LETTERS: Our universities play a crucial role in shaping future-ready talent, and it all starts with transforming the curriculum to stay ahead of global trends.
One bold idea is to introduce interdisciplinary "challenge labs" where students from different faculties collaborate to solve pressing societal issues, such as climate change, urbanization, or food security.
These labs would focus on real-world, complex problems that require diverse perspectives — merging engineering with the arts, sciences with business.
This would foster holistic thinking and encourage students to tackle challenges that transcend their own fields.
Entrepreneurship incubators within every faculty could be another game-changer.
While entrepreneurship centres exist in some universities, making this available to every student as part of their coursework would empower more students to think like innovators.
They could work on building their own startups, with mentorship from both academic staff and successful entrepreneurs, preparing them to create jobs rather than just seek them.
Additionally, global virtual collaborations can be integrated into the curriculum.
Students could partner with peers from universities in other countries on international projects, developing a global mindset and cross-cultural communication skills.
With remote work becoming the norm, this kind of experience would set graduates apart in the global marketplace.
Finally, universities could implement a "future thinking" module across all programmes.
This would teach students to anticipate and adapt to emerging trends, disruptions, and innovations in their industries.
By training students to think strategically about the future, Malaysia could cultivate a generation of forward-thinking professionals who can navigate the complexities of tomorrow's world.
DR MUHAMMAD NOOR ABDUL AZIZ, DR SITI NOOR ANEEIS HASHIM
Institute of Excellent Teachers and Leaders in Education School of Education, Universiti Utara Malaysia
The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of the New Straits Times