Both in cyberverse and around the globe, the buzzwords that are heavily talked about are pandemic, the new normal, COVID-19, digitalisation and disruption. The world is fighting a miniscule virus that is mighty enough to even make the superpowers buckle in fear. Every day is a constant reminder of how unprepared we all are in crisis management as the numbers of new cases and fatalities rise steadily in most countries that the virus managed to penetrate.

How do you fight an enemy that constantly changes form and is resilient enough to elude the world’s platoon of medical professionals, Nobel Laureates and scientists? How do you win against an enemy that does not discriminate; which even puts the United Nations to shame?

What is the new normal?

People from all walks of life, from prince to pauper, celebrities, the untouchables, without regard for social status and political ideologies, have not been spared. The efforts to produce a vaccine and treatments for COVID-19 are far from bearing fruit. There should be a pause button somewhere for all of us to recalibrate and re-strategise on what’s next. What is the new normal and why are we so scared of leaving our comfort zones, running around like headless chickens, finger pointing and playing the blame game? It is crucial to understand what is happening around us and safeguard ourselves, our families, our businesses and our communities and be better prepared for the future.

On that note, the Centre for University-Industry Collaboration (CUIC), Universiti Utara Malaysia, which prides itself as being the bridge to industry and community, in our ‘Virtually Connected’ series aims to discuss the what, why, who, where, why and how of COVID-19. Uncertainties breed fear and fear would immobilise all efforts to make sense of what we have and how do we move forward. It is especially crucial for all of us to be cognizant of facts in order to make sound decisions. Naturally, we turned to our industry partners; our CEO@Faculty and our university-industry advisory council members to discuss three distinct but interlinked aspects that covered logistics, supply chain and business unusual, the new equilibrium and risk mitigation and future-proofing talent in the era of disruption.

Logistics and supply chain industry

First up, through a very systematic way of taking stock of what is happening around the logistics and supply chain industry, we had Dato’ Michael Tio, CEO of PKT Logistics, elucidating how he had steered PKT onto a more secured pathway. Understandably operating in one of the badly hit industries when countries are being forced to be put on a lockdown, Dato’ Michael stressed on trying to deliver shipments within the time frame given. Emphasis was on acknowledging that things would be challenging and going for alternatives. He had also discussed PKT’s experience in managing and maintaining the morale of their workforce, placing the safety and needs of the employees as their utmost priority as well as highlighting the importance of agility in business strategies.

IR4.0

Next, we put Naguib Mohd Nor, the CEO of Strand Aerospace Malaysia, in the spotlight to elaborate on the economic aspects and how the pandemic has revealed that we were mostly caught off-guard. The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the IR4.0 in all aspects of technology. Businesses are finding themselves rethinking their activities and exploring new activities. The economic impact of the pandemic is often compared to the impact following the Second World War. As a business developer and technologist, Naguib further highlighted that the IR4.0 business model encompasses technology disruption in supply chains, customer behaviours and in some cases, may affect the entire industry, such as the transportation industry. The current economic situation has led to many SMEs questioning their ability and adaptability for survival. It is apparent that many countries are not prepared for a pandemic and its impact on the economy. Businesses are going towards single-based service for survival. In terms of innovation trends of a technology-based company, Naguib had reiterated that the trend for innovation has shifted from inventing and introducing new technology to solving the problems through reverse-engineering.

New normal business practices

Rounding up the rear, we had a tête-à-tête with HR powerhouse Datuk Nora A Manaf of Maybank as she eloquently stressed on the importance of staying connected with the workforce in these uncertain times as the entire organisation shifts towards the new normal business practices. Although businesses were already gearing up to embrace the IR4.0, the pandemic has propelled the industry to fully rely on technology in ensuring minimal disruption of the business activities. However, human connectedness must not be forgotten in embracing the technology. For a trailblazer who often pushes boundaries and makes waves in the futurisation of the workforce and workplace, Nora emphasised it is imperative that future graduates possess industry relevant skills, harness the right experience and knowledge, have the right mindset and attributes for success and have a unique personality that sets them apart from their peers. Technology is just an enabler to execute digitalisation initiatives and should be treated as such.

All the inputs from the three experts point to the key to being ahead in the new normal is to be agile, make sound decisions and be comfortable with uncertainties. There is no playing safe and waiting for all boxes to be ticked in embracing the new normal.

What is the new normal anyway? By whose standards should we base our expectations on? Take higher education institutions, for example. Who would have thought of having public funded public universities shift gear and go solely on online and remote teaching and learning? Sprawling campuses, lush with greeneries, are guarded like prisons with strict SOPs for entering and leaving and only accommodating a fraction of its full capacity and having people to work from home is something alien to many.

Having virtual meetings, one after the other and having to work almost 24/7 to mitigate risks and to pacify stakeholders would push any sane person to the brink of burnout and depression. Having to cater to all sorts of learners, with varying access to the Internet, and some almost non-existent, would definitely test the patience of educators. Those who are still in the infancy stage of online platforms would be scrambling to get everything ‘virtual-ready’ when made compulsory to do so by the higher-ups but would not know for sure whether the fledgling IT support is capable to be of any assistance to the onslaught of many who are not as patient as you want them to be. And the challenges that the pandemic has caused seem to pile up.

Silver linings

But what if we flipped things around? There are always silver linings in hardships and challenges. By using virtual platforms, universities have opened up to potentially new target groups. Scores of prospective learners who did not fit nicely into the categories of the groups that the universities normally cater for now find themselves with options to further their studies. International students who want to study abroad but do not have the luxury of resigning or taking unpaid leave can now register to their hearts’ fancy. Academic staff are now allowed to work at their own pace, from anywhere as long as they have good Internet connection, and have access to a plethora of complimentary publications, reading and support materials that would definitely help them in delivering to the masses.

One can attend three different back-to-back meetings in a day by clicking the links from the meetings invite and by typing meeting IDs and passwords. And wait, all these without spending on logistics and the likes and still being in the confines of your own house and wearing what makes you most comfortable? The creativity and innovativeness that come as part and parcel of ensuring quality delivery and in engaging your fussy audience would be an improvement in the right direction.

Ceremonies and events that are replete with protocol which normally takes up a lot of time and money would now be a thing of the past, freeing valuable time for more important things. Virtual sharing sessions that can gather the movers and shakers and the think-tank can be organised with more substance and less fanfare. Reaching out to others, even when they are not sharing the same time zones is now more possible as you can connect via virtual platforms.

The pandemic brings about devastation, crumbling of household names and loss of lives and jobs and the ugly side of humans that reeks of greed, contempt and manipulation. On the other hand, it also brings about hope in humanity, everyday heroes and the tearing down of invisible walls and the extending of imaginary bridges.

It gives the impetus to seize opportunities, be trendsetters and opening of new businesses and your own definition of what is the new normal. It allows for more flexibility and job crafting and working together for solutions to universal concerns.

We should not wait for all to embrace the new normal as we do not want to be caught off-guard again like what COVID-19 did to most of us. We should now be thinking hard to identify and define what the next normal is and have our post-pandemic strategies aligned to what we foresee our industry should be. It is liberating to set your own rules and be the forefront of what matters.

This is the era of exponential improvement and coming back to the higher education industry, now would be the time for accelerating the learner’s experience through digitalisation initiatives and providing options for diverse groups. The time is just right to allow academics to push boundaries and do what they do best as scholars with unbridled passion for knowledge and not have them spending most of their time with documentations and the like.

Gig economy and freelancers

The next normal for higher education is about the gig economy and freelancers, both in the form of students and educators. Education should always be about improving oneself and being open to new possibilities and the meeting points of agreeing to disagree. More importantly, education should be customised between the educator and the learner. We should focus more on the experience, diversity, empowerment and inclusivity.

There is a pressing need for more agile leaders to come forth and take charge, befitting of the next normal. More of those who utilise design thinking, with foresights and acumen that rival industry captains, those who are not afraid to shake and stir things up, and who can boldly throw all strategic plans out of the window and declare enough meddling by accreditation bodies and the like. Perhaps standing their ground and saying, ‘this is my turf, we decide what to do and we dictate where we are heading’.

The next normal is all about riding the waves in the VUCA world and responding to the dynamic and transient environment and the plethora of ambiguities that it sweeps ashore. The future of higher education is happening right now, and it is all about social cohesiveness and human flourishing.

Echoing Isaac Newton’s ‘we build too many walls and not enough bridges’ all too familiar quote, let’s continue to demolish more invisible walls and strive to build more imaginary bridges.

After all, the first word that was revealed upon the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon Him, was Iqra, from the Surah Al-Alaq, which means Read. That very simple word connotates knowledge and the power to uplift oneself from the darkness to the light. It means freeing yourself from the shackles of the unknown towards the betterment of humanity. Wouldn’t it be fitting to treat education as such?

-- BERNAMA

Marlin Marissa Malek is an Associate Professor and the Director, Centre for University-Industry Collaboration (CUIC), Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM).