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Kevin Kinser, who is Associate Professor in Educational Administration and Policy Studies at the University at Albany, highlighted key issues affecting the university sector today. These include scepticism to for-profit education, the question of how to maintain quality, and how to combat restrictions to the cross-border provision of education. He also noted that education is one of the few services a customer may invest in which does not give guaranteed results. Only through preserving recognized quality levels can education continue to provide value for money.
Dr. Fortunato, an Economist at SUNY Empire State College noted that open and online education has tremendous potential to help overcome injustices caused by globalization. But he noted that internal issues also need to be overcome, specifically resistance from faculty to embrace technology. He argued that universities too frequently fail to seek dialogue with staff and instead attempt to impose the will of the administration. Where incentives are found and faculty is engaged in shared innovation and governance we will start to see results – a culture of partnership not imposition.
Daniel Pianko of University Ventures Fund spoke on the tendency towards disinvestment in education in the West, noting that students are required to pay significantly more for their education. He argued that – with the exception of a limited number of developing economies - the distinction between education for the public good and education as a commodity is one of the key challenges the university sector will need to face over the coming years.
Bruno Laporte, Director, Knowledge and Learning at the World Bank noted that universities need to work to promote the message that knowledge brings competitive advantage. Universities also need to rethink how knowledge is provided – teachers now have a role as connectors rather than educators. He noted that the World Bank is working to explain openness to policy makers, and advised university leaders to avoid talking exclusively about education to their governments, to the public and to the press, but instead to make arguments about social and economic benefits, competitiveness and improved skills levels within the labour market.