College 2030: New Study Finds Key Insights Into How College Is Changing
By d-mars.com
News Provider
As a new academic school term begins for colleges and universities nation wide, many students and faculty are thinking about how to respond to the changes caused by the pandemic as they settle into their first true "postpandemic" school year.
Research from Barnes and Noble Education (BNED) reveals insights into how education institutions are adapting. The study called "College 2030 - Emerging from the Pandemic: Reimagining Higher Education," explores changes and visions for the future of higher education by surveying over 2,500 U.S. students, faculty, and administrators regarding five areas: the value of higher education, career pre paredness, student loans, mental health, and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI).
"This study provides a snapshot of higher education at an inflection point," said BNED CEO Michael Huseby. "These insights are not only indicative of how higher education is evolving but can help educational institutions respond more effectively as they set goals for the future."
Here are five key takeaways from the report, and what higher education institutions can learn from them.
Here are five key takeaways from the report, and what higher education institutions can learn from them.
1. The value of higher education
Rising tuition costs and student loan debt have made many question the value of higher education, however, one-third of the students surveyed (33%) said the value of college has actually increased. The majority of students seeing increased value were community college students, graduate or professional students, and students 25 years or older. One reason can be attributed to the class format, which has piv oted in response to the pandemic. Nearly half the students (49%) said they preferred a hybrid format, while more than half of the faculty (54%) favored a fully in-person environment. This difference poses a challenge for institutions.
"Over the next decade, institutions need to continue listening to students by creating personalized learning experiences based on their needs," can be achieved by giving students choices between a variety of class types - in-person, remote, and hybrid."
Hybrid/online learn ing can provide better access and equity for students of all ages and backgrounds. To further help stu
dents have equitable access, Barnes & Noble College (BNC) has created First Day Complete, a program providing all required course materials (digital and physical) to all students before the first day of class, bundling costs as part of their tuition.
2. Career preparedness
of higher education is strongly connected to career preparation. When asked, 73% of students said they feel prepared for the industry/field they're pursuing. However, students also wanted more school support with networking (46%), resume help (43%), and mentors (38%).
"Institutions need to better connect students with the business community," advised Huseby. "They can do that by building strong networking opportunities with businesses, assessing employers' requirements, and tailoring a curriculum to develop a clear path between college and
3. The state of student loans
While tuition rates remained steady during the pandemic, rising inflation and the end of federal stimulus funding will likely increase costs, impacting students' ability to pay. According to the survey, just under half of students (47%) had student loans, and of that half, 53% were forced to apply for additional loans due to the pandemic.
4. Supporting mental health
Many institutions saw spikes in student mental health concerns throughout the pandemic. While over half of students (53%) and faculty (58%) say mental health has improved since returning to campus, 28% of students and 21% of faculty noted that mental health has declined, indicating that the transition itself caused challenges, including a lack of preparation to be back in person.
While on-campus mental health support continues to be crucial, a majority of students and faculty are not using available mental health resources. And although 81% of students and 92% of faculty indicated they knew their school offered mental health resources, only 20% said they have used them.
5. Fostering Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Schools could benefit from proactively seeking feedback from students and faculty on DEI efforts, and by educating everyone on DEI issues. Only 35% of students indicated they had been asked for feedback on DEI efforts, while 58% of faculty indicated they had been asked for input.
"Through the next decade, it will be crucial to ensure schools are not just asking for faculty feedback, but are also listening to their students," said Huseby. "Ensuring student needs are met helps build an inclusive campus that provides mental health support, plus the financial, career, and life services students need to succeed."
As in many aspects of life, the past two and half years have forever changed higher education - and it will continue to change over the next decade. Institutions need to understand the needs of their students and ensure that they are providing them with what they need to continue to succeed in school and beyond.
To read the full report, visit BNCollege.com/insight/report/college2030.
Source: BPT
Addressing the National Shortage of Cybersecurity Talent
By d-mars.com News Provider
There's an urgent need for the United States to invest in cybersecurity infrastructure and safeguard it from potential threats. Domestically and abroad, society has seen a triple-digit increase in cybersecurity attacks that have disrupted mass telecommunication companies, been used as a tactic in the Russia-Ukraine war, and held financial firms hostage with their own information.
Cyber incidents are becoming more sophisticated and are targeting organizations of all sizes, especially those that work with personal information. Los Angeles Unified School District, the second largest school district in the nation, was targeted in a ransomware attack on its information-technology infrastructure, Uber was the victim of a data breach after cybercriminals compromised the Slack account of an employee in early September, the Red Cross experienced a security breach that compromised the personal data of those the organization seeks to help and DoorDash experienced a cyberattack that exposed customers' personal information.
Unfortunately, U.S. businesses and organizations struggle to prepare for these threats in part because of a shortage of skilled cyber workers. This underscores the importance of cultivating new talent through education, upskilling, and reskilling to develop the expertise required to protect and defend our data and systems.
The national talent shortage has been driven by a lack of employee training and access to cybersecurity careers.
It is estimated that there are approximately 700,000 cybersecurity jobs yet to be filled in the U.S. At the same time, the cybersecurity sector continues to be shaped by rapid technological change, thus requiring skill sets that constantly need to be updated. Many academic institutions aren't able to adapt their programming to quickly develop a pool of skilled cyber workers. Without ongoing upskilling and training by their employers, IT professionals can't keep up and properly protect their organizations.
"Cyberattacks
affect our day-to-day lives, our economy, and our national security. The number
Without talent to quickly fill these roles, companies will continue to be vulnerable to these attacks."
A recent Aspen Institute report estimates that only 4% of cybersecurity workers identify as Hispanic, while 9% identify as Black, and 24% as women, which highlights cybersecurity's diversity gap. Creating access to and awareness of cybersecurity career pathways - through methods like flexible programming, mentorship programs, and corporate partnerships - would not only support a diverse talent pipeline but would also help fill the high volume of job openings the nation currently faces.
The current cybersecurity landscape presents a unique opportunity to augment a skilled pool of talent.
It is incumbent upon academic institutions, companies, and government agencies to place increased emphasis on cybersecurity education and skills-based pathways to create a talent pool that is cyber-savvy. There has never been a more appropriate time to invest in upskilling employees and arming students with the knowledge and access they need to advance in cyber career pathways.
DeVry University seeks to bridge the talent gap by offering new ways to anyone with an interest in the cybersecurity field to access academic opportunities through agile education and initiatives. Recognizing the critical need for cybersecurity talent, DeVry created the Future Cyber Defenders Scholars Program and scholarship to prepare the next generation of cybersecurity professionals with training and network-
TSU Regent Ron Price, of Dallas, presented recently at the "Diaspora for Development: Leveraging Africa's Sixth Region to Realize the Continent's Promise," hosted by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the African Union, and the Office of HBCU Development.
Price's presentation was part of a panel discussion called "Academic Perspectives," in conjunction with Dr. Fikru Boghossian of Morgan State University and Dr. Lamin Drammeh of South Carolina State University.
of unfilled cybersecurity jobs worldwide grew 350% between 2013 and 2021," said DeVry University's Chief Information Security Officer, Fred Kwong. "Higher
education institutions and businesses must ensure that cybersecurity education and career pathways are available to everyone.
ing opportunities, and it launched a Nonprofit Cyber Grant Program, which will help nonprofits in Atlanta upskill their employees in cybersecurity.
Our ability to combat attacks on data and infrastructure will only be strengthened through dedicated investment by employers and educators in cybersecurity training and talent development. With the increasing number of cyberattacks on all types of organizations, there is a growing need for wellprepared cyber talent. To foster cyber resiliency and expand the current talent pool, it's critical to develop trained professionals who remain proficient through upskilling, up-to-date academic programming, and accessible education.
Source: BPT
The panel focused on the International Distance Learning Initiative ( IDLI ). The goal of IDLI, which includes TSU and several other HBCUs, is to ensure inclusive and quality education for all and promote lifelong learning, and strengthen academic and sociocultural goals among universities across the African continent and beyond to advance educational outcomes for all persons of African descent. Through IDLI, distance learning courses taught by professors at HBCUs are accessible to universities across Africa.
The panel, which was available both in person (at The Permanent Observer Mission of the African Union to the United Nations in New York City, NY) and virtually, addressed questions such as:
• What are some positive lessons learned from the IDLI initiative in the past three years?
• How can the IDLI be improved for the future?
• Is it possible to scale it up (with more HBCUs and students) and if so, how?
• How can HBCUs and UNDP broaden their collaboration on educational support to Africa?
For more information on the UNDP's work involving Africa, visit www.undp.org/africa.
Source: Texas Southern University
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