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Why STEM Can Future-Proof Private Universities Against the Enrollment Cliff - Stephanie Herseth Sandlin, President of Augustana University
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Higher education is facing an enrollment cliff. Or, as Augustana University President Stephanie Herseth Sandlin puts it, a "consumption cliff." Not only are there fewer students for universities to recruit, there are also fewer students even considering enrolling in post-secondary education.
In this episode, we discuss some of the ways private universities can hedge against these upcoming challenges. STEM education - when integrated into a traditional liberal arts model - can play a vital role in attracting students to a university.
You'll learn:
- Why universities who don't embrace STEM may be closing their doors in the next 5 years
- How to incorporate STEM without losing the liberal arts core
- Why tuition shouldn't stop families from considering a private university - and what universities should do to dispel these myths
- How higher education leaders can empower the innovators on their teams to discover ways to integrate STEM into strategic planning
- The importance of "finding a third way"
3 Big Takeaways from this episode:
- Liberal arts universities should integrate STEM fields into their programs: We shouldn't stop teaching liberal arts, but we should find ways to incorporate STEM concepts, practices and technologies into a liberal arts core to provide a well-rounded education and meet the demands of the job market. Hear how Augustana University is doing just this in their STEM Scholars program, through healthcare education and more.
- Offer the vitamins of education, not just the calories: To thrive in this new era of higher education, universities have to offer more than just four-year degree programs. Learners are looking for certificates, bootcamps, micro-credentials and other short-term programs that will support their lifelong learning efforts.
- STEM is everywhere; empower your staff to think outside the traditional academic box and innovate higher education: The STEM world moves quickly, and the strictures of academia don't always enable universities to pivot at the same pace. But university leaders can empower the entrepreneurial thinkers on their staff to embed STEM themes into existing programs. Hear how Augustana's music programs have done just this.
Resources mentioned in this episode:
- To learn more about Augustana University, visit their website
- Read The Great Upheaval: Higher Education's Past, Present, and Uncertain Future by Arthur Levine and Scott J. Van Pelt
- Learn more about the STEM Scholars program
- STEM + Music = Multimedia Entrepreneurship program at Augustana University
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