Learn to deliver solutions
Vital to teach students to make reasoned, innovative decisions

As human beings, we start to learn from the moment we are born. But all too often, education is relegated to formal learning, to be conducted in schools and universities. Thereafter, it is simply regarded as work experience.

Is that enough to sustain today’s young people, our graduates and emerging workforce, through an increasingly fickle work environment, riddled with global events that send ripples through every industry?

The reason one goes to a university is to receive an education. Traditionally, more emphasis is placed on acquiring domain knowledge, learning in a particular field such as medicine or psychology. However, equally important is a learning philosophy, which encompasses the various skills associated with navigating the complexities of life, including one’s career.

It is not surprising therefore that the Future of Jobs Report 2023, published by the World Economic Forum, listed analytical thinking, creative thinking, resilience, flexibility, agility, motivation and self-awareness among the top 10 most important skills.

Analytical thinking is essential for problem-solving, and how we frame and think about a problem; creativity and innovation go hand in hand to find solutions, however unconventional. Meanwhile, agility and curiosity allow us to expand the way we address problems and develop solutions. All of these are underpinned by motivation and self-awareness.

As all skills boil down to decision-making, we need higher education institutions to teach students to make reasoned decisions to help solve unique and complex problems and to do so in an innovative way. We need to empower and prepare students for a lifetime of decision-making, as these skills are essential for navigating the uncertainties of the future.

Towards excellence: Technology is a great enabler but the more important aspect is how well we integrate the layers of self and skills, and the learning philosophies that guide our lives. — 123rf.com

Beyond boundaries

Modern resources at our disposal have changed both teaching and learning methods, giving us a world that is truly borderless. We can also adopt this borderless concept by challenging the limitations in our own minds.

You, for example, do not need to stay in the same field or industry you are experienced in.

Having only worked in the private sector is no reason why you cannot work in the public sector, because what you learn in one area can be applied to another. This agility gains you richer exposure and experience.

Similarly, entrepreneurial traits can be applied to any field, not just to starting a business. Entrepreneurs have to be analytical and resourceful in pursuing opportunities and solving problems. The fundamental skills here are reasoning, problem framing and finding solutions – these are practised not only in business, but also in medicine when a doctor evaluates your symptoms to diagnose an illness and prescribes a treatment, and across many other fields.

Being able to see past borders and limitations – to be curious and innovative – allows us to see where various fields of expertise intersect rather than oppose each other. In other words, instead of either/or, we can embrace if/and, and open up a truly limitless world.

Embracing change

One of humanity’s greatest gifts is its ability to adapt to change and disruption. We have already lived through a global pandemic and will continue to grapple with climate change and economic and political fluctuations for years to come.How well we cope with these disruptions will depend on how we look at problems and challenges. Are we willing to be flexible and and adapt to change, be it a new role, career or way of life?

Institutions of learning are not exempted from this. Universities have existed for centuries, often adapting to change to remain relevant. For example, our medical students are now better prepared to manage a wide range of situations, thanks to clinical simulation laboratories that utilise augmented reality alongside practical hands-on learning.

However, while technology is a great enabler, allowing us to connect, communicate and coordinate, the more important aspect is how well we integrate the layers of self and skills, and the learning philosophies that guide our lives.

We are complex individuals capable of applying decision-making skills that are honed through learning, both formal and informal, and life experience. With this, we have the ability to solve complex problems and deliver solutions, for the betterment of ourselves and others around us. It is a path to personal and professional excellence, which we should all aspire to.

IMU University group managing director Gerard George is a professor of innovation and technology, a published author and an advocate for lifelong learning. The views expressed here are the writer’s own.
education,IMU,technology,critical skills,analytical,problem-solving
As human beings, we start to learn from the moment we are born. But all too often, education is relegated to formal learning, to be conducted in schools and universities. Thereafter, it is simply regarded as work experience.