Are digital natives ready to work in a digitally transformed work environment? University students' perspective

Abstract

Executive Summary This brief identifies critical issues and corresponding policies for effectively introducing the UN concept of human security into the curriculum of global mainstream higher education. Human Security is a comprehensive framework developed by the United Nations for achieving the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals. It links them all together into an integrated framework. In order to achieve the goals of Agenda 2030, a dramatic increase is urgently needed in humanity's commitment and the momentum of nation-states. Human Security is the natural complement to the top-down, objective approach to quantifying human needs embodied in Agenda 2030. Human Security views reality from the personal perspective of each human being and empowers people to act for their own upliftment at the individual, community and national levels. It converts a global perspective into personal messaging that is context-specific, relevant, accessible and intelligible to everyone on our planet. Widespread introduction of this transdisciplinary perspective into the course content of disciplines in the sciences, arts, humanities and professions can accomplish as much or more than a doubling of global financial investments in the SDGs. Combined with similar approaches by research institutes, businesses, financial institutions and other sectors of civil society, the human security approach has the potential to generate the broad-based global awareness and groundswell of public support needed to promote the fresh thinking, resourceful research, timely investment, technological innovations and organizational initiatives the world needs. This policy brief is based on ideas generated during the International Conference on Education for Human Security organized by the World Academy of Art and Science (WAAS) and a wide network of partner organizations on March 7-9, 2023. This article is a summary of the insights generated by over 120 experts and 27 panels covering a broad range of academic and professional disciplines. Please see the Acknowledgements at the end of the article and the WAAS website for access to a complete list of partners, speakers and session videos. The conference was conducted in support of a multi-sectoral, global campaign to promote Human Security for All (HS4A) launched by WAAS in collaboration with the UN Trust Fund