The chairman of the International Institute of Advanced Islamic Studies also said Malaysian society lacks the ability to critically question existing norms and seek alternative perspectives, adding that reading should be cultivated as a lifestyle instead of a hobby.
“The very soul of the university is about the culture of innovation and an inquisitive mindset which should be nurtured by every member within the faculty,” he said during a panel discussion at the 2024 National Education and Learning Summit here.
“However, this should not just start in the university, it should be inculcated in every single member of society in homes and schools.”
Another panellist, Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia deputy vice-chancellor (research and innovation) Rabiah Ahmad, said that instead of a focus on rankings, higher education institutions should work on generating marketable and community-relevant solutions through research.
Rabiah said universities play a key role in research, adding that collaboration between these institutions, relevant industries and the government was crucial to ensuring that universities could produce marketable talents.
“Every university has a niche, so they have to leverage this by working closely with industry professionals to ensure that the production of talents and solutions aligns with industry demands,” she said.
Cultivating creativity in students
Meanwhile, EC-Council University president Lata Bavisi raised concerns about the reluctance of students to ask questions in classrooms, which she said led to a lack of creative ability.
“This mindset comes from respect. Students think they would be disregarding or disrespecting their teacher if they posed a question,” she said.
“So as educators, we should encourage our fellow teachers or professors to start being progressive and openly accept questions.
“If a student does not ask questions and live with curiosity, we’re never going to be able to build a society with a creative thinking mindset, which is crucial to innovation and research.”
She cited the US as an example of a country that had successfully cultivated a “thinking mindset”, where students did not shy away from posing questions and providing answers.
Separately, Open University Malaysia vice-president Tajudin Ninggal said a holistic overhaul of the education system to nurture integrity and critical thinking from a young age was needed for Malaysia to be a progressive nation.
He said the education system had to be revamped to nurture the spirit of nation-building, apart from building character through mentoring, coaching and a good career guidance system.