Geography, Geographers and the Future Scenario: Malaysia

Abstract

Since early 2000, four future scenarios have been generated to chart the development of higher education in Malaysia. The most recent future scenario for Malaysia’s higher education was generated with the Fourth Industrial Revolution as its primary context and driver. Arguably, the Fourth Industrial Revolution represents new ways in which disruptive technologies are affecting educators, thus necessitating a redesigning of the education system and transform the learning and teaching delivery, as well as demanding the industry sectors to enhance, reskill and upscale talents. In this respect, geography as a discipline and geographers as the practitioners of this discipline need to adapt to the demands of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. The response to Fourth Industrial Revolution is indeed critical to ensure the relevance of the output and outcome of our efforts as geographers in the universities and in practice. The most critical element in geography that need geographers’ attention is the idea of physical versus virtual mobility, brought about by advanced technologies. The paper concludes that while the Fourth Industrial Revolution would introduce new technology that would ultimately reduce the need for real (physical) mobility, real human experience, which is the core concern of geography, nonetheless need to be defended. Human experience through purely virtual mobility could not replace those accumulated through travel and exploration. Google Sightseeing is a preamble to travel and experience and not the final destination. Geography and geographers would continue to have an important role to play in enhancing the human experience in the Fourth Industrial Revolution period. For this to happen, strategic initiatives must be put rolled out now.