Education is the foundation for the long-term growth of APEC economies: FEFU explores the prospects for the region

Far Eastern Federal University (FEFU) has once again hosted the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) International Conference on Higher Education (ICO). This year, the event was attended by representatives from India, which was the invited economy for the conference. At the event, representatives from India and other countries in the region, including Russia, China, Vietnam, Japan, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, and the Philippines, discussed ways to maintain the competitiveness of the region's economies in the future.

The XIV APEC International Conference on Higher Education held a plenary session on the topic of "Educational Ecosystems of the Future: How Can APEC Economies Maintain a Competitive Advantage?" The event was moderated by Evgeny Vlasov, FEFU Vice President for International Relations. In his opening remarks, he emphasized the importance of regional cooperation in education as a strategic investment for the future of the Asia-Pacific region, with universities playing a crucial role in driving this process.

"Our primary objective is to jointly train professionals who will be capable of working effectively on international projects within the Asia-Pacific region. The closer the ties between our economies become and the more new joint projects emerge, the sharper the need for personnel to support this breakthrough. International cooperation in higher education has long been and continues to be a top priority for the FEFU. Our flagship project, the Russian-Asian Faculty, has become a valuable tool for bringing economies of APEC countries closer together. It is a unified educational space where we, together with leading Asian universities, develop and implement unique programmes. We have already established joint institutions in IT and biomedicine with Chinese universities. In the future, we intend to launch educational initiatives with universities in Vietnam, Thailand, and India," Evgeny Vlasov shared the experience of the FEFU.

Eduardo Pedrosa, Executive Director of the APEC Secretariat, addressed participants and noted the relevance and timeliness of the topic of maintaining the competitive advantage of Asia-Pacific economies, given the changing structure and needs of these economies.

"The APEC ICO Conference is an important platform for the development of cooperation in the field of higher education between the countries of the region. This is where new ideas and cooperation tracks are formed that we can offer to the leaders of our countries," the Executive Director of the APEC Secretariat set the vector for the discussion.

Olga Petrova, Deputy Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation, addressed the guests about the program for the development of technological leadership in the Russian Federation. She noted that Russia is relying on large-scale federal initiatives in the field of education, including the Priority 2030 program and the Advanced Engineering Schools project. Dozens of universities have been involved in these initiatives. The Deputy Minister emphasized the role of FEFU in this process, as the university, serving as "Russia's window to the APR," participates in both initiatives and contributes to the development of the country's scientific, technological, and socio-economic potential.

The main focus of the discussion regarding the future of education and economies in the Asia-Pacific region was on the international exchange of experiences and practices among representatives from various countries. For instance, Trina Fizzanti, Head of the Education Research Center at Indonesia’s National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), highlighted that her country has prioritized the development of a robust educational and scientific ecosystem in fields such as medicine, social sciences, and climate change. Indonesia aims to maintain its competitiveness in global projects and is open to collaborating with international research institutions like the Far Eastern Federal University. The speaker concluded by inviting representatives from other countries in the region to engage in collaborative platforms for research and innovation.

The President of the National Institute of Development Administration (NIDA) in Thailand, Tippawan Lorsuwannarat, expressed confidence that countries in the Asia-Pacific region could join forces to achieve sustainable development while maintaining their competitive advantages. The Vice President of Renmin University of China, Zheng Xinye, emphasized that collaborative efforts would help Asia-Pacific nations transition from traditional education and research models to those that heavily rely on artificial intelligence (AI). Citing the successful collaboration between China and Russia in education, he encouraged FEFU and other institutions to collaborate on AI-driven solutions.

As Nguyen Van Long, the Rector of the University of Foreign Language Studies at Danang University, has emphasized, in light of global transformation, higher education systems worldwide, including in Vietnam, face unprecedented challenges and new opportunities. Artificial intelligence is fundamentally altering not only individual processes, but also the very structure, function, and philosophy of university education, necessitating a reconsideration of approaches to preparing future leaders and global citizens.

"A crucial aspect of contemporary reality is the significant generational divide in the perception of digital environments. We, as representatives of older generations, can be described as «digital immigrants» in this new world, while our youth are «digital natives» of this AI-driven environment, having been born and raised within it. Their cognitive patterns, methods of perceiving and processing information, differ fundamentally, necessitating a transformation in pedagogical approaches. The integration of AI technologies into educational processes is an imperative of our time. However, while introducing innovations, it is crucial to maintain the humanistic aspects of education. AI-generated texts should not be considered equivalent to human-authored texts, and automated translation should not replace a deep understanding of language and cultural nuances. Our strategic objective is to utilize the power of AI to unlock human potential, rather than replace it," Nguyen Van Long said.

The APEC ICO also featured two sessions dedicated to the transformation of engineering education to address global challenges. The first session focused on strategies for designing and implementing engineering curricula that prioritize sustainability, ensuring that future engineers possess both technical competence and a commitment to sustainable innovation. The second session addressed the creation of optimal engineering ecosystems that tackle not only the issue of a shortage of engineers but also their preparedness to meet sustainable development challenges. Participants engaged in discussions on updating educational standards, enhancing infrastructure, and establishing partnerships that promote sustainable engineering practices.

For reference, the APEC ICO has been held annually in Vladivostok since 2012 and is included in the official schedule of APEC events. This conference is traditionally a flagship event of FEFU's international agenda as part of the Eastern Economic Forum. Over its history, this conference has established itself as an important platform for discussing and formulating practical recommendations for enhancing higher education systems in Asia.