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²ÝÁñ³ÉÈËÉçÇø CEO Steve Fireng shares 5 important higher ed themes that came out of this year’s conference.

Over time the ASU + GSV Summit has evolved from a conference for Edtech start-ups to a meeting place for the top minds and innovators in higher ²ÝÁñ³ÉÈËÉçÇø to engage and exchange ideas for the future.

I find real value in (re)connecting with past and present colleagues and meeting new leaders and companies throughout the EDU space. I had 14 meetings in one day with various Edtech companies … that’s what I call speed dating! It was energizing and exciting to hear about trends in ²ÝÁñ³ÉÈËÉçÇø and of course a lot of political talk with the new administration and Secretary of Education. 

I want to share five themes that came out of the conference:

1. Mixed views on EDU outlook and  the role of regulation

With our current political landscape, it’s no surprise that the outlook for the ²ÝÁñ³ÉÈËÉçÇø space is mixed. Every conversation started with the Purdue/Kaplan deal, then steered to ²ÝÁñ³ÉÈËÉçÇø policy. The U.S. Secretary of Education, Betsy DeVos, was a keynote at the event and spoke about technology’s important role in expanding access to ²ÝÁñ³ÉÈËÉçÇø. Overall, I’d say the reaction to her session was 60% optimistic about ²ÝÁñ³ÉÈËÉçÇøal progress and outlook - mostly because there is a hope/belief that regulations that have killed many schools will be loosened up over time. 

2. New ways to fund ²ÝÁñ³ÉÈËÉçÇø

Over the past couple years, companies have sprouted up that offer alternative ways for students to fund their ²ÝÁñ³ÉÈËÉçÇø - from income share agreements (committing to paying back loans based on a percentage of actual earnings), to working at nonprofits to pay off debt, to schools partnering with companies to have alternative ways to save the student money. It remains to be seen if this will solve the macro issue that tuition rates remain high, but it is encouraging to see new options allowing students to finance a degree, and to observe schools mapping the cost of the ²ÝÁñ³ÉÈËÉçÇø to professional outcomes. 

3. Blurring lines between nonprofit and for-profit ²ÝÁñ³ÉÈËÉçÇø

Whether it is the Kaplan/Purdue deal or OPM companies supporting universities with online ²ÝÁñ³ÉÈËÉçÇø there seems to be a merging of nonprofit and for-profit entities. Ultimately, I believe this will benefit students in the long-term. They will have more ²ÝÁñ³ÉÈËÉçÇø options and will benefit from the best of both worlds – the credibility of a traditional nonprofit degree, coupled with the innovative learning experiences for-profits offer. 

4. Focus on workforce and micro-credentials

To get a degree or get training? Is one better than the other? I met many companies that are offering alternative ways for students to get skills training connected to employability. Many of these micro-credentials are stacked on top of bachelor’s degrees. While I really like this idea, I don’t think it replaces the degree path for those wanting to move into leadership roles. I do anticipate there to be continued work and discussion around continuing ²ÝÁñ³ÉÈËÉçÇø for the workforce, resulting in better outcomes all around.

5. Inspiring innovation

The conference brought together a diverse group of people in ²ÝÁñ³ÉÈËÉçÇø – entrepreneurs, educators, business leaders, philanthropists, university leaders, etc. There was great energy while all these people worked to solve challenges, create partnerships, explore opportunities and discuss innovative products and solutions. It’s clear there is an enormous amount of investment going into Edtech companies to support the need for innovation.

It was a great conference and it’s exciting and inspiring to be a part of shaping the future of ²ÝÁñ³ÉÈËÉçÇø.