The Seven Pillars of the Future of Higher Education

As we enter the third decade of the 21st century, the world has become more complex and more interconnected. The abundance of knowledge and the scarcity of known paths for solutions to a different set of challenges will drive existing models of Higher Education (hereafter HE) towards an accelerated and permanent transformation by introducing greater flexibility, innovative learning and teaching methods, alongside new forms of credentialism and the imperative need to nurture a broader ecosystem.

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Innovation is a much more fragmented and varied endeavor today than ever before. As a consequence of falling barriers, more young companies in unsuspected places are pursuing many new avenues of invention, and a number of these involve new technological advances. Deep technologies — innovations based on scientific research — will be a key part of the answer to many of today’s global challenges. Solving the global challenges of this century — and driving local economic success — depends on the prompt and effective commercialization of new technologies.

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To accomplish these goals, government, industry, community, educational institutions, investors and entrepreneurs will have to collaborate closer together to build solutions and enter into the market quickly and at scale.

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In 2021, according to the data provided by the International Association of Universities, there were approximately 20,000 universities globally. Every institution is immersed in a more global, diversified and complex environment. For learners and their families, learning choices become harder as the criteria for relevance and competitive advantages become increasingly more personal and contextual. The selection of paths to (and the weight of) potential returns will not conform to the traditional values of benchmarks among options.

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