Imaginaries are constitutive of the contemporary ideational world and shape realities of the future. However, the literature reports that most research on the academic profession focuses on contemporary changes, and little is known about how academic professionals imagine the future of the University. This presentation examines the future imaginaries of the University by the academic profession at East Asian world class universities, and how national, institutional, disciplinary and generational factors affect the formation of their future imaginaries. This study used the methodological approach of narrative research and engaged in dialogical interviewing with 52 academics at the Seoul National University, the University of Hong Kong, and the University of Tokyo. The method has generated ‘thick descriptions’ that narrate the lived experience of how national, institutional, disciplinary and generational factors affect the formation of their future imaginaries of the University. Four types of imaginaries were identified in relation to the shaping of their optimism and pessimism about the future, namely: Conformative endorsing, Innovative endorsing, Unimaginative critical, and Insightful visionary. Empirical analysis shows that some disciplines are more instrumental to knowledge entrepreneurialism and university strategic development. Additionally, academics who hold views endorsing the imagination of the 'entrepreneurial university' tend to be more optimistic about the future of the university. The presentation will end by discussing the impact of this research through prompting more diverse, imaginative, and visionary frameworks of the university, beyond academic entrepreneurialism, that offer the space for self-understanding, reflexivity and delivering global public good for the world in the twenty-first century.

Authors:
Hei-hang Hayes Tang, The Education University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong

About the Presenter(s)
Dr Hayes Tang is Associate Professor of Department of Education Policy and Leadership, and Founding Programme Leader of MA in Leading Innovative Learning Organizations (LILO) at the Education University of Hong Kong.

Connect on Linkedin
https://www.linkedin.com/in/hayestang/

See this presentation on the full schedule – Thursday Schedule

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