【Sing Tao Daily】Universities and the Imagination of the Future: Rethinking Academic Entrepreneurialism and Policy Implications

In the innovative era of the knowledge-based society, universities are facing unprecedented opportunities and possibilities. Economic globalization has spurred the corporatization of university governance and the rise of academic entrepreneurialism. At the same time, the rapid development of artificial intelligence also brings unknown challenges to universities. The higher education sector is undergoing significant transformations, but how do university professors envision the future of universities?

Sponsored by the Hong Kong Research Grants Council's General Research Fund, the author conducted a research project titled "Reconsidering Academic Entrepreneurialism in East Asia: Diverse Voices and Critical Insights from the Academic Profession of Flagship Universities." This project involved in-depth interviews with over 50 faculty members from the University of Hong Kong, the University of Tokyo, and Seoul National University, representing diverse disciplines, seniority levels, and genders. These interviews were complemented by extensive analysis of university policy documents and literature to explore the interaction patterns among world-class universities, academic professions, institutional changes, and academic entrepreneurialism. Through this article, the author aims to share insights on the future of universities and their policy implications.

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