Universities are facing major disruptions – from new technologies like AI, robotics and virtual classrooms, declining enrolment in rapidly aging countries, and changing financing and economic conditions.
COVID-19 has accelerated these trends and created new trends – many universities have had to pivot to online teaching, many mature workers are needing to pick up new skills as industries are also disrupted by these changes and there are funding challenges in many countries.
Universities need to adapt to stay relevant. After the initial shock to the system at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is clear now that many of these disruptions are not going away and we need to transition from reacting to adapting. How can universities adapt to this new normal? Are there new opportunities created by these disruptions?