Higher Education Reform

Engineering Education Needs to Be Human-Centered, Purpose-Driven, and Grounded in Real-World Problem Solving

Student disengagement, the rapid rise of AI, and shifting workforce expectations are pushing higher education to rethink how it prepares graduates. Engineering programs—long defined by rigor and technical depth—are now under pressure to stay relevant, improve retention, and produce graduates who can actually solve real-world problems, not just theoretical ones. And the numbers back…

If Higher Ed Wants Experiential Learning at Scale, It Needs a Broader Playbook

The ground is shifting under higher education. AI is changing how people learn almost overnight—and at the same time, more than half of graduates are underemployed after finishing their degrees. That’s forcing a more uncomfortable question into the open: what is a college credential really worth today? As employers and governments shift their focus…

Building the Next Generation of Educators Through Apprenticeship Pathways and Workforce-Aligned Training

Teacher shortages aren’t exactly a new headline—but lately, they’ve started to feel a lot more urgent. In some places, schools have gone years without enough fully trained teachers in the classroom, exposing real flaws in how we prepare and retain educators. Add in the rising cost of becoming a teacher and training models that haven’t…

The Degree That Pays You Back: How Employer-Sponsored Apprenticeships Are Rewriting Higher Ed

Higher education is under pressure. Over the past few years, public confidence in the value of a four-year degree has declined significantly, with fewer Americans expressing a strong belief that traditional higher education delivers a worthwhile return on investment. At the same time, employers consistently report that graduates lack job-ready skills—particularly the “durable skills”…

Workforce Alignment, and the New Blueprint for Career-Connected Learning Ecosystems

Workforce shortages, shifting federal and state policy, and rising skepticism about the return on investment of a traditional four-year degree have pushed career-connected learning to the forefront of education reform. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, overall employment is expected to increase by nearly 4.7 million jobs between 2022 and 2032, with…

Building a Future-Ready Workforce: With Traditional Training Models Failing, It’s Time for Employers and Educators to Build Solutions Together

In an era where the average job tenure in the U.S. hovers under four years and industries are evolving faster than academic curricula can keep up, the need for a new approach to workforce development has never been more urgent. Companies like Amazon and McDonald’s are responding by investing in “education as a benefit”…

The Future of Higher Ed? Mass Experiential Learning That Delivers Durable Skills

Higher education is at a turning point. As employers demand more than technical proficiency, schools are being challenged to equip students with durable skills like collaboration, communication, and critical thinking. Traditional classroom models often fall short of this need. This shift has fueled growing interest in mass experiential learning as a way to prepare…

Rethinking the High School Transcript: ETS and MTC Chart a New Path for Student Success

A major testing organization's acquisition of an alternative transcript platform reflects growing momentum to move beyond traditional grades and standardized me

Preparing Students for the Real World: Why Career Education, Not College, May Be the Answer

Millions of young adults are neither working nor studying, signaling that traditional pathways may be failing students in today's job market

Is the Traditional College Degree Obsolete? Digital Credentials are Emerging as Key to Bridging the Skills Gap

Employers seeking proven competencies are turning away from degree requirements in favor of stackable digital credentials that verify real-world skills

Reevaluate IDRs to Ensure Equitable Student Aid and System Durability

Current repayment plans may be worsening the very problem they were designed to solve, prompting calls for fundamental policy reform

Cut Costs, Not Corners for the Future of Higher Education: Redirect Focus to Student Achievement

Institutions must strategically streamline operations while maintaining quality outcomes that prepare graduates for competitive job markets

Bold Measures are Needed to Improve Investment in Higher Education

The higher education sector faces mounting pressure to reimagine funding models or risk falling behind in a rapidly transforming landscape

Rethinking College Career Services: Applying Academic Principles to Foster Real Change in Online Education

Traditional career guidance models are failing students, but academic rigor offers a blueprint for meaningful transformation