An unusually multifaceted approach to American higher education that views institutions as complex organisms, Academia Next offers a fresh perspective on the emerging colleges and universities of today and tomorrow.
From the renowned futurist, a look at how current trends will transform American higher education over the next twenty years. 2020 Most Significant Futures Work Award Winner, Association of Professional Futurists The outlook for the future of colleges and universities is uncertain. Financial stresses, changing student populations, and rapidly developing technologies all pose significant challenges to the nation's colleges and universities. In Academia Next, futurist and higher education expert Bryan Alexander addresses these evolving trends to better understand higher education's next generation. Alexander first examines current economic, demographic, political, international, and policy developments as they relate to higher education. He also explores internal transformations within postsecondary institutions, including those related to enrollment, access, academic labor, alternative certification, sexual assault, and the changing library, paying particularly close attention to technological changes. Alexander then looks beyond these trends to offer a series of distinct scenarios and practical responses for institutions to consider when combating shrinking enrollments, reduced public support, and the proliferation of technological options. Arguing that the forces he highlights are not speculative but are already in play, Alexander draws on a rich, extensive, and socially engaged body of research to best determine their likeliest outcomes. It is only by taking these trends seriously, he writes, that colleges and universities can improve their chances of survival and growth. An unusually multifaceted approach to American higher education that views institutions as complex organisms, Academia Next offers a fresh perspective on the emerging colleges and universities of today and tomorrow.
Staging Women's Lives in Academia demonstrates how ostensibly personal decisions are shaped by institutions and advocates for ways that workplaces, not women, must be changed. Addressing life stages ranging from graduate school through retirement, these essays represent a gamut of institutions and women who draw upon both personal experience and scholarly expertise. The contributors contemplate the slipperiness of the very categories we construct to explain the stages of life and ask key questions, such as what does it mean to be a graduate student at fifty? Or a full professor at thirty-five? The book explores the ways women in all stages of academia feel that they are always too young or too old, too attentive to work or too overly focused on family. By including the voices of those who leave, as well as those who stay, this collection signals the need to rebuild the house of academia so that women can have not only classrooms of their own but also lives of their own.
Social work educators (SWEs) are doers, thinkers, go-getters, troublemakers, movers, and shakers. In their efforts to convert difficult challenges into positive realities, they live through unique experiences and possess knowledge of lifespan development that qualifies them to be in "better shape" to explore the vicissitudes of aging and envision a rich life beyond the traditional limits of a career. With that said, large numbers of SWEs from the baby-boomer generation have departed from the academy while more wait in the wings; Alive After Academia provides practical information for these professionals navigating the latter stages of their careers. The book incorporates the reflections drawn from interviews with 39 SWEs, who share engaging stories of how their careers have prepared them for "The Next Chapter" (introduced as a more positive alternative to the term "retirement"), post-academic freedom, and new life appreciations. Extending beyond the focus of Spencer James Zeiger's Career Reflections of Social Work Educators, this text is a particularly useful resource for SWEs wishing to critically examine their life's work while learning from the experiences of veteran professionals.
Through a lens of self-care and wellbeing, this book shares stories of struggle and success from a diverse range of women in academia. Each story highlights how these women mitigated and overcame various barriers as part of their academic trajectory and provides practical strategies for maintaining self-care and wellbeing. Taken from lived experience, the autoethnographic narrative approach provides a deeper, personal understanding of the obstacles faced by women throughout an academic career and guidance on how these might be navigated in a way that avoids self-sacrificing. This collection goes further to illustrate the ways that higher education institutions can be more accommodating of the needs of women.
Although difficult, change in academic structures is necessary today, especially in fast-changing fields today such as biology, computing, management, the social sciences, and others. This includes changes within existing organizations as well as creation of new structures and reorganizations or eliminations of older ones. This narrative attempts first to document the historical rise of an organization, Georgia Tech’s College of Computing, that has touched and successfully changed the lives of thousands of people. Second, it aims to identify and explicate some of what has led to this widely acknowledged success. The book provides a chronological narrative that highlights major changes taken under each successive leader. These changes have built on one another, knowingly or otherwise, to create a growing organization that rivals in size and prominence longer established parts of the university. The case study, while of an academic organization focused on computing, provides general lessons applicable almost anywhere. Topics and features: Discusses the nature and uses of visions, both general and specific Shows how visions can be used to drive specific actions and resource allocations Illustrates the choice and use of enduring organizational principles Outlines a simple strategic-planning method and its application Indicates results of this overall approach This book will be of interest to anyone interested in organizational change, especially in academia, and to those interested in Georgia Tech. It will also appeal to policymakers in education, government, and industry; as well as anyone interested in the historical growth of the computing milieu broadly. Peter A. Freeman was Founding Dean and Professor in the College of Computing at Georgia Tech from 1990 to 2002. Today he is an Emeritus Dean and Professor.
Planning for a Career in Biomedical and Life Sciences:Learn to Navigate a Tough Research Culture by Harnessing the Power of Career Building, Second Edition, presents useful information, insights and tips to those pursuing a career in the biomedical and life sciences. The book focuses on making educated choices during schooling, training, and the job search in both the academic and non-academic sectors. The book's premise lies in the notion that if users understand the full path of a career in either the biomedical or life science fields, they can proactively plan their career, recognize any opportunities that present themselves, and be well prepared to address important aspects of their own professional development. Topics include choosing a training path, selecting the best supervisor/mentor, and negotiating a job offer. Updates to this edition include an outline of core competencies to achieve success, how to build soft skills and tailor them to specific job opportunities, and how to increase collaborations across disciplines. Additionally, coverage on issues around diversity, health, wellness and work/life balance are expanded. This book is a valuable resource for undergraduate, graduate, medical and postdoctoral students in the biomedical and life sciences, as well as academic faculty and advisors. Revised and updated to address dealing with student failure and rejection and developing resilience Provides strategies on evaluating biomedical and life sciences education and professional development opportunities in a thorough and systematic fashion Discusses possible pitfalls and offers insight into how to navigate successfully at various points of a scientist’s career Offers valuable advice on how to make the best choices for yourself at any stage in your career and how to choose supervisors and mentors who will support your career goals
Featuring forthright testimonials by women who are or have been mothers as undergraduates, graduate students, academic staff, administrators, and professors, Mothers in Academia intimately portrays the experiences of women at various stages of motherhood while theoretically and empirically considering the conditions of working motherhood as academic life has become more laborious. As higher learning institutions have moved toward more corporate-based models of teaching, immense structural and cultural changes have transformed women's academic lives and, by extension, their families. Hoping to push reform as well as build recognition and a sense of community, this collection offers several potential solutions for integrating female scholars more wholly into academic life. Essays also reveal the often stark differences between women's encounters with the academy and the disparities among various ranks of women working in academia. Contributors--including many women of color--call attention to tokenism, scarce valuable networks, and the persistent burden to prove academic credentials. They also explore gendered parenting within the contexts of colonialism, racism, sexism, ethnocentrism, ageism, and heterosexism.
The Sustainable University of the Future discusses the rapid changes taking place within institutions of higher education—changes that have pushed universities to reconsider their traditional policies and plans. The book, which has its origins in the Qatar University Annual Research Forum and Exhibition (QUARFE) event “University of the Future” examines the many ways universities are trying to keep pace with this transformation, despite regional and international challenges. The book looks at the role of universities in meeting the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the impact of Industry 4.0, the social aspects of University 4.0, and the future of research-based universities. The need to adopt modern programs and tools is stressed, and ways to anticipate and plan for future challenges are explored.
This book explores how in a rapidly shifting world, higher education has found itself at the crux of socio-economic, demographic, and technological transformations. This book dives deep into this evolving landscape, navigating the vast complexities of global higher education and its cultural implications. From demographic challenges and economic pressures to the game-changing implications of Artificial Intelligence, this book paints a holistic picture, highlighting the intersections and potential futures of academia. Equipped with meticulous research, global case studies, and enlightening expert opinions, this book offers a rich tapestry of insights that cater to a diverse array of readers. As universities grapple with uncertainties, this book emerges as a compass, offering actionable insights, strategies, and foresight into the transformative potential of various factors. It’s not just a diagnosis of the current state but also a prescription for the road ahead. This book distinguishes itself as a unique and essential discourse in the realm of educational literature, presenting a rich, multidimensional analysis of the crossroads at which higher education currently stands. This book is not just an academic treatise; it is a clarion call to action, urging universities, policymakers, educators, and students to engage deeply with the transformative challenges and opportunities presented by the digital age. This book is tailored for a broad spectrum of readers including Higher education policymakers, university administrators, and educators will find it particularly invaluable. Yet, its accessible language and engaging narratives also appeal to students, and anyone curious about the trajectory of higher education in our rapidly changing world.