The Future University: Impact on Researchers and Students
In the strategic foresight project, one of the main themes is how research, teaching, and support services in universities work in the future. Here, we focus on how some of these changes may affect researchers and students.
For Researchers:
1. Researchers in universities face increasing pressure to engage in collaborative, externally-oriented work. This trend involves partnerships with industry, government, and civil society to address complex societal challenges and demonstrate impact. While such researcher provides opportunities for innovation and real-world problem-solving, this shift also presents problems. Researchers must balance external collaboration with academic freedom and curiosity-driven research, navigate the expectation of diverse stakeholders, and manage potential conflicts of interest. The central challenge is to align research agendas with external needs while maintaining the core values and integrity of academic research.
2. AI-driven vs. Traditional research methods: The adoption of AI tools in research offers new opportunities but raises concerns about changes in scientific understanding and research skills. For example, AI tools can help explore many hypotheses and guide experiments, but there are risks such as the creation of scientific monocultures that favor certain ways of conducting research where human perspectives in all their richness are marginalized. The choice, in its core, for us as an academic community is how much we rely on human cognition in research and how scientific research is tied to human beings and their communities.
3. Research-teaching balance: Incentives on focusing on research and its impacts and the increasing pressure for research output may lead to an increasing devaluation of teaching activities. This could lead to a growing distance between research and teaching, and question to what extent university learning is research-based.
For Students:
1. Personalized vs. Standardized teaching: Universities face a choice in whether to adopt resource-intensive personalized teaching or more cost-effective, scalable standardized approaches. Personalized learning could use data analytics and adaptive technologies to create tailored learning path to each student. In contrast, the standardized models rely on large online lectures and automated assessments to deliver content cost-effectively.
In both cases, the increase in online and virtual delivery will have effects, but the effects differ between the two approaches. A virtual environment for tailored teaching looks different from a virtual environment created for masses of students. The issue here is further complicated by the increasing pressure for research output, which may lead to a devaluation of teaching activities, as mentioned above.
2. Holistic vs. Focused student support: There is a tension between providing holistic support services addressing diverse student needs and maintaining a more limited, academic-focused support system. As student populations become more diverse and learning environments more complex, universities might need to address academic, social, cultural, emotional, and personal needs of students. Mere academic guidance may not be enough. Expanded services could enhance student well-being and success but strain resources, while limited services cost less but can leave some students struggling and, thereby, ethical problems and counterproductive outcomes.
For Both Researchers and Students:
1. Data-driven vs. Traditional decision-making: The increasing use of data analytics in university operations conflicts with traditional academic decision-making processes. Universities need to develop policies, procedures, and governance structures to address concerns and ensure the ethical and responsible use of data analytics and AI technologies in their governance.
2. The future university infrastructure is becoming more and more a blend of physical and digital environments. Universities are developing flexible, adaptable physical spaces alongside robust digital platforms for learning, research, and collaboration. While digital infrastructure enhances accessibility and flexibility, physical spaces remain essential for hands-on work and community building. The challenge lies in balancing investments between digital and physical resources, ensuring cybersecurity and data privacy, and providing equitable access.
Moreover, the role of the physical campus, along with its comfort and usability for researchers and students, is a crucial issue when physical infrastructure is used less but requires resources to maintain – what to keep, what to leave out?
As we consider these potential futures, it is crucial to remember that the internal functioning of universities plays a vital role in their ability to fulfill their broader societal missions. The decisions made today about research methods, teaching approaches, and student support will shape the future capabilities and character of these institutions.
