New Beginnings: But the Purpose Remain

Many of you have written to me privately about my current whereabouts and what am I doing in my new location. 

Before I answer that question, allow me to use this space - first, to express my sincerest gratitude and appreciation to Singapore, most especially to the National University of Singapore (NUS) for being my home for more than 8 incredible years! I can still vividly remember when I first started my journey as a tourist in 2010, when I carried on many questions about Singapore's development after my first trip to the city-state. Since then, I continued with the journey as a graduate student and eventually working at NUS in the space of adult and executive education and lifelong learning. Those were indeed very instrumental in my critical understanding of education, training and capability building programmes as essential investments designed individuals, institutions, governments and societies.

Somehow, I found myself questioning myself even more. Given that I was heavily involved in the 'business' side of education, I wonder what actually happens on the other spectrum of the education cycle. What do teachers and facilitators do? How do they know that these are the right content participants really need? How to facilitate their learning so that they can be active agents of learning, rather than passive recipients? How do I correlate skills with the national socio-economic development goals?

Most essentially, "Can I also be like them?"

And those questions sparked my interest to return to academic work as a graduate student here in Europe. Although I can say that my experience with working in the region will come a bit handy in my discussions, I am particularly curious at how lifelong learning agenda varies from different continents and regions. What are the nuances, similarities and even differences? How success is being measured? How learning forms an essential part of their individual and societal culture?

So yes, I am embarking on a new beginning because I will be living in a new region to continue chasing a dream. 

But my purpose - the very core of why I exist - will still remain. 

P.S. Just like the windmills in Scotland, we continue harvesting the air (knowledge) so we can drive communities and societies (above photo). I became indulged in reading books I brought from my flight to entertain me during my 14-day self-isolation (below photo). It was indeed, a tough test of sustaining mental vigour and I'm glad I completed it!