forefront of school management, promoting reforms and pioneering new paths forward. The university anticipates that more women will be able to play an active leadership role by leveraging on their experience gleaned from this program based on “learning while teaching, teaching while learning,” a foundational ethos of Keio University since its establishment.

Congratulations to the sixteen APRU scholars across seven universities alongside external partners and experts contributing to this book, sharing interdisciplinary knowledge and experiences that higher educational institutions can lead in the midst of disaster risk management, natural and biological hazards, and COVID-19 pandemic. Original post on Bloomberg. APRU is proud to announce that the APRU Multi-Hazards Program has facilitated the upcoming book Safety and Resilience of Higher Educational Institutions: Considerations for a Post-COVID-19 Pandemic Analysis, published by Springer. Higher educational institutions (HEIs) have had to undergo significant transformations during the COVID-19 pandemic, and some countries had to cope with the pandemic and natural hazards simultaneously. However, the situation had a silver lining, as it has allowed HEIs to review their campus disaster preparedness, response, and recovery capacities. The upcoming book Safety and Resilience of Higher Educational Institutions: Considerations for a Post-COVID-19 Pandemic Analysis covers the experiences and lessons learned from HEIs in preparedness, response, and recovery during the COVID-19 pandemic to prepare for such calamities beyond natural disasters in the future. The book has been edited by Takako Izumi, Associate Professor of IRIDeS, Tohoku University, Japan, and Director of APRU Multi-Hazards (MH) Program; Indrajit Pal, Associate Professor, Asian Institute of Technology, Thailand; and Rajib Shaw, Professor of Graduate School of Media and Governance, Keio University, Japan. Izumi’s chapter includes a checklist for university preparedness developed under the APRU MH campus safety program. A survey was conducted based on the checklist to assess the current preparedness capacities on campus and identify their challenges to minimize damage from future hazards. “The survey result showed that not many universities conducted even a general risk assessment on campus. It is strongly recommended that universities review their current disaster management plans with proper risk assessment and improve them to be applicable to a wider range of risks,” Izumi said. A chapter co-written by Dr. Mellissa Withers, Associate Professor at the University of Southern California and Director of the APRU Global Health Program, and Elly Vandegrift, Director of Global STEM Education Initiatives in the Global Studies Institute at the University of Oregon, contains fifteen case studies from universities in Canada, Mexico, and the U.S., finding that faculty learned to create online community environments and meaningful assessment and assignment systems. At the same time, students responded to new offerings to participate in global cross-cultural and cross-country event programs. The authors described how the APRU Virtual Student Exchange Program facilitated immersive structural exchange connecting students with peers abroad in projects ranging from exploring the Galapagos islands to picturing Hong Kong through historical paintings and photos. “Although many of these innovations were born out of necessity, they have certainly set the stage for post-pandemic higher education in the future,” Withers said in a webinar held on May 24 in preparation for the launch. In the same webinar, Dr. Pan Tsung-Yi, Associate Research Fellow at the Center for Weather Climate and Disaster Research, National Taiwan University (NTU), presented an overview of the Taiwanese government’s epidemic prevention in the higher education system. Pan explained how NTU swiftly developed a digital learning platform for non-contact teaching while creating a low-cost automated temperature measuring device with a contract tracing system for face-to-face learning by describing the universities’ role. The system successfully handled 26,000 visits to the NTU campus daily, involving 80,000 daily ID card scans to avoid Covid-19 cluster-spreading between the different campus buildings. “Through the sharing of the Taiwan experience, we hope institutions can refer to it to enhance campus safety and resilience for the future,” Pan said. Dr. Ailsa Holloway, a Senior Lecturer in Public Health at Auckland University of Technology, explained that New Zealand’s Covid-19 responses were based on the national risk context of past measles outbreaks, volcanic eruptions, Australian bushfires, and earthquakes. “We learned that higher education governance systems that systematically incorporate disaster risk considerations are better placed for vigorous and coherent emergency response,” Holloway said. “Universities are vital in the frontline response to public health and other emergencies, while also being vulnerable, both externally with respect to exposures outside the institution and internally with respect to students, staff, and the operating system,” she added. Information about the book Safety and Resilience of Higher Educational Institutions: https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-981-19-1193-4 More on APRU Multi-Hazards Program: http://aprumh.irides.tohoku.ac.jp/ https://apru.org/programs/pacific-rim-challenges/multi-hazards/ About APRU As a network of 60 leading universities linking the Americas, Asia, and Australasia, APRU brings together thought leaders, researchers, and policy-makers to exchange ideas and collaborate on practical solutions to the challenges of the 21st century. They leverage their members’ collective education and research capabilities into the international public policy process. In the post-pandemic era, their strategic priorities focus on providing a neutral platform for high-level policy dialogue, taking actions on climate change, and supporting diversity, inclusion, and minorities. APRU’s primary activities support these strategic priorities with a focus on critical areas such as disaster risk reduction, women in leadership, indigenous knowledge, virtual student exchange, esports, population aging, global health, sustainable cities, artificial intelligence, waste management, and more. To learn more about APRU, please visit www.apru.org Contacts Media: Jack Ng Director, Communications, APRU Email: [email protected]

Original post in World Economic Forum Cross-disciplinary research in universities functioning as ‘living labs’ can produce more effective sustainability solutions. The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology has launched around 30 sustainability-related projects. It also aims to be a multistakeholder hub with local, national and global impact. The massive social and economic disruptions caused by the recent pandemic should serve as a wake-up call to anyone who finds a false sense of security in stability and predictability. The pandemic highlighted that in the 21st century, change happens at unprecedented speed, is often unpredictable, and can be fundamentally transformative. This new normal is placing increasing pressure on higher education institutions to accelerate discovery and innovation in the interests of society, especially in the global mission of building a sustainable future. Like many of our fellow universities around the world, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) embraces sustainability as an integral part of our strategic development plan. This starts with the recognition that the principles embedded in sustainability thinking – creating the conditions for people to thrive, focusing on long-term value instead of short-term gains, and living within our planetary boundaries while appreciating the varied stages of development of different regions – are the fundamental touchstones that allow us to measure progress in terms of positive global impact. These principles influence hard sciences, engineering, business and policy development, as seen in our leadership of an international team identifying how China can adjust its overall energy mix strategy in order to reach a carbon peak around 2030, a target for the Paris Agreement. Most universities now recognize that training students to be prepared for 21st-century challenges means transitioning away from traditional content-based instruction, and embracing active experiential learning where students gain skills to help them solve the kinds of challenges they will encounter during their careers. A sustainability roadmap is essential: Skills like life-cycle analyses, systems thinking and scenario-planning are cross-disciplinary competencies rooted in sustainability thinking. In 2019, the International Sustainable Campus Network (ISCN) launched a Campus as a Living Lab collaborative to share ideas and case studies as a way to facilitate hands-on sustainability training and skill-building. In the same vein, HKUST launched the Sustainable Smart Campus as a Living Lab initiative in 2018. The concept is simple: We need smart technologies to address sustainability problems, and we need to develop and encourage the right mindset to set the guardrails to create them. This approach has resulted in the launch of 30 or so university-funded projects, including the installation of indoor air-quality sensors to improve well-being, AI-driven tracking systems for inventorying tree and bird species, self-cleaning multipurpose nano-coatings to improve photovoltaic panel efficiencies, autonomous greywater treatment processes that streamline water recycling, and a digital twin of all campus buildings for a digitized platform for streamlined operations. The goals of such projects are two-fold: to move innovation out of research labs to the campus as a testing ground, and to assess the scalability of these ideas from campus to our city and beyond. For students, the projects provide a clear demonstration how to combine innovation with a sustainability mindset. COVID spotlighted our great challenges in view of disparate states of different regions regarding wealth, development, access and technology. We take this to mean that our educational efforts cannot support only HK and the Greater Bay Area, but also other less developed regions in the world. This is an important mission of the university; to transform research into real solutions, and to educate future solution-providers. Universities can act as strong convening forces that connect business, industry, government and entrepreneurs to address challenges collaboratively. We do this by working with local authorities on formulating science-based policies for reducing roadside and ship emissions to improve Hong Kong’s air quality, providing evidence for developing strategies, and being a trusted resource for policy-makers developing our citywide target to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. Our contributions to government regulations on pollution controls for ocean-going vessels led to wider influence on similar regional regulations for China’s coastal ports, benefitting 20 million people. These collaborations have the potential to improve lives irrespective of wealth and economic status, and showcase what is possible when using sustainability principles as a lodestar. As institutions where reflection on society takes place, it is the responsibility of universities to empower our students with a deeper awareness of how they can help shape this rapidly changing landscape. Instead of being passive observers, universities can stimulate students to become “activist consumers”, recognizing the power of their consumption patterns to drive markets towards more positive social and environmental outcomes. In collaboration with the seven other publicly funded universities in Hong Kong, we are facilitating an ambitious new initiative called the Sustainable Consumer Program, aiming to engage over 100,000 students to adopt responsible consumption patterns in food, energy, water and other consumables. Similarly, joint programmes developed in partnership with the Association of Pacific Rim Universities (APRU) and Asian Universities Alliance (AUA) aim to nurture responsible global citizens with an aspiration to safeguard and advance the welfare of all. From food upcycling to urban beekeeping, we encourage our members as change-makers and enablers. This recent pandemic has made it clear how global health hazards impact everyone and can literally bring our global community to a standstill. No country, no society and no one is exempted from these impacts. Similarly, the grand challenges of climate change also force us to focus on the availability of and access to resources, wealth distributions, and equity between regions and societies. Universities are at their best when they engage stakeholders across the spectrum for collaboration and partnership, empower and enable future leaders, and foster novel ideas, innovations and practices. Sustainability is more than a priority for universities; it is a responsibility, a commitment and a key to the betterment of mankind.

Original post in Associated Press. Co-organised with UN-Habitat, UCLG ASPAC, UNU-IAS, and IGES, the Academy helps regional city mayors to lead inclusive and sustainable future cities development and navigate challenging times in light of COVID-19 Held from November 2020 through May 2021, the second cohort of The Asia Pacific Mayors Academy recently concluded with a final module that saw 16 mayors participate from Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Nepal, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. For this capstone sixth module, the Academy focused on exploring future pathways to financing sustainable urban projects. Organised by six collaborating partners, The Asia Pacific Mayors Academy was launched in 2019 by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) and United Cities and Local Governments Asia-Pacific (UCLG ASPAC) in cooperation with the United Nations University, Institute for the Advanced Study of Sustainability (UNU-IAS) Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES) and APRU (the Association of Pacific Rim Universities). Under the expertise of a faculty including regional experts from the APRU Sustainable Cities and Landscapes Program, the Academy engages newly elected or appointed city mayors in Asia-Pacific to increase their understanding and application of sustainable urban development tools, resources and technical solutions. Together, this multi-stakeholder network of local leaders explores scenarios with specific challenges as well as relevant case studies to facilitate plans for sustainable solutions in their communities. For example, in the sixth module, the Academy discussed leveraging urban land value, co-creating private sector innovation, and promoting polluter-pay solutions to create long-term value for citizens, businesses, and the environment. Chris Tremewan, Secretary General of APRU, “APRU university experts work with city leaders and multilateral organizations to strengthen sustainable city development and to develop concrete plans for urban solutions. We are honoured to be one of the partners of the Academy. These specialised training sessions and knowledge exchanges have been invaluable during COVID-19 as we collectively respond to the crisis. We need to do everything we can to put cities on the path to recovery.” Stefanos Fotiou, Director, Environment and Development Division, ESCAP, “By drawing on multi-disciplinary members from across the Academy’s network, this unique and inclusive initiative supports mayors and the critical role their cities can play in realising the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and Paris Climate Agreement. Starting local is essential to sustainability progress across the region, and it begins by addressing urban problems with smart sustainable solutions.” The Academy offers a robust curriculum including modules on Cities 2030 – Designing, Planning and Managing Sustainable Urban Development and COVID-19 Response and Recovery in hopes to see strengthened regional cooperation and mayors applying learnings to generate positive outcomes in Asia Pacific cities. To find out more: https://www.asiapacificmayorsacademy.org/call-for-expressions-of-interest

Dear Senior Staff: Please find attached an invitation from Dr Vladimir Kurilov, Vice-President for International Relations, Far Eastern Federal University, to the 6th APEC Conference on Cooperation in Higher Education (APEC CCHE’ 17). If you have queries, please contact Ms. Anastasia Sviridova, Head of APEC Study Center of Far Eastern Federal University at [email protected].