The International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education (ETHE) recently launched a call for papers on the topic of Universities of the future: educational and organizational challenges and possibilities.
In the context of the radical transformation to knowledge and learning that digital technologies and the Internet have brought to teaching and learning in the last decade, it is imperative that universities develop new models and strategies if they want to continue to be relevant in the 21st Century. Issues such as innovation, access to education, sustainability, quality, diversity, citizenship, new partnerships, research and funding have become key players in the planning of the future of the university, or the university of the future, where universities are no longer the only institution that holds access to knowledge and promotes learning. With the active participation of many other organizations in the creation of learning spaces and open learning resources (such as community development NGOs, industry training units, indigenous knowledge centers, etc.) the traditional model of university administration is becoming archaic and obsolete. These challenges have brought about epistemological and ethical changes within higher education, some of which can be traced back to the willpower of individuals who have come up with initiatives and practices that helped pave the way for the emergence of new models. This thematic series will discuss and debate the tasks and challenges that the University of the Future is facing, and the strategies and policies that should be developed for its survival and transformation in the future.
Potential topics include, but are not limited to:
- Technology access, equality and inclusion in universities
- New aspects of curriculum development
- Quality indicators to measure learning
- Industry or cultural partnerships for curriculum relevance or connectedness
- University development and change of business and financing model
- New areas of research, policy and practice
- Curriculum relevance with regard to graduate employment
- Development of academic citizenship and participatory academic communities beyond the campus
- Universities’ contribution to sustainability
- Innovative pedagogical practices and modes of delivery with broad impact
- New university formats and inter-university or cross-sectoral collaborations
The full text of the call is available on ETHE’s website, which is part of the Springer Open Network.
A PDF version of the call for papers is also avaiable.