Higher education continues to evolve with time. Over the years, universities have gone through major challenges and undergone major transformations as well in their nature and scope, the nature and value of knowledge, their governance structures, and their relationship with the economy and the society. For a long time, universities and colleges were few and only available to the perceived exceptional students (Altbach, Reisberg & Rumbley, 2014). Once admitted, students were expected to stay on campus and only leave the premises during the holidays. All the lectures were conducted manually, with students sitting in lecture halls and taking notes (Etzkowitz et al., 2013). However, in the contemporary world, many changes have happened, and it is an indication of what the future holds for the higher education.
The major factor that is driving change in higher learning is technology. Each day, better learning tools are being created, and institutions of higher learning are aligning themselves with the modern trends. For instance, approximately fifty years ago there were no computers hence learning was more manual. But with the introduction of the computers and the sprout of the internet in the 1990s, the mode of learning began to change (Wilson et al., 2014). Nowadays, a lot of campuses have begun e-learning, whereby students are not required to physically attend classes. Students can participate in the lecture through teleconferencing and only requires an internet connection to do so. Besides, several researchers such as (Alphin, Chan & Lavine, 2017) predict that online degree programs will increase in future. In such programs, students can register online and access learning materials through the same channels. Although the learning is carried out via the internet, various tertiary learning institutions require that the students avail themselves on the campus premises for assessment. This requirement is meant to promote the integrity of the learner. There are cases where some individuals hire other people to do examinations for them due to lack of supervision.
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Another aspect that has evolved is the mode of learning. In the past, students spent a long time in the institutions learning but with time, the various courses were reviewed. The review was triggered by the increasing demand for higher education. As such, part-time system is being implemented in almost every tertiary learning institution (Pandey, 2015). Individuals can work or carry out their daily activities and still attend evening or weekend classes. On the same note, many tutors are also being employed on a part-time basis. With the increase in globalization, learning institutions are opening their doors to international students. Many people are getting employed in different parts of the world and hence need to gain skills that are relevant to work in their specific areas of posting. Scholars posit that learning institutions in the coming years will have students from diverse ethnic and racial backgrounds that the issue of dominant races will be a thing of the past (Etzkowitz et al., 2013). The diverse student population will lead to lecturers being sourced from different parts of the world. Already, there are many lecturers who travel by plane to teach in many parts of the world.
Conclusively, pertaining the physical structures and the learning environment, many tertiary learning institutions are developing their buildings to encourage socialization. Students come from diverse backgrounds hence there is the need for interactive learning. Students can share their experiences as well as get to learn new things from their colleagues. Competition among various higher learning institutions is projected to result in the development of ultramodern facilities to attract the international student market (Alphin, Chan & Lavine, 2017). Besides, owing to the criticism that the current education system does not guarantee students employment opportunities, the curriculum is being reviewed to impart practical skills to students so that they can be self-sufficient. More emphasis is being put on self-employment.
References
Alphin Jr, H. C., Chan, R. Y., & Lavine, J. (Eds.). (2017). The Future of Accessibility in International Higher Education . IGI Global.
Altbach, P. G., Reisberg, L., & Rumbley, L. E. (2014). Tracking a global academic revolution. Change: The Magazine of Higher Learning , 42 (2), 30-39.
Etzkowitz, H., Webster, A., Gebhardt, C., & Terra, B. R. C. (2013). The future of the university and the University of the Future: evolution of ivory tower to entrepreneurial paradigm. Research policy , 29 (2), 313-330.
Pandey, V. C. (2015). Higher Education in a Globalising World . Gyan Publishing House.
Wilson J., Pagano E., Henry T., & Puckett J. Five Trends to Watch in Higher Education . (2014). https://www.bcg.com . Retrieved 1 January 2018, from https://www.bcg.com/publications/2014/public-sector-five-trends-watch-higher-education.aspx
