Knowledge economy for national development

By Snr Prof Kshanika Hirimburegama Bsc (Hons), MPh, PhD Lecture

Human resource capacity building by facilitating the transfer of "knowledge" for practical use is the basis of higher education. The knowledge gained through education gives strength to a person and the society to face the globalised challenges of the modern world with confidence. Correctly guided higher education in any discipline will promote deep analytical thinking, positive attitudes, and gathering of information for problem solving and finally produces a person who can make a positive change in the society. Therefore, the education one achieves is for the benefit of the individual, society and finally for the country.

My dear graduands, you could be very happy that you have climbed the first step in the ladder of higher education. Your hard earned degree from the oldest and highly reputed Tribhuvan University in Nepal, is the foundation for beginning of skills and competency development and, beginning of your learning. You can be proud and happy that you have laid a foundation - a strong foundation from a well reputed university. Tribhuvan University a pioneering institution of higher education in Nepal, named after late King Tribhuvan.

Think of those who have lost the opportunity to pursue their higher studies. It is the right of all to have access to higher education.

Therefore it is your social responsibility that your colleagues who could not pursue higher studies are also given a benefit through your education.

Make sure you serve them as well. When employed, do an effective, efficient, honest and genuine work. Mind would then be free for innovations, creations as it is devoid of ill thinking.

Education should also bring qualities such as patience, tolerance, mind control, respect for the views of others, sympathy and compassion. Do not go behind monetary benefits, mind can never be at ease.

Life is millions of chemical reactions to a chemist. A failure in a few reactions would result in illnesses such as diabetes, hypertension etc.

Mind controls, many of these reactions through regulating the tension etc.

Thus mind regulation is required to be developed through education.

Learning is lifelong. We learn until death. Innovations, new technology, information gathering etc give a satisfaction. This is an intellectual character. A country needs to produce educated intellectuals for its national development.

Competition is necessary for development,

to improve the quality of life

Competition should be considered as a challenge in a positive manner rather than a headache that could bring stress to life. Nothing is stressful, if you take it as another challenge.

My memories go back to my University, also my Alma Mater the University of Colombo. It is the oldest University in Sri Lanka. It grew from the University of Ceylon that was established in 1942 under the colonial rulers. The oldest component Ceylon Medical College had been founded in 1870. The fore-runner the Ceylon University College had been founded in 1921. The University of Colombo currently has seven Faculties (Medicine, Science, Law, Management, Finance, Arts, Education and Graduate Studies) with 43 academic Departments.

The University also has one Campus for Mass Media and Performing Arts. The University of Colombo has financially independent seven Institutes which are specialised in different disciplines. These specialized fields are Indigenous Medicine, Human Resource Development, Postgraduate Medicine, Molecular Biology, Library Sciences, Computing, and the newly developed Agro-biotechnology. Altogether the University of Colombo has 10,000 undergraduates and another 25,000 students in extension courses and postgraduate courses. It is important to highlight that the undergraduates are totally public funded while other courses are highly subsidised.

The Virtual Campus of the University in future would offer on-line courses where delivering will be multimode. Also the students could learn whenever they have time. All those avenues will open up more opportunities for both Sri Lanka as well as international community of all ages to pursue higher education thereby engage in a knowledge based career.

Knowledge Economy and Higher Education

An economy of a country becomes a "Knowledge Economy" when the sustained use and creation of knowledge are at the centre of its national development process.

Then the country uses knowledge as the key engine of its economic growth. It is an economy in which knowledge is acquired, created, disseminated, and used effectively to enhance national development, where the Human Resource Advancement is a key factor.

Knowledge and innovation through competition have played a crucial role in development from the beginnings of human history. But with globalisation and the technological revolution of the last few decades, knowledge has certainly become the key driving force of economic development and is now profoundly reshaping the patterns of world's economic growth. Especially, developing countries should therefore think, with some urgency, about their future under a knowledge economy heading. If not, developing countries would not be able to face the challenges of globalised competitiveness.

The central role of knowledge and innovation in economic growth is widely acknowledged in developed countries, which are coping with new realities. The nations with well managed economies benefited quickly from the new opportunities offered, with a high growth rate and productivity performances over the last 15 years.

It is noted that this knowledge economy is far away for many developing countries where formulation of appropriate policies for knowledge based development has not been done. The less conducive political and economic management environment is the main reason for this unfavourable situation.

Rapid increase in knowledge and the model of knowledge economy provide a new potential for developing countries like Sri Lanka and Nepal to grow faster, provided they have a commitment to utilize knowledge for national development. Developing countries have to move fast and otherwise they will remain slow - moving poor economies against fast - moving rich economies that use new knowledge effectively.

The knowledge utilization gap between developed and developing countries is growing even wider. It is very important to realize that developing countries must move rapidly to join the fast moving global economy and the knowledge base that supports it.

The successful transition to a knowledge economy depends on the key contribution from organizations such as innovative companies and firms; research centers, Universities, and other organizations that are involved in the knowledge & technology creation to the local need use them for productions. Another main pillar of the knowledge economy framework identified is an educated and skilled workforce that continuously upgrades and adapts skills to efficiently create and use knowledge. This knowledge compatible work force is called as "knowledge workers".

The role of Universities as knowledge organizations, as knowledge creation centers, is extremely important in guiding the nation towards a knowledge economy. As a part of it, Universities need to produce knowledge workers.

Human Resource required sustaining the knowledge economy. Another important pillar is a modern and adequate information infrastructure. Latest information is essential to acquire the modern knowledge. The last pillar is economic incentive and institutional regime that provides a good economic policy, which lead to creativity and use of existing knowledge.

I would like to cite a good example from my own experience in Sri Lanka. I have been involved in biotechnology transfer to rural sector in Sri Lanka. The tissue culture technology for banana developed in the university was very well taken up by farmers: both young and old, as the technology with proper agronomic practices would give them 8-10 fold increase in income.

The demand for tissue cultured banana plants rapidly increased and the rural farmer showed keenness to take up novel technology and knowledge, apply it as the end result would be increased income to them. Having observed this, the University through its newly established Institute for Agro-technology and Rural Sciences, located in down south Hambantota, 250 km away from Colombo introduced an on-line Agro-technology certificate courses to the rural farming community.

At present 120 farmers with an age range of 22 - 60 are following the course totally on-line. Many have not touched a computer even. But they all took the on-line programme very well and have passed 8 certificate courses leading to a Diploma because of their enthusiasm, hunger for knowledge and higher education. Knowledge the farmers have gained is immediately applied to their cultivations that have increased their income.

Sri Lankans like to learn more, gain knowledge and therefore have a very high potential for the knowledge economy and higher education with high social welfare system sustained from independence.

Sri Lanka suffered 30 years through a separatism sought terrorists, the world's most ruthless terrorists who basically ruined the peaceful living of all Sri Lankans.

It is the leadership of President Mahinda Rajapaksa and the Security Forces that had given the Sri Lankans opportunity to live in peace now and to be in a rapidly developing economy.

The commitment and vision of the leadership of a country is extremely important for national development.

The Sri Lankans are happy and lucky that we have a leadership who loves his country and committed to develop it.

Nepalese are known for their kind and tolerant nature. You have a beautiful range of mountains bordering with Himalayas, a lovely sight when flying over. We Asians may not be rich in financial resources, but we do have a rich intellectual capacity.

The intellectual capacity with our natural resources could develop our countries and strengthen Asia. We have our rich cultures, ancient technologies, natural flora and fauna and blending with new knowledge gained through higher education our countries could flourish well.

(Convocation address made by, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Colombo, Snr Prof. Kshanika Hirimburegama BSc(Hons) M.Phil, PhD(Leuven) at the Tribhuvan University, Katmandu, Nepal recently)