Learning must become a lifelong pursuit, supported by flexible systems that allow individuals to renew and expand their skills throughout their working lives.
Productivity, Technology, and the Need for Reskilling
Across the region, demographic change is reshaping the workforce. By 2050, one in four people in Asia and the Pacific will be over 60 years old. As the number of working-age people declines, productivity will depend increasingly on innovation, reskilling, and new forms of collaboration between humans and technology.
Recognizing this, APEC economies recently endorsed the APEC Joint Statement on Artificial Intelligence which calls for the responsible, human-centered, and inclusive development of AI and technology across the region.
The challenge lies not in resisting technology, but in equipping people to harness it responsibly and effectively. This is where universities play a defining role by preparing graduates and mid-career professionals to work alongside intelligent systems, adapt to evolving tools, and apply human judgment where machines cannot.