Education and work post-COVID-19

As higher education continues to navigate survival and what is in the future after COVID-19 is tamed, Strada Education Network's research found that current and/or prospective university students "have a lot of hope, but not a lot of confidence. People need to move beyond belief and hope to the personal confidence they need in order to take action and pursue the education or training they want and need."

Inside Higher Education's brief summary of an interview with Strada's Dave Clayton didn't cover the political push-back that has come about as the result of the Trump administration's vilification of the liberal bias in higher education, vilification that has now shown up in France. What the interview does capture is that higher education institutions need to look more closely at how citizens can prepare for work that will offer a more promising future after a period of personal and economic devastation. In order to be more responsive to students' needs and desires, Ryan Craig proposes that the dominant "boomer" orientation toward self discovery rather than pathways to prosperity will have to be undone.

Strada Education Network asserts that putting students first is essential and that the "future of education and training broadly is certain to include more hybrid settings, meaning we will have a mix of in-person and virtual learning experiences across our lives," all more carefully tailored to the diversity of students who hope to find opportunity going forward.

Learning innovation and a focus on outcomes for students will certainly be central in the minds of many education leaders. "Susan Resneck Pierce challenged university leaders to begin to think strategically and long term, rather than only managing the daunting tactical tasks of the moment." Maloney and Kim assert that it is "crucial for them to see the lessons of the past nine months (and near future) as long term investments in deliberate, purposeful change." Steven Mintz offered 20 things he believed higher education faculty and leaders have learned from the pandemic and recommended that "future proofing" graduates should be a major priority. These higher education leaders are part of the wave advocating that COVID-19 realizations have the potential to improve retention, satisfaction, and outcome for all students.

A common response to the financial stresses on higher education at present is to expand scope. Grow or die has been the reality for all too many institutions whose leaders have guided them to tap new enrollment markets, increase online presence, pursue joint ventures in their local communities, and expand branch campuses. "Institutions have adopted a much more entrepreneurial mindset..." that requires risk-taking, visioning and partnering that builds support both inside and outside campus boundaries.

Nathan Grawe proposes agility as one of the primary features of successful institutions in the coming years. Demographic shifts, exacerbated by a possible decline in birth rate resulting from the pandemic, will require institutions to be resilient and persevering. Staying focused on students, improving retention, and attracting underserved students will be important to almost any institutional strategy.