Andrea Theresia, an alumna of the Master of Business Administration program at SBM ITB, and leader of PRME Global Students Southeast Asia, emphasized the importance of fostering close relationships between academia, students, and industry for long-term sustainability. She believes this connection serves current needs and prepares for future challenges.
“Collaboration between academia, students, and industry must be continually strengthened to create a sustainable impact and address ever-evolving global challenges,” Andrea stated during her appearance in the panel discussion at the PRME Chapter ASEAN+ Responsible Management Conference, held virtually on Thursday (24/10).
The conference focused on the essential role of industry-academic collaboration in promoting responsible and sustainable management practices across the ASEAN region. The panel brought together notable leaders and academics, including Gerardo Cabochan Jr. from Pandayan Bookshop, Philippines; Nattavud Pimpa from Mahidol University, Thailand; Reddiam Raghu Ram from the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC), Singapore; and Stephen Thomas Homer from Sunway Business School.
The discussion underscored three main aspects of industry-academia collaboration under PRME guidelines: the mutual benefits of these partnerships, the competencies expected from PRME-educated graduates, and the future role of PRME in advancing sustainable and responsible management practices.
Andrea highlighted the need for the current generation to deeply understand their underlying issues to avoid being swept up in a FOMO (fear of missing out) culture, which can often be overwhelming. “In this fast-paced era, understanding the ‘why’ behind one’s actions is crucial and greatly impacts perseverance,” she explained.
Reddiam Raghu Ram of the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) echoed these sentiments, noting that while the FOMO culture has drawbacks, it frequently affects high achievers who need leaders to guide them in a meaningful direction.
Andrea hopes that the partnership between academia, students, and industry will continue to grow, cultivating future leaders who are conscious of sustainability issues and well-equipped to overcome them collaboratively.