The future of

A forum discusses unbundling education in Australia and India, in order for it to be ready for a changing world

BY HASNAIN ZAHEER

Leading education and skills training experts across Australia and Asia got together recently to discuss trends in education, a sector pivotal to the Australia-India relationship.

Pradeep Khanna of Global Mindset pulled this event together as part of Integrating Australia with Asia initiative. Earlier in the year, his Future of higher education and skills training had covered the key technologies making waves in education, as reported in Indian Link (April (2) 2013 issue).

At the event, the keynote session by Saad Rizvi, Director of Efficacy at Pearsons, one of the largest educational publishers, was a presentation of his paper, The avalanche is coming. He compared the situation in today’s universities as akin to just before an avalanche in which a big change is about to come, even though it cannot be seen.

With fast-paced changes in the global economy due to mobile, digital and other technology driven initiatives; the global economic downturn; an increase in higher education costs faster than the rate of inflation; the relative fall of value of a degree; and free, ubiquitous content; an unbundling is taking place in universities.

As a result, the imposing structures of the world’s top universities no longer seem to be so durable. To escape this avalanche, standing still and waiting for it is the option of ruin. Universities need to look beyond the standard offering of a 3-4 universities, and jobs and skills mismatch.

If you are a parent, the content of this conference must alert you to be open and ready to embrace change, guiding your children to navigate the new world of changing education and job conditions, when education may no longer be going to university for four years; rather a mix of online and classroom learning. Jobs may not be longer, rather contractual and freelance; and there will be an emphasis on lifelong learning. It is also important to not impose on them the values and decisions based on the current systems and structures.

Jobs may not be longer, rather contractual and freelance; and there will be an emphasis on lifelong learning