- Inter-Asian collaboration shaping the world
- Technology for Asia advancing the world
- Government initiatives and the impact of rankings
- Research for growth in Asia and beyond
- Universities and cities - building alliances, defining regions
- National innovation - universities as catalysts and connectors
- Fourth Industrial Revolution and higher education - cultivating entrepreneurship, leading the future
- Bridging divides: research universities in the global knowledge economy
- Working together: empowering research
- Creating industry links and enhancing value
- Return on investment
- The power of metrics
- Entrepreneurship and business start-ups
- Opening minds
- Leading for impact
- Entrepreneurship
- Employability
- Metrics and data
ABOUT THE SUMMIT
The THE Asia Universities Summit 2021 took place in partnership with Fujita Health University, one of Japan’s leading medical universities renowned for its expertise in rehabilitative and regenerative medicine.
The summit discovered how the spirit of innovation continues today in research, education, and collaborations with industry. Together, we explored how it has been strengthened by scholars and students increasingly crossing national and disciplinary boundaries, as well as building links between industry and academia. University leaders from across the continent shared ideas and networked with their peers as we reset the global higher education post-Covid.
The summit also featured the launch of the THE Asia Universities Ranking 2021 and an exclusive data masterclass examining the latest data.
AGENDA THEMES
A combination of keynote speeches, participatory debates, case studies and panel discussions supported delegates as they considered these agenda themes:
Creativity arising across boundaries
Asia represents the majority of the Earth’s people, the fastest-growing economies, the richest cultural diversity, and the greatest potential for universities to invent, innovate and apply knowledge to change our shared future. In a hyperconnected world, what and where are the boundaries for research universities this century, and how significant are they in obstructing progress?
Addressing challenges
Research universities collectively hold the keys to our future. Through fundamental research, institutional relationships, and by identifying, developing, and supporting highly talented individuals, they can be the foundations of humanity’s progress. But university leaders face immense internal and external pressures in sustaining their institutions. We will explore how they analyse their weaknesses, understand opportunities, and make strategic decisions on how they can have the greatest impact.
Universities supporting society
Asian universities sit at the vanguard of research into transformative science and innovation that is certain to change our world. As we recover from Covid-19, one of the greatest challenges in recent history, we explore universities’ position in mitigating future health risks, and how Asian higher education leaders can evolve their institutions to maximise their potential to support human progress.
OUR EVENTS IN 2020
24,861
DELEGATES REGISTERED
4,624
ORGANISATIONS PARTICIPATED
147
COUNTRIES REPRESENTED
PREVIOUS SUMMITS
30 April - 2 May 2019
Connecting Asia, reaching West
The THE Asia Universities Summit 2019 took place in Abu Dhabi, UAE, in partnership with Khalifa University of Science and Technology. The summit united leaders of Asia’s best institutions with industry executives, policymakers and star researchers for three days of debate and discussion that addressed challenges and framed the agenda for higher education, highlighting the importance of inter-Asian partnerships as the vital networks of our era.
The summit also featured the reveal of the THE Asia University Rankings 2019, and the inaugural THE Awards Asia 2019.
Agenda themes:
5-7 February 2018
Changing cities, changing the world' research universities building Asia
The THE Asia Universities Summit 2018 took place in Shenzhen, China, in partnership with the Southern University of Science and Technology. It brought together 385 senior leaders of Asia's best universities, top researchers, policy-makers and industry chiefs for three days of debating, discussing and discovering how Asian research universities are transforming our future. The summit also featured the reveal of the THE Asia University Rankings 2018.
During three days of critical keynotes and panel debates, networking events and workshops, we identified both the current hubs of excellence and the rising stars in a region that is home to more than half the world’s population.
Agenda themes:
14-16 March 2017
Forging the future' building stronger alliances between universities and industry
The THE Asia Universities Summit 2017 took place in Ulsan, South Korea, in partnership with the University of Ulsan. It was attended by over 200 leaders, experts and decision-makers from some of the world’s best and most innovative universities in 32 countries to set the agenda on how to innovate towards creating greater impact.
Delegates participated in discussion and debate on topics including leading for impact, entrepreneurship and empowering future leaders, as well as looking at the social impact of higher education and how impact and innovation can be measured.
The summit also featured the reveal of the THE Asia University Rankings 2017.
Agenda themes:
19-21 June 2016
How universities nurture creativity and innovation
The inaugural THE Asia Universities Summit in 2016 took place in Hong Kong, in partnership with the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. It was an outstanding gathering of 260 delegates from leading institutions across the world, who together discovered how Asia's universities are changing the global higher education landscape. The summit also featured the reveal of the THE Asia University Rankings 2016.
Agenda themes: