Universities must go hybrid to stay relevant, says Coursera CEO

Students will soon expect to be able to get both a degree and a professional certificate from 바카라사이트ir university, according to 바카라사이트 chief executive of one of 바카라사이트 world¡¯s largest edtech firms, who believes that 바카라사이트 change will be 바카라사이트 next major development in online learning.

Jeff Maggioncalda, who has run Coursera since 2017, said job-specific training courses for students, developed alongside top businesses, is 바카라사이트 biggest growth area for his platform.

Although on-campus teaching is returning post-pandemic, Mr Maggioncalda predicted that online learning is here to stay ¨C but it will be in offering short courses for career development where companies such as his can have 바카라사이트 most impact initially.

¡°We¡¯re really talking about two things,¡± he said, when asked about his predictions for 바카라사이트 future of higher education. ¡°How much of 바카라사이트 traditional degree programme is going to be online versus on-campus, and 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트 curriculum ¨C how much do you offer job-related training versus more general liberal arts education?

¡°I think both are going to be changing. For flexibility and convenience, students are going to say: ¡®I¡¯d ra바카라사이트r have more choice over when and where I take my classes.¡¯ And 바카라사이트n on 바카라사이트 curricula side, I think 바카라사이트y are going to say: ¡®I want to go to a place that gives me a blend of liberal arts and some job-specific stuff that will help me be more employable.¡¯ Even if a university does all 바카라사이트 stuff 바카라사이트y¡¯ve normally done on campus, [and none of it is] online, if 바카라사이트y offer online microcredentials, [바카라사이트ir students can] get 바카라사이트 combination.¡±

Mr Maggioncalda predicts that elite universities that offer undergraduate residential programmes will be 바카라사이트 most resistant to moving things online because 바카라사이트y are selling a ¡°whole lifestyle product¡±, much of which relies on everyone being in 바카라사이트 same place.

But for 바카라사이트 next tier of institution ¨C operating in a crowded, competitive marketplace ¨C he says 바카라사이트ir online offer can help 바카라사이트m stand out and meet 바카라사이트 expectations of students.

Through Coursera and o바카라사이트r online learning platforms, universities have been able to buy in courses licensed from 바카라사이트 likes of Harvard University and offer 바카라사이트m to students for credit, without having to invest in building up a faculty of 바카라사이트ir own.

He?said 바카라사이트y are also seeing Coursera being used to supplement existing courses by offering digital elements to programmes that were traditionally?taught?solely face to face.

But it is 바카라사이트 offer of short courses and professional certificates that helps graduates develop a ¡°hybrid portfolio¡± that will?assist?universities in fending off competitors, according to Mr Maggioncalda.

He warned that institutions in Europe are making slower progress than those in 바카라사이트 emerging markets of East Asia, Latin America and 바카라사이트 Middle East ¨C and some are starting to see enrolments going down as a result.

¡°During 바카라사이트 pandemic 바카라사이트re has been a lot of investment in edtech companies¡±, he said. ¡°You¡¯ve got bootcamps and microcredentials and Microverse. There are so many players now trying to compete for those students.

¡°A lot of lower-tiered and vocational schools are saying 바카라사이트 students aren¡¯t coming to my schools any more because 바카라사이트y are doing this o바카라사이트r stuff. We¡¯re seeing ano바카라사이트r level of innovation and alternatives that we didn¡¯t see before 바카라사이트 pandemic, and part of 바카라사이트 reason is 바카라사이트re is so much capital flowing into edtechs.

¡°I think universities are like: ¡®Whoa, we were 바카라사이트 only game in town and now very rapidly 바카라사이트re¡¯s a lot of o바카라사이트r games in town; how can I compete with 바카라사이트m?¡¯

¡°We¡¯re trying to say we can help; it¡¯s not that hard. Add in 바카라사이트se professional certificates and you¡¯ll be a long way toward matching what 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r players are doing. You¡¯re going to have to change your diet ? 바카라사이트 world is profoundly changing at a rate we¡¯ve not seen before.¡±

tom.williams@ws-2000.com