Pres. McCann attends ACUCA’s 25th General Assembly and Management Conference in South Korea

Dr. Betty Cernol McCann, Silliman University (SU) president, attended the Association of Christian Universities and Colleges in Asia’s (ACUCA) 25th General Assembly and Management Conference on October 18-19, 2023 in Daejeon City, South Korea.

McCann, who served as ACUCA’s immediate past president, attended the event with Dr. Wilma Tejero-Libarios, SU College of Business Administration dean and ACUCA’s immediate past secretary-general.

Hosted by Hannam University, the event gathered delegates from 41 universities and colleges in Asia to discuss the role of Christian Higher Education in Asia in the face of the challenges and issues brought about by the advent of Artificial Intelligence (AI) or the Fifth Industrial Revolution.

With the theme, “Innovation and Spirituality: Trajectories for Christian Higher Education in Asia,” the event included parallel sessions and discussions on innovation such as micro-credentials, inclusivity, excellence, quality assurance, and spirituality. 

“We expect strengthening collaborations in the area of research and visiting professorship with partner institutions, and that includes the signing of a memorandum of understanding in the days and months to come,” said Tejero-Libarios.

Dr. Kwang-Sup Lee, president of ACUCA and Hannam University, said ACUCA member institutions have the responsibility to continue their tradition of being at the forefront of innovation and social change.

“This means we need to be innovative in our teaching methods, our research, and our outreach. We also need to be spiritual, as we seek to ground our work in the values of love, compassion, and justice,” said Lee.

Dr. Dosoung Choi, Handong Global University president and the event’s plenary speaker, said in his message that “hyper-speed, hyper-connectivity, and hyper-intelligence” brought about by innovation in information, communications, and technology (ICT) is “reshaping our world.”

“We now find ourselves in a volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous (VUCA) environment. As educational leaders, we are tasked with preparing students for this VUCA world. One of these is for colleges and universities to adopt a trans-disciplinary curriculum offering holistic, boundary-crossing approach to learning and problem-solving that transcends traditional academic boundaries; employing insights from various disciplines to devise innovative solutions,” said Choi.

ACUCA is a community of Christian institutions of higher learning in Asia with 64 current member institutions from eight countries/regions in Asia, namely Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Thailand.

ACUCA aims to bring about a community of Christian institutions in Asia working closely together to continually respond to the changing conditions of Asian societies, with an awareness of educational development in the region and a resolute will to actualize the Christian witness even in academic pursuits. 

ACUCA’s ongoing programs and activities are student exchange programs, faculty fellowship programs, micro degree programs, student camps, biennial conferences, and management conferences.

The general assembly and management conference is held every two years.

Aside from SU, the following universities and colleges were represented in the 25th General Assembly and Management Conference: Hong Kong Baptist University, Handong University, Keimyung University, Hannam University, Soongsil University, Aoyama Gakuin University, Doshisha University, Ferris University, Hiroshima Jogakuin University, Hokusei Gakuen University, International Christian University, Kwansei Gakuin University,  Nanzan University, Osaka Jogakuin University,  Chang Jung Christian University, Fu Jen University, Chung Yuan Christian University, Providence University, Wenzao Ursuline University of Languanges, Atma Jaya Catholic University, Dhyana Pura Catholic University, Duta Wacana Christian University, Parahyangan Catholic University, Petra Christian University, Sanata Dharma University, Satya Wacana Christian University, Soegijapranata Catholic University, Universitas Atma Jaya Yogjakara, Universitas Kristen, Asia-Pacific International University, Christian University of Thailand, Payap University, Christ University, Women’s Christian College, Assumption University, Filamer Christian University, Trinity University of Asia, Wesleyan College of Manila, and Wesleyan University-Philippines.