Asia Theories Network and Kritika Kultura host workshop on understanding the university's identity in the modern world

The Asia Theories Network, in partnership with Kritika Kultura, hosted a workshop called "The University: Colonial/Modern, Global/Neoliberal, Digital Transversal" from 5 to 6 December 2023. The workshop tackled the university's role as a social, and now global and transnational institution, in the face of changing times.

The workshop looked to provide an intensive look into the concept of the university and its constantly changing form, especially in the context of the neoliberal turn that has swept across the globe for the past few decades. Among the problems it looked to discuss were the perceived shift from the business of education to education as a business, the shrinkage of the academic job market, the loss of academic freedoms in the face of rising global authoritarianism, and the continued problem of unequal access to higher education.

The event saw representatives from various universities from different countries take part in five panels as well as an open forum.

At the opening of the event, Ateneo de Manila School of Humanities Dean Dr Jonathan O Chua gave a welcome address via Zoom. Kritika Kultura Founding Editor and Editor Emerita Dr Ma Luisa Torres Reyes also gave an address where she talked about the history of Kritika Kultura. Ateneo's Dr Oscar V Campomanes and Dr Vincenz Serrano also took to the podium to discuss the workshop's theme.

The first three panels took place on 5 December. The first of these was Philosophical and Ideological Challenges in the University, moderated by Dr Hung-chiung Li, from National Taiwan University. It featured Dr Syed Farid Alatas, from the National University of Singapore, and his talk called The Philosophy of Education, Attitudes and the University; Dr Joyce C H Liu, from National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, who presented Breaking the Cycle: Rethinking University Education and Overcoming Ideological Barriers; and Dr Kei Yamamoto, of Ritsumeikan University, with his talk The Future of University and Democracy.

The second panel was Historical Crises, Contemporary Sensibilities, moderated by Dr Campomanes. It featured Dr Alex Taek-Gwang Lee, from Kyung Hee University, and his talk University and Human Capital; Dr Joff P N Bradley, of Teikyo University, who gave a talk called On Stiegler and the Crisology of Spirit; and Dr Chun-mei Chuang, from Soochow University, who presented a talk called Cultivating a Molecular Sensibility.

The third and final panel for the day was Social Mission and Academic Freedom, moderated by Dr Serrano. The panel included Dr Agus Suwignyo, from Gadjah Mada University, who gave a talk called The Demise of the Social Mission of Indonesian Universities; Dr Ramon Guillermo, from the University of the Philippines Diliman, and his presentation called Can a University Condemn Genocide and Ethnic Cleansing; and Dr Virgilio A Rivas, from the Polytechnic University of the Philippines, who discussed The Subversive Intellectual and the University.

The second day of the event started with a public roundtable titled How Are We to Reimagine the University Now? A Roundtable Discussion on Current Issues in Global Higher Education.

Speakers at the forums were Dr Suwignyo, Dr Liu, Dr Campomanes, Dr Lee, Dr Alatas, as well Dr Anneeth Kaur Hundle, from the University of California, Irvine; and Dr Mayumo Inoue, from Hitotsubashi University. 

Dr Serrano moderated the roundtable, which was attended by faculty members from Ateneo, UP Diliman, as well as independent researchers.

The day concluded with the final two panels. First was Conditions and Strategies moderated by Dr Lee. Speakers here were Dr Li with The Condition of the University, Dr Inoue with The Orphic Undercommons and the University under Military Occupation; and Dr Kwai-Cheung Lo, of Hong Kong Baptist University with No Longer a Place for Critical and Liberal Intelligentsia.

The fifth and final panel was Subjectives and Sectors, moderated by Dr Campomanes. Panelists were Dr Hundle with Universalizing the African University, Dr. Christophe Thouny, of Ritsumeikan University, with For a Planetary Education: Jacques Racière, the Global University and Japanese Alternative Education Practices; and Dr Ki-Myoung Kim, from Kyung Hee University, with Non-University Sector of Humanities in Seoul and Freedom of Philosophizing.

While the panels took up most of the delegates' time, they were also given a chance to see more of the Ateneo campus. At the end of the first day, despite the pouring rain, they were able to visit the Ateneo de Manila University Press and take a tour of the Ateneo Art Gallery at Areté.

In addition, on 7 December, the day after the workshop proper, the delegates were able to go on an excursion to visit the Antipolo Cathedral and the Pinto Art Museum in Antipolo, Rizal.