6 challenges for the future of higher education

This post is written by Macarena Muñoz Molina, Advisor, Universidad de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires.

• The problem: Because of the pandemic, the challenge for universities is to adapt their teaching and learning model to respond to the demands of their students, the job market and the professions of the future.

• Why it matters: It is important for universities to review their academic practices to face the challenges of the future of education in a world that is constantly changing and to contribute to the purpose of educating better citizens with the ability to solve problems and engage with their city and the world.

• The solution: In order to remain in force, universities have incorporated practices of periodic revision of their curricular offerings that include hybrid, flexible, adaptable and conceptual learning schemes, in addition to collaborative and networked work in a global scheme.

The pandemic in higher education has challenged universities to make every effort to ensure that their educational models respond to the needs of their students, the demands of the world of work and the context of a society in continuous transformation.

In the last two years, universities have been forced to modify their teaching and learning practices, accelerating the distance education methodology and re-evaluating this online modality. Moreover, some institutions have emerged as 100% distant-learning in the pandemic to respond to a growing demand for learning and cultural change.

In this sense, I believe that many universities have recently incorporated learning about good practices to face their challenges of the future of education:

• They must become flexible and dynamic if they are willing to transcend current practices to enable them to explore, innovate and create better academic practices to face a world that is constantly changing.

• The relevance of having a collaborative and humane outlook to deepen university welfare practices.

• The decision to migrate towards flexible, adaptable and highly contextual educational models.

• The adoption of hybrid learning schemes to enhance the learning experience.

• The advantages offered by the international mobility of students and teachers in the virtual teaching model. And, in relation to this point, the need for networking among universities to collaborate, complement and compete in a global scheme.

In conclusion, it is essential that universities undertake periodic review processes of their curricular offerings in order to adopt the necessary updates demanded by the trend of lifelong learning to remain relevant in a constantly changing labour market.

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