At a time when technology has enabled most of us in the world to take online courses and workshops from anywhere plus colleges are an expensive investment, we need to reevaluate the importance of physical academic institutions.
For colleges, the questions to answer:
What is the value proposition of a college in a world where online courses and workshops have taken off and students have abundant resources (YouTube, learning platforms etc) to enhance their learning or increase their knowledge/skills?
How does a college justify that huge cost (or investment) for students to attend? What is the return for the students after 4 years of classes, late nights, weekend projects etc?
How can a college coexist with the growth of new and abundant online learning platforms?
For the US colleges that attract a lot of international students, how will they navigate the new landscape where domestic colleges start to offer quality, less expensive, and more industry driven education to its students?
As technology continues to make certain current courses outdated, how frequently will colleges update their course curriculum, keep teachers trained, and stay competitive with other colleges?
For prospective students, the questions to answer:
Why is attending college important?
What value will the college degree have once I graduate or if I want to start a business?
Will I get the expected return on my 4 year investment in a college degree?
If the job that I’m planning to get does not require a degree, how important will that college education will be?
If I am already very self motivated and have big dreams, will college actually be a hindrance to starting my freelancing business or entrepreneurial journey?
Lots of questions and they are more relevant than ever.
