About the Reinventing Higher Education Conference
A conference organized by IE University, Segovia (Spain), 4th May 2010.
The field of Higher Education is experiencing one of the most fascinating and challenging transformations since the foundation of the first universities eight centuries ago (emphasis here and below by DSC):
• New actors are entering and are supplementing the traditional role of the State and other grand institutions in setting the agenda of education institutions.
• New technologies are reshaping the way knowledge is generated and distributed, including the learning methodologies, the forms of delivery and even the role of professors.
• A new profile of students is entering higher education. The web generation brings new skills and attitudes into class. At the same time, continuous education is becoming a fast-growing segment for many universities.
• The internationalization of education stakeholders and cross-border mobility are key features of the new higher education environment.
• Transnational accreditation and ranking systems may play key role in constructing and signaling the quality of the diverse institutions
• The governance and funding of higher education centers will vary and universities and governments may seek alternative sources of income.
• Universities may become catalysts of innovation and more accountable to society in a number of ways: how research is applied in development and innovation, the connections between university departments and companies as well as the relevance of education for graduates’ careers.