Universiti Sains Malaysia, Sustainability and the Struggle for a Vital Centre in Education by James Campbell

The agenda of Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) aims to engage the problems of values and ethics in the context of knowledge production and teaching in universities. The essential argument of this monograph is the USM's educational philosophy is founded in an effort to overcome the problems of mental captivity and the degradation of values that accompanies neo-liberal influences on higher education. In this sense, USM is seeking to re-imbue the soul of higher education by articulating a normative 'vital centre' to the mission of USM. This normatively-based vital centre based on cultural respect, sustainability, and commitment to the bottom billions is the critical touchstone for reforming pedagogical practice in USM. Educational change is fundamentally based on the principles of social responsibility and inclusiveness. The USM agenda is fundamentally an effort to realize these values through educational transformation.