I will write this blog from my own mind, but I listed sources that thinks the same way or have a slightly different view. Listed are 6 things that I think that will be part of the future Higher Education field.

1. Life long learning – yes, already when I graduated in the 90’s I had decided that I would take a second exam in architecture. I never did that, but after nearly 20 years in the labour market I retrained to become a teacher. I think the perspective of life long learning can take stress of students. You do not now have to choose the course that will decide the rest of your life. You can always retrain yourself.
2. AI in education – yes, it will definitely have a role. As a supervisor, tutor, mentor and in robots as a study mate. I think we will have an exciting journey in seeing how AI can support everyone’s learning but maybe especially I am looking forward to what AI can to with students with special needs. I think AIs ability to adapt and try until something works will function well in this setting. AI could be a valuable resource with the over gifted kids that we at the moment in Finland have very few solutions for in the equal school system.
3. No degrees any more – yes and no, the importance of designing ICEBERG education programmes that delivers what they promises and takes students from A to a professional career or a new mindset will grow even more important. The stronger students will do “educational shopping” and choose the best courses available. Both of these scenarios implies that we need to look after the quality of our programmes and courses.
4. Community – to make students persist we need to form a strong community among students, among teachers, in-between teachers and students and at the university. I like the part in the KTH pamphlet where it says that you get a membership in the KTH-community.
5. As a part of society – yes, the university needs to open up and embrace society and its changes. Maybe it demands that the hierarchy at the universities are demolished, but maybe I am wrong. Fact-based decision making, micro-research for a costumer, cooperation in-between all the levels of schooling. And of course “attack” the sustainability problems together. There is a lot of things that can be done with an open university.
6. Studying for fun – I have noticed during my years in education that it is very easy to choose business studies, law, physiotherapy, doctor etc narrow or money driven choices. When we grow older we wonder why we didn’t choose with our heart and we wan’t to take a master in German language or environmental science just for our own sake. And what can be more luxurious in today’s society than to treat yourself with a 5 year indulgence in the topic you love?

The future of higher education in a disruptive world – KPMG Global (home.kpmg)

Higher education should prepare for five new realities (opinion) (insidehighered.com)

The Future of Higher Education: Where We Are and Where We’re Going | Westcliff University

KTH Design Fiction_Education 2027-2028.pdf