Higher Education: Three Main Challenges for the Decade to Come

Higher education has been undergoing tremendous changes over the past decade towards a new era. Such a transformation is paved from a number of challenges that are either the natural outcome of society evolution, technological progress or the internalization of the offer.

• Financial stress: In most of the developed countries where the model of public providence was prevailing (EU, JP, KR), we observe a declining financial support from the state. On the opposite side, self-funded educational models (USA, UK,…) inherit a constant increase of enrollments.tuition fees. The consequences of such opposite policies move both systems closer to a break point where on one hand the quality of the educational system is depraved while on the other hand elitism is installed and access to higher education becomes possible only for the wealthiest and problematic for the middle and low class part of the society. Rethinking the economical model while preserving quality and access to higher education to the all citizens with the necessary intellectual capacity is one of the major issues of our society. 
•  Internationalization & digital revolution: recent development of technology has made possible the deployment of large scale efficient online educational platforms. It is now possible and accessible virtual accreditation and degree while massive open online course create a new playground as it concerns higher education with an unpredictable outcome as it concerns their impact to conventional educational processed. Such accessibility will make possible in the very near future the ability of the remote education which eventually will  result on a direct international completion of higher academic providers both at it concerns academic programs as well as degrees. It is really challenging to predict the outcome of such an evolution. Having said that, it is almost sure that higher education should adapt to this novel ecosystem and find means to optimize its impact to the society. 
•  Societal impact & creation of wealth through Research: Traditional economical growth of the previous century has now being replaced with creation of wealth through new services/products and concepts serving the society. Research is becoming one of the major elements of such wealth creation through novel concepts, and higher education should evolve/embrace this effort and become a major pillar of societal wealth creation. Such an effort requires excellent coordination and precise actions with policy makers towards appropriate and efficient use of private and public funding through the higher education systems where the right compromise is to be found between short term objectives, wealth creation and funding of non-scientific disciplines.