The University and Appropriate Technology in Southeast Asia

• Main Authors: Ungku Abdul Aziz, Ungku Abdul Hamid, Yip, Yat Hoong
• Format: Conference or Workshop Item
• Published: 1976
• Subjects: H Social Sciences (General); L Education (General)
• Online Access: http://commonrepo.um.edu.my/12437/1/DRAFT2~1.PDF; http://commonrepo.um.edu.my/12437/
• Institution: Universiti Malaya

In Southeast Asia, many universities recognized the need to remodel themselves to optimize its function to serve its needs as well as the national interest. However, due to scarce resources, the university cannot afford to allow all its members to pursue knowledge for its own sake. The university has to set its priority that serves the immediate society. In this paper, the “technology” includes the art of technical method of achieving a practical purpose. It is important for the university to identify the appropriate technologies that are able to enhance the development, without burdening the low-income group. The technology advancement should include the possibilities to mobilize the resources, to increase the net productivity of the labour, land or capital and to improve the marginal revenue. It shall not contribute to greater inequality in the income distribution and impact the peasant terribly in the short run. What are the challenges that the university faces in adopting the appropriate technologies into their teaching activities? What are the limitations of getting the appropriate material resources for teaching? Is there any research carried out to tailor to our local conditions? What are the roles played by the researcher, the authority and the executive? What can the universities do to encourage the appropriate use of technology to increase our local productivity? In order to obtain the largest possible of the volume of trades, the overseas traders and manufacturers have introduced new innovations. Sometimes the advertisements induce the Aseans to consume the products that are not essential in improving the standard of living. Due to the technology advancement today, multinational company, foreign staffed international organizations and even some universities have access to our region. Such appropriate technology may only enrich the foreign producers but cause greater inequality in the income distribution in the Asean region. Hence, it is important for the universities to focus on finding the current needs of appropriate technology and how the university may involve in a useful way.