From the desk of Rob McCarron
Long before the pandemic abruptly disrupted the traditional higher education model in March 2020, college presidents and industry experts were contemplating the future of higher education and the essential role it can play in workforce development. They foresaw that the continuing evolution of technology and artificial intelligence, coupled with changing definition of a traditional college student and the different ways all students access learning, would demand the reimaging of the college experience and increased partnerships with the business community. The overarching goal is to ensure that higher ed’s core missions of teaching and research are aligned to provide students with the full breadth of skills needed to succeed in the evolving workplace.
Earlier this month, AICU Mass was pleased to co-sponsor a Boston Business Journal event that examined the future of higher education and asked how colleges and universities can apply lessons learned from the pandemic to better prepare students for the workforce of today and over the course of their careers. During the event, Boston Business Journal reporter Hilary Burns moderated a discussion among four leaders higher ed leaders in the Commonwealth: E. LaBrent Chrite, president of Bentley University; Stephen Spinelli, president of Babson College; Jackie Jenkins-Scott, interim president of Roxbury Community College (and former president of Wheelock College) and Susan Fournier, dean of Boston University’s Questrom School of Business.
Throughout the conversation, it was evident that these visionary and innovative leaders are prioritizing the changing needs of students and faculty, while ensuring that students are prepared to succeed not only in the careers, but also along the path of lifelong learning. While listening to the discussion, I was struck by the forward thinking from the panelists, as they seek to anticipate the changing needs of the workforce and importance of students finding their fit in the workplace.
• President Chrite highlighted the role that artificial intelligence will have in disrupting the labor market, focusing on the changing nature of the accounting industry. For example, Bentley University is leveraging its strong accounting program to work with accounting firms to better understand and prepare for the changing needs within the industry by bringing those real-world lessons into the classroom.
• President Spinelli focused on efforts at Babson College to expand relationships between higher education and the business community, touching on the importance of providing opportunities for students to connect with businesses from day one of their college experience to help students to identify and nurture their unique skills and passions.
• BU’s Dean Fournier discussed an in-depth study that Questrom School of Business at Boston University recently completed that engaged alumni, faculty and industry partners and led to the creation of a comprehensive strategy to bring together all facets of the career journey that are embedded in programs around campus. This allows the institution to better utilize all resources (alumni relations, career advising, academic advising, business development, etc) to help students find their first job after graduation.
Years from now, many may point to the pandemic as a strategic turning point for higher education and workforce development – a time where institutions more fully realized the potential of remote and hybrid learning models, a time when colleges and universities came together to help solve vexing, indeed historic, public health challenges and when employers and employees alike sought to rebalance the work/life balance. However, while there is little doubt that the pandemic has been a catalyst for a number of far-reaching changes on campus, the fact is college presidents were moving to meet these challenges well before March 2020 and will continue to do so as the world move beyond the pandemic. The conversation at the BBJ event left me feeling incredibly optimistic about the future of higher education in the Commonwealth, and confident that our colleges and universities will continue to serve as the pipeline for the talented and diverse workforce that Massachusetts’ knowledge-based economy needs.
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