On the anniversary of the 2011 Academic Summit, the team returned for another conference on Saturday, 24 March 2012. It was a resounding success. Our heartfelt thanks to the planning team for their concerted effort in running this pinnacle event for PSB Academy’s Associates Lecturers (AL) successfully. The journey was likened to climbing the Mount Everest.

The participants (over 100 of them) started to arrive at the base camp from 8.30am. At the registration table, they were warmly greeted and each was presented with a PSB Academy survival bag containing the conference materials to guide them through the course. A memento in the form of a PSB Academy mug was also handed to each participant to remind them that the thirst for knowledge will never be filled.

At about 9.15am, the emcee planted the flagpole to mark the starting point and introduced the pacesetters.

Dr Steve Lai, Chief Executive Officer of PSB Academy, then flagged off the climb with his keynote address. In the midst of his discourse which he interspersed with interesting accounts of educational parables, he shared the eight ‘Q Factors’ (“Aesthetics”, “Perceived Q”, “Performance”, “Functionality”, “Conformance”, “Durability”, “Reliability” and “Serviceable”) which resonated with the audience. The participants at the base camp were immediately engaged with the ‘power-pack’ CEO, and their ‘likes’ conjoined.

At the summit, Professor Tim Roberts, Chairman of PSB Academy’s Academic Board and also the Director of Tom Farrell Institute for the Environment at the University of Newcastle delivered a lecture on ‘Education for Sustainability’. According to the affable professor, ‘sustainability’ means “Meeting the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. (The Brundtland Commission Report)”. He also shared with the audience the University’s campus sustainability strategic vision before launching into the LiFE Index frameworks. Participants were encouraged to leverage on the ‘Sustainability and Social Responsibility Index’ on Australian Campuses Towards Sustainability: (www.acts.asn.au/) and Environmental Association for Universities and Colleges: (www.eauc.org.uk/).

The 2nd part of his lecture contained some learning points from a conference which he attended in Canada recently - ‘2011 Global Forum on Borderless Higher Education’ and the ‘TAYLOR’S UNIVERSITY EXPERIENCE’. With Tim’s speech, the audience had metaphorically scaled into the heights in the Academic Summit and what better way to sustain their momentum further is to have a break in mid-air. Refreshments were served.

After the break, Dr Susie Khoo, Senior Vice-President, took position at the command post and in her usual ‘matter-of-fact’ tone laid out PSB Academy’s plans while reflecting on the milestone achievements in the 1st quarter of 2012 which boosted the team’s confidence despite the atmospheric pressure. She further charted the future courses in the way forward which laid the foundation for greater expectations and greater heights. Dr Khoo’s erudite speech reminded me (in summary) of Vince Lombardi who says “The quality of a person’s life is in direct proportion to their commitment to excellence, regardless of their chosen field of endeavor.”

  

In the final leg of the Academic Summit, the ‘headmaster’ Dr Sam Choon Yin, well-disciplined in hard facts, policies and procedures took charge and administered a good dose of PSB Academic 101 ‘to know the rules’ to the team to help them meet the highest of academic standards and teaching quality.

Finally, the participants reached the pinnacle and broke into their groups according to the subject disciplines. They were immediately plugged into the real time interaction with more discussions and intensive sharing of ideas and experiences. These culminated in a convergence of opinions and aims that would support our committed lecturers towards achieving and meeting the highest of academic standards and teaching quality.

Feeling light-headed from the thin air, all participants fondly bid farewell to the 2012 Summit, and eagerly look forward to the next Summit for a time of renewal of comradeship and camaraderie.