Can’t be playing for the economy of now.
Frank Luntz, American pollster
AUTHOR’S NOTE
I believe Mr. Luntz’s quote could also apply to higher education. For a variety of valid reasons, higher education administrators have been focusing on the higher education of now. I have focused my research and attention on higher education in the future and have been pleased to share some of my insights and predictions with you for the past five months.
I am honored to report that my white paper, The Reimagined University, has been written and will be published by University World News, in three installments.
The September 12th issue will list the reasons for creating a Reimagined University.
The September 19th issue will list the residuals left in the wake of the pandemic on higher education.
The September 26th issue will present the opportunities of COVID-19 on higher education in the future.
You can access the entire white paper by logging onto: https://www.universityworldnews.com
GOOD NEWS
Although it is too soon to report definitive figures for the number of students worldwide who took advantage of online learning during the pandemic, there is some evidence to suggest that higher education has been made accessible to an increased number of students from the safety and security of their homes. The potential for making higher education less selective and more egalitarian is positive residual of the pandemic.
Meric Gertler, president of the University of Toronto wrote: There is the potential for the worldwide embrace of virtual interaction to have a kind of leveling effect.
GOOD NEWS FOR CHINA
Chinese exports soared reaching their second-highest level ever in 2020. China’s share of global exports rose nearly 20% in the April to June quarter.
Chinese universities are surging in international university rankings. Tsinghua University, in a recent Times Higher Education’ ranking report of 1,250 universities in 86 countries, is for the first time, in the top 20 of all universities.
This year, China is having the largest increase in students listing the country as their top educational choice destination. An increase of 121% is expected from academic year 2020 to 2021. Final fall semester enrollment will reveal the actual percentage increase.
INTERNATIONAL TRENDS
Ho Chi Minh city is promoting itself as a regional financial hub. The city’s first phase as a financial center is to provide financial services to neighboring countries, such as Laos, Cambodia, and Myanmar. The following phase is to provide services to a wider number of countries in southeast Asia.
Viet Nam has been one of a few countries that so far, seems to have weathered the devastation of COVID-19. I would watch this country for increased international student mobility.
GEOPOLITICS AND HIGHER EDUCATION
In August 2020, the United States announced it is now requiring all Confucius Institutes in the United States to register as a foreign mission, a destination that requires that the organization regularly provide information to the State Department about its personnel, recruiting, funding, and operations in the US.
Australia is investigating university links and ties with China. The government’s probe of Chinese interference centers around technology transfer.
We cannot separate the geopolitical tensions between China and these two countries from future Chinese student enrollments in the United States and Australia. I suspect that in both countries fewer Chinese students will enroll in the fall 2020 semester. I will share actual enrollment numbers as they become available.
ALTERNATIVE LEARNING TRENDS
Salman Khan, founder of the Khan Academy, reported this week a 300% increase since February in the number of users. Increased usage from students in South Korea was Mr. Kham’s first indication that something had changed. He was unaware of COVID-19 in February.
LIFELONG LEARNING AND THE REIMAGINED UNIVERSITY
In his article on the future of the workplace, Frank Luntz urges readers to forget the word work and focus on career. Lifelong learning is essential, he writes and students are being more selective about the courses they take and the majors they pursue. Short courses, boot camps, certificate programs in digital marketing and medical services, for example, are the types of programs gaining traction among higher education learners.
In the Reimagined University, chief innovation officers, chief financial officers, academic deans and career counselors, have been successful in adding shorter courses and certificate programs during the academic year.
LAWSUITS AND THE REIMAGINED UNIVERSITY
To date, 231 class action lawsuits have been filed by students and parents in the United States to receive a reduction in tuition and fee charges. The rationale for the lawsuits is based on the same tuition being charged for online learning and in-person instruction during the Spring 2020 semester.
In the Reimagined University, the chief financial officer created a differential pricing structure based on the method of instruction. No need for a lawsuit.
FINAL THOUGHT
Change is coming, whether you like it or not.
Greta Thunberg, Swedish teen-ager who inspired a global climate strike