Dr. Kyaw Moe Tun urges “Principled Pragmatism” in university leadership during crisis at OSUN forum

 Dr. Kyaw Moe Tun (President of Parami University)

At a recent panel titled “Leadership in a Time of Crisis: University Presidents Speak,” hosted by the Open Society University Network (OSUN), Dr. Kyaw Moe Tun, President of Parami University, delivered a powerful message about the need for “principled pragmatism” in leading institutions amid national collapse and authoritarian oppression. 

The virtual panel discussion was held on April 30, 2025. Dr. Jonathan Becker, Executive Vice President of Bard College, moderated the event, which featured four panelists from the OSUN partner institutions worldwide, including Dr. Margee Ensign (President of American University of Bulgaria), Dr. Fadlo R. Khuri (President of American University of Beirut), Dr. Dmytro Sherengovsky (Vice-Rector for Outreach and Social Engagement, Ukrainian Catholic University), and Dr. Kyaw Moe Tun (President of Parami University (Myanmar)).

Speaking from the experience of steering a university through civil conflict and military rule, Dr. Kyaw Moe Tun explained that civic engagement is not an academic add-on in contexts like Myanmar—it’s a lived reality. “Our students don’t need crisis simulations—they are in one. We don’t have to encourage them,” he said.

He credited Parami’s resilience to its deep mission-driven culture and global networks. “We remind our students and faculty constantly why we exist. That clarity helped volunteers step into disaster zones after the earthquake—not because we asked them to, but because they felt it was their duty,” he shared. Despite being fully online due to conflict, the university has maintained student engagement, retention, and growth through its partnership with OSUN and similar networks.

Dr. Kyaw Moe Tun also highlighted that leadership in a crisis means more than staying operational. “When you lead in a failing state, silence is complicity. Even publishing a critical op-ed can be an act of institutional courage,” he said. He noted that students cannot become responsible citizens if their leaders model risk-avoidance instead of moral clarity.

He called for board trustees in conflict-affected regions to be risk-tolerant and context-aware. “A traditional governance model doesn’t work when your institution operates in a war zone. The board must be part of the adaptation, not an obstacle,” he said.

Dr. Kyaw Moe Tun emphasized the ongoing mental health challenges faced by students in Myanmar and highlighted that Parami University has partnered with professional counseling services to provide unlimited one-on-one support, especially after crises like earthquakes. However, he stressed, "always be mindful that many of the issues we're dealing with in our students' lives go beyond just mental health counseling sessions. It is really structural. And longstanding issues. And so the university has to be aware of the fact that these are longstanding issues that we cannot just give them mental counseling and be done with it.”

He discussed the importance of university leadership, especially the board, being attuned to the external political environment and adapting accordingly. 

At the end of the discussion, Dr. Kyaw Moe Tun underlined the critical role of a university president not only as an administrative leader but also as a moral and inspirational figure, shaping future leaders through principled and pragmatic actions.