English in Higher Education and the Global Knowledge Enterprise

1
English in Higher Education and the Global
Knowledge Enterprise

• Anne Pakir
• National University of Singapore
• SYMPOSIUM ON LANGUAGE ISSUES IN ENGLISH-MEDIUM
  UNIVERSITIES ACROSS ASIA
• University of Hong Kong, 8-9 June 2006

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Introduction

• This presentation aims to discuss the situation
  in Singapore where an English-knowing bilingual
  policy has given rise to an ascendant
  English-knowing bilingual community. It focuses
  on NUS, one of the four universities in
  Singapore, which is leading the way in building
  a global knowledge enterprise.

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Topics of Discussion

• Ascendant English-Knowing Bilingual Communities
• Global Knowledge Enterprise
• Two Key Issues
• a) Talented foreign academics from non-English
  medium universities
• b) Development of bilingual and bicultural elites
  in higher education

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Global University Landscape
Competition for Resources

• Students

• Funding

• Faculty

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Local Universities
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The Changing University Landscape
Attract 10 world-class universities to Singapore
1997
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Ascendant English-Knowing Bilingual Communities

• the rise of ascendant bilingual communities in
  Southeast Asia
• four countries in ASEAN (Brunei, Malaysia, the
  Philippines, Singapore) and their language
  policies
• current issues language standards and the
  teaching and learning of English and other
  languages - teacher-centric, student-centric
  foci.

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Global Knowledge Enterprise

• NUS, the Global University
• Moving towards a Global Knowledge Enterprise,
  building synergy between Education, Research, and
  Enterprise
• ECO approach GLOBAL E-C-O
• A profile of English-medium Higher Education at
  NUS

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Overview
NUS strives to build a globally-recognized brand
name while meeting Singapores needs and
challenges Our global strategies aim to

• Provide quality education and equip students to
  seize opportunities in the global knowledge
  economy
• Harness synergies from global knowledge sources
  and worldwide talent bases
• Cultivate leaders familiar with global best
  practices and appreciative of cultural differences

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NUS Key Statistics

• Founded in 1905
• 13 faculties, 94 research institutes or centers
• 32 university administration offices
• 10 on-campus student residences
• Total enrolment 32,000
• 23,000 undergraduates
• 9,000 graduate students
• 2,900 faculty and research staff

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NUS Globalization Framework
An ECO Approach to Globalization
Global Experience
Global Outreach
Global Community
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Global Experience

• NUS Overseas Colleges
• Silicon Valley Stanford University
• Bio Valley University of Pennsylvania
• Shanghai Fudan University
• Stockholm Royal Institute of Technology (KTH)
• Bangalore Indian Institute of Science (IISc)

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Global Community

• International students and faculty
• 20 international undergraduate students
• 50 international graduate students
• 50 overseas faculty members
• 75 overseas research staff
• Main Sources
• Australia, Bangladesh, Brunei, China, Hong Kong,
  India, Indonesia,
• Malaysia, Mauritius, the Middle East, Myanmar,
  Pakistan,
• Philippines, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Thailand
  and Vietnam

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Global Outreach

• Association of Pacific Rim Universities (APRU)
• NUS chairs Steering Committee Secretariat in NUS
• NUS hosted AAU-APRU Presidents Roundtable in July
  2005
• APRU World Institute (AWI)
• NUS chairs Governing Board
• International Alliance of Research Universities
  (IARU)
• NUS hosted Inaugural IARU Presidents Meeting in
  January 2006
• Asia-Pacific Association for International
  Education (APAIE)
• NUS is a founding member and serves on Board of
  Directors
• ASEAN University Network (AUN)
• NUS serves on Board of Trustees

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Two Key Issues

• 1) Talented foreign academics from non-English
  medium universities
• 2) Development of bilingual and bicultural elites
  in higher education

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Bilingual and Bicultural Elite

• Reading A Poem Not Too Obiang
• The creativity involved, leading to glocal
  English
• The problem of having an English-dominant higher
  education experience student expectations of
  other-language dominant foreign teachers

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A Poem Not Too Obiang

• From fiddlesticks and By Jove I pick my words to
  find AlamakStirring spicily on my tongue
  - Like the first bite Of green chillies that
  sends Tentative excitement Popping out of
  their seeds
• Why should I not drink Teh tarik and
  discuss Lee Tzu Pheng (without putting them in
  italics) among friends who read but Tread on
  the trappings of blind Milton and Shakepearean
  worship? Like the prata mans Flips and flaps
  of the dough Taking shape with each dose Of
  local flavour, I look for my place In a
  Singaporean life.
• My place in the sun Is certainly not too LC For
  some others meringue pies And afternoon tea

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Talented foreign academics from non-English
medium universities what this means

• Strong statements in the press about less than
  proficient English users among foreign TAs and
  professors
• The ENGLISH ASSIST program offered by CELC at NUS

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Conclusion

• Globalisation shrinking space, shrinking time,
  complex cultures interacting, acceleration
  processes
• Global multilingualism, ascendant English-knowing
  bilingual communities
• Building the Global Knowledge Enterprise with and
  in English English language practices at
  university level
• The complex realities of English language use in
  the 21st century