Contemporary educational institutions are experiencing disruptions to their modus operandi from a variety of sources—COVID-19 notwithstanding. A changing student demographic across the higher education sector, along with their changing educational needs is driving much of this disruption. Other drivers are the need for different kinds of skill sets required in the contemporary workplace, the need for alternative methods of credentialing and a demand for flexibility in the education space. How prepared are contemporary educational institutions for leading learning for the future? A recent Ernst Young report on the University of the Future in the Australian context suggests that, “Australia’s universities are monolithic institutions that control all aspects of their teaching and research activities, anchored by physical spaces and time-bound schedule”. This is a rather harsh indictment, but not an incorrect reflection of the contemporary higher education space broadly. While educational institutions are willing to experiment with new models and approaches on the peripheries of their core business, most are not bold enough to rethink and reconfigure their mainstream operations. It is rare to find enterprise-wide operations that are appropriately aligned to lead learning and teaching for tomorrow. Why is this so, and what can be done about a rethink and recalibration of how universities create, capture and offer value.
Read presenters' biography