The Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR)

1. The Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) As seen by the South African Union of Students (SAUS).

2. You cannot wait until there are massive dislocations in our society to prepare for the fourth industrial revolution. Robert J. Shiller, Yale University WHAT IS THE FOURTH INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION?

3. WHAT IS THE FOURTH INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION? • This is the internet of things which started about 19 years ago, powered by green energy and which builds upon the third industrial revolution (digital revolution)

4. OPPORTUNITIES PRESENTED • Will decrease existing barriers between markets and inventors • The artificial intelligence will have an increased role to play in our societies • The fusion of various techniques and domains • Improvement in the quality of life, and • The interconnected life

5. OPPORTUNITIES CONTINUED • Consumers are poised to benefit immensely from the Fourth Industrial Revolution because the advancement in technology shall, in the final analysis maximize efficiency and productivity. • We however cannot employ a blanket approach to the Fourth Industrial Revolution because it has got its own set of problems which it will surely bring. • For instance, it may deepen in equality since it is expected that it shall have a hard knock on labor markets and is projected that it will have more returns to capital. • It will however, result into high pay, highly segregated jobs requiring mainly cognitive skills

6. IMPACT ON EDUCATION • Expected changes on how universities discharge learning to students • Focus is going to shift from the modes of teaching to modes of learning for the students • Expected overhaul of existing curriculum in particular in the science disciplines • Complete designing of new disciplines to service the technological advances brought about by the fourth Industrial Revolution

7. RESPONSE BY THE HIGHER EDUCATION DEPARTMENT • There has to be changes, if not complete overhauls in the science and technology curriculum. • This is to enable students to develop capacity in the rapidly emerging areas of genomics, data science, AI, precision farming, robotics, etc. • The most subjects to be reshaped are biology, chemistry, physics and an advanced compulsory training in computer science subjects • Government ought to partner with leading technological companies in promoting computer subjects from kindergarten up top universities to increase the production of a high tech savvy population

8. THE SHIFT IN EDUCATION AND SCIENCE • The restructuring of biology for instance would require students to learn introductions to emerging areas such as synthetic biology and molecular design • Students must be able to design their own life forms to change societal problems e.g. the plastics in the seas, live bricks etc. • Courses and modules responding to the increasing bio-economy (which is about $400 billion in the USA). • Students must be trained to ensure they solve the problems in the environment; pollution, toxicology and synthetic fuels

9. Thank you