Alliance of Asian Liberal Arts Universities

The Alliance of Asian Liberal Arts Universities (AALAU) is a network of renowned liberal arts universities in Asia. Members collectively enhance the quality of their teaching, learning and research through benchmarking, the sharing of best practices and collaboration within and beyond the network. The Fifth Annual Presidents’ Forum of the AALAU, hosted by the Mahidol University International College (MUIC) in Bangkok, Thailand, was conducted on 25 November 2022. The forum’s theme was “Liberal Arts Reimagined”, which stimulated many insightful discussions on the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the academic community and the current and future role of liberal arts education. Senior executives and faculty members from 18 leading liberal arts higher-education institutions in Asia attended in hybrid mode.

Group photograph of the attendees at the 2022 Annual Presidents’ Forum of the AALAU.

Group photograph of the in-person attendees at the 2022 Annual Presidents’ Forum of the AALAU, including Prof Chulathida Chomchai, M.D., Dean of MUIC (fourth from the left), and Prof Shalendra Sharma, Associate Vice-President (Academic Quality Assurance and Internationalisation) of LU (fifth from the right).

The opening remarks were given by Prof Nopraenue Sajjarax Dhirathiti, Vice President for International Relations and Corporate Communication, MUIC, who noted that it was important for liberal arts institutions to reassess what steps should be taken after emerging from the lockdowns imposed during the pandemic. Prof Leonard K Cheng, President, LU, noted in his opening remarks that he looked forward to discussions on achieving innovation and using design thinking in liberal arts education. He also reminded the audience that the liberal arts should be focused on the holistic development of humanity and should not influenced by political ideologies.

One of the three keynote speeches was delivered by Prof Joshua Mok Ka-ho, Vice President, LU. He detailed how LU successfully coped with the lockdown and the required switch to online learning. Nevertheless, he noted that a survey conducted by LU showed there was an urgent need to return to in-person classes as soon as possible. He explained that as a liberal arts education is meant to prepare students for the future, new technologies should be incorporated into the humanities.

Prof Leonard K Cheng, President of LU, delivering opening remarks at the 2022 Annual Presidents’ Forum of the AALAU.

Prof Joshua Mok Ka-ho, Vice-President and Lam Man Tsan Chair Professor of Comparative Policy of LU, delivering a keynote speech at the 2022 Annual Presidents’ Forum of the AALAU.

At the panel discussions held in the afternoon, representatives from Alliance members shared their experiences and had fruitful discussions on the topics “Achieving Innovation” and “Design Thinking in the Liberal Arts”.

The above-described conference demonstrates how AALAU builds synergies between member universities and creates opportunities for collaborative work within and beyond the group. More information and updates are available at www.aalau.org.