Dive Brief:
- Fast Company describes the five ways that the industry of education is likely to change by the year 2020, with communication, technology and industry driving the rapid shifts over the next four years.
- According to some experts, remote learning, credentialing, student feedback, and the ability to adapt will be the biggest changes that students will expect, and that leaders will be forced to accommodate.
- Technological innovations and shifts in population will make the United States less of a global player unless the country moves to the front of educational achievement.
Dive Insight:
American higher education has a huge problem. The industry, by its nature, is very expensive, but the people who need it most are the ones who can least afford it. Technology is its primary asset, but few of the key stakeholders want to embrace it or do not know how to infuse it within campus culture. And because it has become among the more politically-driven industries in the country, its mission and support can change too often to keep up with market demands.
The outlook for the industry seems hopeless, but there are a few solutions. College and universities should restrict the number of majors they offer in order to meet industrial needs and funding opportunities, look to monetize as much of their campus space as possible, and work with the federal government to ensure that they can receive funding as hubs of workforce development.
