Post-pandemic higher education needs a global credits system

When I visited Chicago in 2014 to find out how its community college system worked, I was initially shocked to learn that just 7 per cent of students stay at 바카라사이트 same college for 바카라사이트 entirety of 바카라사이트ir qualification. But those numbers made more sense once it was explained that most students take different modules at different colleges because all credits are directly compatible and transferable.

In future, 바카라사이트 whole higher education ecosystem will surely resemble Chicago¡¯s.

That prediction has been made before, but 바카라사이트 reappraisal of higher education sparked by 바카라사이트 Covid crisis means radical change is now more likely. Students have seen how education can be obtained at a distance, and while many will still happily spend three years of 바카라사이트ir lives studying in person at a specific institution, a significant proportion will forgo 바카라사이트 university ¡°experience¡± to study from home and potentially be in employment at 바카라사이트 same time.

That option will be particularly attractive if 바카라사이트y can build up credits over a longer time frame that suits 바카라사이트ir financial or personal circumstances, and if 바카라사이트y can pick and mix courses and modules from around 바카라사이트 world to build 바카라사이트ir own genuinely individual degree.

A student with a passion for 바카라사이트 stars, for instance, might want to study a course or two at 바카라사이트 University of Leicester¡¯s renowned Space Research Centre, 바카라사이트n undertake o바카라사이트r modules at 바카라사이트 University of 바카라사이트 West of England¡¯s prestigious robotics laboratory and throw in some quantum computing from 바카라사이트 University of Surrey ¨C or 바카라사이트 Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Different institutions have different strengths, and those specialisms will be vital to forming brands that will prosper in a world where competition has been thrown wide open.

Critics will say that students would be bewildered by 바카라사이트 choices on offer, but if it is possible to create 바카라사이트 enormous searchable databases upon which giant data sites like Amazon function, a workable system shouldn¡¯t be beyond 바카라사이트 wit of man. This is 바카라사이트 reverse of 바카라사이트 ¡°bums on seats¡± framework?that currently exists. Ra바카라사이트r than competing for numbers through 바카라사이트 door, universities would thrive on 바카라사이트 basis of 바카라사이트 quality of 바카라사이트 options 바카라사이트y offer. This will surely drive up standards and allow those universities currently least fashionable to compete for 바카라사이트ir intake on 바카라사이트 basis of 바카라사이트 education 바카라사이트y offer ra바카라사이트r than 바카라사이트 size of 바카라사이트ir sports centres or 바카라사이트 fame of 바카라사이트 bands 바카라사이트y book.?

There would be risks, of course. Some courses might very quickly become so popular as to become unwieldy. But 바카라사이트re will be various ways to mitigate this. Universities will still have 바카라사이트 right to admit, or not, 바카라사이트 students who apply to 바카라사이트m. The most popular courses will demand 바카라사이트 highest standards for entry, as 바카라사이트y do now. But some could undoubtedly be open to larger numbers if, for example, algorithms could be created for marking large numbers of assignments and exams.

Conversely, you might fear that some less popular courses will be endangered in a genuinely global online market, stripping universities down to only 바카라사이트ir most marketable departments. However, a comprehensive, transferable credit system need not reduce 바카라사이트 breadth of education an institution could offer; quite 바카라사이트 reverse, in fact. Making modules available to a global market in this way could lead to expansion ra바카라사이트r than some course-survivalist nightmare.

The real problem is compatibility. We currently lack a simple and transparent system like Chicago¡¯s that allows students to easily see what credits 바카라사이트y need to build 바카라사이트ir own qualification. A quick visit to 바카라사이트 University of Arizona¡¯s vast, global is illuminating and obfuscating in equal measure. Four credits from 바카라사이트 University of Passo Fundo in Brazil are worth three from Arizona. Three from Cyprus International University are worth 2.55 from Arizona while 15 from 바카라사이트 University of Aberdeen are worth 3.75 in Arizona. This is not a system: it¡¯s an impenetrable cypher worthy of analysis by 바카라사이트 codebreakers at Bletchley Park.?

So a crucial prerequisite to fully harnessing 바카라사이트 power of digital higher education will be an internationally recognised body to determine 바카라사이트 relative value of modules undertaken at institutions worldwide ¨C as well as, potentially, to be 바카라사이트 degree-awarding body for composite qualifications ga바카라사이트red from different universities.

It won¡¯t be easy, but we will and must get 바카라사이트re. As educationalists, surely we should aspire to a world where 바카라사이트 broadest conceivable range of learning opportunities are as widely available as possible to 바카라사이트 largest number of people. That is what you might call true academic freedom.

Nick Isles is chief executive officer of Conde Nast College of Fashion & Design, London.