Transformation of Higher Education: Lessons Learned from the Past, Experiences of the Present, Discussions for the Future
In the present era, we are witnessing a multitude of global events such as pandemics, economic and political crises, technological advancements, climate change, and natural disasters. These events have triggered a rapid a change and transformation in institutions in all fields, including the field of higher education. The COVID-19 pandemic has forced universities worldwide to close their physical campuses and shift to remote learning. As a consequence of this transition, higher education institutions have gained valuable experience in distance management and education, and have developed related applications and implementations. In addition, developments in information technologies are advancing rapidly, especially in areas such as artificial intelligence, cloud computing, big data and virtual reality. These developments enrich the learning experiences of the students; they offer new learning and teaching methodologies to the instructors and also impact research and management in higher education.
Furthermore, as a result of the gradual decrease in the resources allocated to higher education in the world, changes in budget and resource management are becoming inevitable. Competition is increasing rapidly, student experience and satisfaction, quality of universities and world rankings come to the fore in discussions. In addition, social and cultural changes in societies also affect higher education institutions and also impact the demographic make-up of the students. This diversity creates the need for higher education institutions to make policies that cater to varying student needs, and to offer interdisciplinary programs, experiential learning opportunities, career development paths and extra-curricular activities. Moreover, environmental changes (such as climate change and natural disasters) can also affect the functioning of higher education institutions. Such effects cause transformations in a wide range of issues such as the logistical location of the institution, building maintenance, energy use, and resource management. This shows us that in the fields of higher education management and higher education policies, environmental changes should be at the center as much as other changes in terms of sustainability
Certainly, the transformation in higher education is not limited to the fields mentioned above. It is crucial for all stakeholders in the ecosystem, including students, academic and administrative staff, and managers, to come together and discuss this transformation experience. That is why we invite you to the 6th IHEC Conference to discuss the lessons learned from all these transformations, experiences of the present, emerging opportunities, new challenges and the future of higher education in line with them.
Conference Topics:
- Rethinking the university’s vision, mission and role
- Ethics, principles and values in higher education
- Higher education’s reactions and responses to global challenges
- Higher education policy and analysis and examples of policy implementation
- Culture and climate in the higher education ecosystem
- Quantity and quality in higher education
- Internationalization and localization in higher education
- Emerging needs of students in the transformation process
- Needs and expectations of faculty members
- Access and diversity in higher education
- Current educational trends in higher education
- Higher education and sustainability
- Adult education and lifelong learning
- Digitalization in higher education
- The wellbeing of individuals in higher education institutions
- Administration and management in the transformation process in higher education