Importance of Modernization in Higher Education

Why Higher Education Must Heed the Call of AI Integration. As the President of Unity Environmental University, I am acutely aware of the rapid advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) and their transformative potential across various sectors. Recently, Wally Boston’s insightful article, highlighted the urgent need for higher education institutions to embrace AI, or risk obsolescence. His compelling arguments underscore the necessity for academia to adapt swiftly and strategically to this technological evolution. Boston begins by noting that "AI is not just a fleeting trend; it is a profound shift that is reshaping industries globally." This assertion is particularly relevant to higher education, where the integration of AI can revolutionize the ways we teach, learn, and operate. For instance, AI-driven tools can enhance personalized learning experiences by analyzing individual student data to tailor educational content to their specific needs. This level of customization can significantly improve student engagement and outcomes, providing a more effective and inclusive learning environment. Moreover, Boston highlights that "universities that fail to adopt AI technologies risk falling behind in the competitive landscape of higher education." This competitive edge is crucial as institutions vie for students, funding, and academic prestige. By leveraging AI, universities can streamline administrative processes, optimize resource allocation, and enhance research capabilities. These efficiencies not only reduce operational costs but also allow faculty and staff to focus on higher-value activities, fostering innovation and academic excellence. A particularly striking point in Boston’s article is the emphasis on the ethical and responsible use of AI. He argues, "As stewards of knowledge and societal progress, universities have a duty to lead by example in the ethical deployment of AI technologies." This ethical imperative aligns with our core values at Unity Environmental University. We must ensure that AI is used to promote equity, diversity, and inclusion, and that its deployment is transparent and accountable. By doing so, we can build trust and confidence among our stakeholders, including students, parents, and the broader community. Boston also draws attention to the potential for AI to democratize education. He states, "AI can break down barriers to education, providing access to quality learning resources for individuals regardless of their geographical location or socioeconomic status." By embracing AI, we can extend our reach and impact, making education more accessible and affordable for all. Boston’s article serves as a clarion call for higher education institutions to embrace AI. The transformative potential of AI in enhancing personalized learning, improving operational efficiency, and promoting ethical practices cannot be overstated. https://lnkd.in/epfPQx7F

If colleges operated like startups, most would have figured out how to quickly adapt, or would no longer be around to do so... Tuition is rising. Enrollment is flattening. Trust in the system is eroding. Higher ed can’t survive on tradition alone – one centered on full-time, residential students. The traditional model doesn’t fit the lives most learners live today. Innovation is needed in what we teach and how we operate. So, what do we do? We rethink everything from cost structure to content delivery:  ➔ We build public-private partnerships to align education with careers  ➔ We design learning hubs like Bell Works that embed academics in innovation ecosystems  ➔ We expand hybrid and modular options that increase access rather than compromising on quality  ➔ We invest in student outcomes as the new bottom line  ➔ We reimagine what a college campus can be as an intergenerational living-learning environment focused on lifelong education Sustainability is not about surviving on smaller margins. It’s about creating models that scale impact. We can’t expect students to adapt to outdated models. We need models that adapt to them, preparing them for the world that awaits. If education is going to lead the future, it must first be willing to reinvent itself.

Kodak, Blockbuster, and BlackBerry—all with far greater financial resources and cultures of innovation than most higher ed institutions—collapsed when their markets shifted, and they failed to respond. With a 5% decline in 18-year-old college freshmen this fall, the message for higher ed is clear: adapt now or risk falling behind in relevance, enrollment, and financial sustainability. Having worked with Boards and Cabinets to navigate the complex challenges that determine long-term institutional sustainability, here are three critical strategies I would recommend every higher ed leadership team must be evaluating and acting upon immediately: 1. Reassess and Challenge the Value Proposition Move beyond words to actions by proving the worth of a degree in terms that matter to students and families—career success, affordability, and reduced debt. Clear and tangible ROI is no longer optional—it’s essential. I have seen firsthand how easy it is in the Cabinet meeting to convince each other that delivering value to students is the other institution's problem... not ours. 2. Accelerate Deployment of AI and Machine Learning to Power Targeted Recruitment and Increase Admissions Team Capacity and Efficiency Even traditionally high-yield institutions must immediately shift focus from top-of-the-funnel volume to middle-of-the-funnel precision and execution. Rapidly adopting machine learning and AI technologies to process and automate the admissions funnel will expand admissions team capacity, reduct cost and enable precise identification and more personalized engagement of students most likely to enroll and succeed. In today’s competitive environment where the traditional signals of interest have been diluted, increased precision, personalization and cost effective enrollment are no longer optional—they’re critical for maintaining an edge. 3.Diversify Offerings Expand vocational, technical, and online options to meet students where they are today and where the market is heading tomorrow. Flexibility and career-ready pathways are key to attracting a broader, more diverse audience questioning the value of the traditional 4-year path. The mandate that every young adult must attend traditional college is now gone, and institutions must adapt to the needs of both the contemporary student and the future workforce. We've been watching these demographic changes for years, and now it's time for institutions to act. For many, these aren’t just strategies—they’re now imperatives to maintain sustainability, competitiveness, and survivability in a rapidly changing landscape. If these topics aren't being worked on already - I would recommend immediately adding these to the agenda for the very next Leadership, Cabinet or Trustees meeting - and turning words into executable strategies and actions. https://lnkd.in/gdupKfhg

Polytechnic Universities and Institutes of Technology have a tremendous history of success in not just integrating rigorous academic curricula with the applied knowledge and skills needed for success in the workplace, but also for developing and catalyzing critical thinking skills and innovation through the emphasis on modalities of discovery, enquiry, and “learn by doing. While desired, an increase in the number of such institutions, as well as the number of students/learners served, has been limited by logistical, functional, and resource issues as well as those of constraints of geographic location. However, advances in digital and immersive technologies, in conjunction with AI, have perhaps provided now an opportunity to revisit and re-envision the use of these extraordinarily successful models at scale, through advances that make three critical aspects of (a) experiential learning, (b) personalized engagement, and (c) competency-based learning and qualification, more effective to implement, while enhancing the ability of institutions to better assure the integration of development of advanced technical skills, real time communication and decision-making skills, and critical aspects including social context, ethics, and responsibility with learning through virtual immersion rather than through abstract constructs. In addition, this level of personalized engagement furthers the ability to meld and match different experts, and levels of expertise, into a student’s learning journey opening avenues heretofore unimaginable in the integration of advanced academic knowledge and workforce skills. While these models have traditionally been expert- and resource-intensive, constraining their use at scale, the incorporation of technological platforms and tools can alleviate these constraints, enabling the focus to be of individual competency rather than an assembly line “one size fits all” basis for education. We have the opportunity of re-imagining education, writ large, as an immersive, personalized, and dynamic system, fostering critical thinking, true inter-/multi-disciplinary learning, and integration of advanced academic knowledge with the skills necessary for success in a rapidly changing technological and information-intensive workplace. The question is whether we, in higher ed, are willing to make the changes that will pave the way for a future where technology empowers student learning, fostering experiences that are critical to their success, preparing graduates to thrive in a rapidly converging world, or if we will allow ourselves to lose relevance and leadership. #AIinEducation #Innovation #FutureOfLearning #polytechnic #Immersion #scale #workplace #HigherEd

The 2025 Deloitte Higher Education Trends report makes it clear: the business school of the future will not be defined by legacy structures, but by its ability to lead systemic innovation across campus and community. For institutions to thrive—not just survive—the opportunity is to move beyond siloed reforms and take on the role of ecosystem catalyst. That’s where transformation begins. • Financial innovation is no longer optional. B schools must lead in designing AI-enabled resource strategies that tie budgeting to measurable student outcomes, workforce alignment, and institutional resilience. As a 3X Business dean, I’ve implemented OKR models that connect dollars directly to strategic priorities—driving enrollment, retention, and external partnerships simultaneously. • The four-year degree must evolve into a platform for lifelong learning. We must build modular credential stacks, embed real-world industry experiences from day one, and embrace digital badging as part of the credentialing ecosystem. We created those environments in my past roles—where business students worked side-by-side with engineers, health professionals, and creatives, because that’s how the modern economy works. • Cross-campus collaboration must be baked into institutional DNA. It's more than interdisciplinary projects; it’s about establishing B schools as strategic conveners of innovation—partnering with every college to prepare students for complex, cross-sector leadership roles. We must align academic innovation with employer demand and regional impact. • Faculty and staff need to be empowered as co-creators of strategy. Deloitte highlights the importance of “systemness”—but systems don’t scale unless the people inside them believe in the mission. I’ve always worked to build cultures of trust, inclusion, and transparency, where faculty are not only heard but invited to lead. • Student success must extend beyond graduation. We must design career-integrated pathways that begin on day one and evolve well past graduation—making internships, consulting projects, and alumni mentorship core to the learning experience. I’ve helped build these kinds of ecosystems, where students graduate with credentials, portfolios, and networks—not just degrees. • A thriving academic institution isn’t defined by the strength of any one college—it’s defined by how those colleges collaborate to serve the broader mission. That’s where business schools have a unique role to play—not as isolated units, but as platforms for economic development, innovation, and institutional agility. • When done with intentionality—financial planning is strategic, student success is lifelong, internal culture is collaborative, and academic programs connect directly to societal needs—we don’t just improve outcomes; we create conditions for students, faculty, and institutions to move from potential to performance. That’s the power to do. Cole Clark Megan Cluver Tiffany Fishman Danylle Kunkel Ph.D.

I'm still reflecting on the insightful fireside discussion with CEO of Perplexity, Aravind Srinivas and Patrick Chung, Xfund, Harvard Business School, how rapidly the landscape is shifting, and what this means for higher education. A few themes stood out: 🧠 Reasoning is the next frontier of AI. ⚡ Speed of change is exponential. 🔄 Strategic planning on a quarterly basis, rather than than traditional long-range planning, due to rapid pace of change. 🤖 AI isn’t just providing answers—it’s doing work for us. The first three months of 2025 saw faster and greater change than the last two years combined. That statement alone should cause those of us in academic innovation to pause and reflect. 📚 So how should higher education respond? 1️⃣ Reimagine Change Management We’re used to 3–5 year strategic plans. But in an ecosystem where generative AI evolves in weeks, we need new agility—rolling roadmaps, nimble governance, and adaptive planning processes that welcome iterative change rather than resist it. 2️⃣ Invest in Cognitive Literacy, Not Just Content If tools like Perplexity are helping students "do cognitive work" (like decision-making or reasoning), our role as educators must evolve. Critical thinking and signal recognition—knowing what matters in a sea of information—becomes paramount. 3️⃣ Prepare for a New AI Infrastructure From GPUs to quantum computing and new chipsets, compute limitations are real. Perplexity's vision includes a browser that interacts with your personal data, work tools, calendar, and more. Are our campuses ready for that level of personalization, privacy management, and AI integration? 💡 An intriguing idea? That fact-checking becomes a service, misinformation is managed through community notes, and AI might soon be able to distinguish signal from noise better than humans—if it’s available to all and not just the privileged few. Higher education needs to act now to ensure this future is equitable, open-source-driven, and aligned with human values. How do we create the needed career pathways, retrain the workforce, and ensure more women have access to these roles. Curious to hear from others: 🔹 How is your institution adapting its strategy for AI integration? 🔹 Are you still planning in 5-year cycles, or shifting to a faster rhythm? Thank you Barbara DeLollis for inviting me! #HigherEd #AIinEducation #PerplexityAI #StrategicPlanning #EdTech #Leadership #ChangeManagement #FuturesThinking #GenerativeAI #womeninSTEM #womeninLeadership

Do you feel the Winds of Change in AI Education? I often ponder the role of colleges in preparing students for an increasingly AI-driven world. It is increasingly clear that beyond transforming how we work and live, AI will also impact or even redefine our concept of future careers and workplaces. So, higher education institutions must go beyond simply including AI in their curricula. Firstly, equipping students to discern and counter misinformation and deepfakes is critical. In this year alone, even in its nascent stage, deepfakes have shown their ugly face. Such skills will be invaluable not just in the personal lives of students but also professionally, as AI makes it harder to separate facts from fiction. Hands-on learning in spotting and combating "synthetic media" will become essential. Additionally, colleges should emphasize flexibility and adaptability in their programs. AI's trajectory still remains uncertain. Students need to be proficient in current technologies. But they also need to be able to evolve as new solutions are introduced. This agility will enable them to remain relevant and add value in their professional roles. Finally, risk assessment and ethics should be an integral part of the course, not afterthoughts. Students must learn to innovate responsibly. They must consider potential pitfalls and ripple effects. This balanced mindset will prove invaluable as they experience AI integration in the workplace while safeguarding ethical and social interests. So, yes, the winds of change are coming to higher education. As AI enters the mainstream, colleges have a profound opportunity and responsibility to shape the mindsets, skill sets, and ethics of the workforce of tomorrow. Of course, this requires us to go beyond superficial curriculum updates. It's a complex process. But let's make no mistake - it is foundational to raising leaders who will advance industry while working for the greater good. I would like to invite some of the great minds working in this field to lend their valuable input. 🙏 Laura Dumin Dawnne Howarth Reza Maniee Petia Whitmore Margaret Jusinski, PhD Dr Sophia Elizabeth Fourie (PrEng) #aiineducation #futureofai #ethicalai #airesponsibility