Dr Chai Lay Ching began her talk at the Digital Leadership Webinar 2025 not with data, but with a powerful question: “Are you preparing for the future?”
At the Digital Leadership Webinar 2025, Professor Dr Chai Lay Ching delivered a keynote that moved beyond surface-level discussions of digital disruption. Her talk, “Cultural Evolution in the Digital Age,” framed transformation not simply as a technological leap — but as a cultural one.
As Pro Vice-Chancellor for Education, Employability and Alumni at Sunway University, Dr Chai brings a rare blend of academic leadership and industry insight. A food biotechnologist by training, she now focuses on preparing future-ready talent — a responsibility made more urgent by the accelerating pace of change across sectors.
Highlights
When Technology Reshapes Tradition
Using agriculture as a starting point, Dr Chai illustrated the shift from tradition-bound practices to data-powered precision. Once reliant on labor and legacy knowledge, farming today is increasingly driven by IoT, drones, and AI.
“Precision farming doesn’t just improve yield — it changes how decisions are made, when they’re made, and by whom.”
This same transformation is visible in e-commerce. From early online transactions to fully automated delivery ecosystems, digital evolution has altered more than logistics. It has reshaped consumer expectations — toward immediacy, personalization, and transparency.
The New Cultural Norms of the Digital Economy
Digital tools are also changing how individuals communicate, collaborate, and consume. Platforms like TikTok and Xiaohongshu have shifted content creation away from institutions to individuals, and the pandemic accelerated remote work as a mainstream model. Across industries, digital behavior has become cultural behavior.
“This isn’t just a change in how we work. It’s a redefinition of how we connect, lead, and influence.”
The implications are far-reaching — not only for consumer experience, but for how organizations manage talent and plan for the future of work.
Reskilling for the AI Era
According to the World Economic Forum, 50% of all employees will need reskilling by 2025. Simultaneously, while 85 million jobs are projected to be displaced, 97 million new ones will emerge — many requiring hybrid competencies at the intersection of tech and human skills.
Dr Chai highlighted roles such as AI engineers, XR designers, and cybersecurity analysts among the fastest-growing, while data entry, clerical, and postal jobs continue to decline.
What stands out isn’t just the speed of change — it’s the nature of the skills needed. Leadership, creativity, analytical thinking, and tech literacy now top the list.
“Surviving the shift isn’t about being more technical. It’s about being more adaptable, ethical, and human.”
The Case for Stronger University-Industry Collaboration
Education systems, she argued, cannot afford to operate in isolation. The gap between curriculum and market is widening, and future employability hinges on how fast universities can co-evolve with industries.
Dr Chai laid out three key strategies:
- Micro-credentials and short courses tailored to industry needs
- Experiential learning through internships, industry projects, and mentorship
- Research collaboration that solves real-world problems in real time
A Framework in Action: Sunway’s AI Approach
At Sunway University, these ideas are already being implemented through their AI Education Framework. The initiative integrates AI literacy across disciplines and emphasizes ethical tech use, interdisciplinary design, and intelligent learning environments.
The goal isn’t just to equip students with technical skills — but to prepare them to lead responsibly in an AI-driven world.
A Call to Industry Leaders
Dr Chai ended with a clear invitation to industry players:
- Design short courses that close your skills gap
- Partner with universities to develop practical solutions
- Invest in talent through mentorship, internships, and joint R&D
What Kind of Future are We Really Building?
Closing her keynote, Dr Chai offered a call to action for industry leaders: treat education not as a pipeline, but as a partner. Co-create courses. Share challenges. Invest in mentorships that build capability, not just capacity.
“Technology will keep evolving. The question is — will we evolve our culture with it?”
Her message underscored a shift in mindset. Digital leadership is no longer about adoption alone. It’s about alignment — between values and systems, between education and employability, and between innovation and humanity.
Highlights
Read the Chinese article here.
