Panel 4
Of all the factors that contribute to innovation, there is one where academic research may be at odds with today’s demands: time. Industry and society are hungry for new inventions that can improve efficiency, the environment, the quality of life and much more – and they want them now. Academic research, while being a source of the fundamental changes that can drive these inventions, needs months and years to develop its results. Moreover, while individual trailblazers may attract intense attention, particularly in the tech industry, innovation typically requires teamwork and multiple contributors. How universities can address that mismatch was the topic of the fourth panel of the day, which was moderated by Professor Dawn Freshwater, Vice- Chancellor of The University of Auckland, and included panellists Professor Rocky S Tuan, Vice-Chancellor and President of CUHK; Professor Li Jin, President of Fudan University; Professor Gene D Block, Chancellor of the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA); and Professor Eng Chye Tan, President of the National University of Singapore (NUS).
Professor Freshwater started the session by reminding participants that their lives have spanned a remarkable time of discovery and achievement, from space flight to robotics to mass computing. “Research-led innovations have saved lives, lifted millions of people out of poverty, and delivered technological changes that within the blink of an eye became mainstream,” she said. “But while we may have prospered, in the peripheral vision there are indicators that suggest some of the greatest challenges remain ahead of us.” She noted that the innovation race is taking place at a time of heightened geopolitical tensions, which can affect collaboration. There is also the added dimension of AI which, while offering great potential to respond to grand challenges such as climate justice and healthcare, also poses serious risks that need to be considered. For example, every 10 searches on ChatGPT uses up 500 millilitres (about two cups) of water, and there is increasing risks from cyberattacks and malicious actors, Professor Freshwater warned.
Snail’s Pace to the Innovation Race: How Management is Responding to the Innovation Imperative
The innovation race offers opportunities and challenges for society, which speak to the fundamental purpose of a university and what we do in terms of leading through these challenges and changes to indicate what good citizens need to pay attention to in future.
Professor Dawn Freshwater Vice-Chancellor, The University of Auckland
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