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Focus on learner and university as a driver for creating this ecosystem, backed by technology, in-person guidance & industry-relevant content, vital for leapfrogging to Education 4.0: FICCI-EY report
Nov 09, 2017
NEW DELHI, 9 November 2017: A FICCI-EY report, titled Leapfrogging to Education 4.0: Student at the core, has underlined the need for focusing on the learner, supported by technology, in-person guidance and industry-relevant content to meet the learner�s individual learning needs. In all this university transforms into a driver to create this ecosystem.
The report released
today at the 13th FICCI Higher Education Summit 2017, points
out that the nation is at the cusp of a change where the learner will be at the
center of the future ecosystem in Education 4.0.
Education 4.0 empowers learners
to structure their learning paths. It is characterized by personalization of
the learning experience, where the learner has complete flexibility to be the
architect of his or her own future and has the freedom to aspire, approach and
achieve personal goals by choice
Increased innovation in
teaching methods, demand for an improved HE experience and availability of
better learning opportunities supported by technology have been the major
impetus for this shift toward personalization.
The �traditional� profile of
the learner has been changing and he or she is no more a student right from
high school, enrolled in a full-time course to complete a degree; the new
majority demands greater deal of flexibility and customization. Technology has
made personalized learning both approachable and dynamic. Without educational
technology ranging from digital content to adaptive learning software, it would
be extremely difficult and resource-intensive to implement personalized
learning.
How fast universities adapt to
this change and continue to evolve will determine their future. With the
changing paradigm, universities have a critical decision to make: Embrace new
opportunities and succeed or make the wrong choice and perish? It is crucial
for universities to focus on enriching student experience, aligning to
individual needs across the student life cycle, focusing on student
employability and acting as a hub for research.
The report suggests
universities could focus on building unrivalled student experience through
flexible program structures that enable lifelong learning and provide learners
with multiple entry and exit options. They could provide learners with
predictable schedules and opportunities for collaborative learning.
Universities will have to
address employability challenges by providing the required employability skills
and integrating with industry to provide greater exposure to students right
through their university experience. They need to enable development of thinkers,
complex problem solvers and decision makers who are prepared for a broad range
of jobs across sectors and thus can be fungible across changing job scenarios.
Global integration and
technological advancement have had a transformational effect on research. As
research becomes democratized, funds would need to be spent in the most optimal
manner. Universities need to build project management capabilities around
research to ensure quick turnarounds, reduce cost and schedule overruns and
better collaborations across industry and academia.
Universities with weak
financial statements could pass this financial burden to the student in form of
rising tuition fees, but the price-sensitive student is now turning to
alternative affordable education sources such as massive open online courses
(MOOCs). Universities will need to diversify their revenue stream and explore
sustainable business models to continue operations. They will have to ensure
that resources are optimally aligned with financial stability at the core.
Regulators need to appreciate
online as a viable medium of learning. They would have to provide a
forward-looking ecosystem for Education 4.0 and work with higher education
institutions (HEIs) on developing a regulatory framework that addresses issues
of quality control, accreditation and information privacy.
FICCI MEDIA DIVISION
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