A conversation on the future of tertiary education

With new technology, leadership styles, and access to education, where does that leave the future of higher education?

What will tertiary education look like in ten years? What about 20 years from now? How can the tertiary system adapt to better meet the needs of learners and society at large? These are just some of the questions posed by the Royal Society of Edinburgh and the Young Academy of Scotland Tertiary Education Futures project. On Friday 3 March, the Tertiary Education Futures project launched its final report.

The last five to ten years have seen many big developments impact Scotland’s tertiary education system. The Tertiary Education Futures project aimed to reflect on these changes, stimulate debate across a range of stakeholders and take a forward-looking and holistic approach to considering how the tertiary system is likely to transform to keep pace with shifting societal expectations and demands. Sectoral engagement was at the heart of this project. Actors from across the broad remit of tertiary education joined, including staff in colleges and universities; current learners; non-traditional education providers; business and skills agencies; international tertiary education representatives joined a series of roundtable discussions. Their reflections and insights are captured in a series of key themes to provide a sector-informed view of the future of tertiary education.