July 17, 2012

Hobsons University 2012 Keynote: Scott Jaschik

Jul. 17, 2012 at 02:03 PM | By Marlysa Connolly | Comment Count

(Find out what's going on at Hobsons U 2013)

As the first official day of Hobsons University kicked off in Nashville, the editor and co-founder of Inside Higher Ed, Scott Jaschik, forecasted his predictions for the challenges facing higher education within the next year.

Delivering a sampling of key statistics from Inside Higher Ed's recent President's and Chief Academic Officer's Surveys, Scott commenced his keynote with a single prediction: "Higher Education is going to be under pressure to do our jobs well. Your institution will look to you to solve problems."

Trending challenges in Education:

Supreme Court's Ruling on Texas Ten Percent Plan

Affirmative action in admissions has often been a hot-button topic for higher education. The Supreme Court's upcoming ruling on Texas' Top Ten Percent admissions program will have a profound impact on enrollment at post-secondary institutions. Holistic approaches to admissions will grow in popularity as a need to establish diverse student bodies become the norm.

The Value of Education: "Maybe you shouldn't go to college"

Greater skepticism over student loans and increased tuition is making headlines everywhere. Students and parents have shifted their focus from the opportunities created by post-secondary degrees to the student debt crisis.

The Rise of MOOC's

Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC's) are taking higher education by storm. From courses taught by Nobel-Prize winners to others led by Fortune 500 executives, MOOC's will undoubtedly have a great impact on distance learning. Within the next year, Scott predicts that MOOC' s like Coursera and EdX, will begin to offer introductory courses and award certificates for course completion.

What other challenges do you believe Higher Education will experience within the next year?