Thought Leaders Report 2020: Preparing for the Student of 2024 [PDF]

Students entering higher education in the next decade will be the most diverse incoming class in higher education history—and the vanguard of an increasingly diverse generation. They will have been raised with technology from birth and will consider online interaction as natural as breathing. They will be alert to the importance of mental health and wellness, both in themselves and in their peers. They will have low tolerance for slow administrative processes. They will expect their professors to teach in engaging, interactive ways and make smart use of technology. They will expect a lot of them¬selves. They will expect a lot of their institutions. They will know what they are paying for their education, and they will demand every penny’s worth. Is today’s campus ready for these students? The answer: Yes—and no. Higher education is moving in the right direction, but it faces unprecedented demands and challenges. We are only now beginning to understand that the old normal is never coming back. We must find ways to adapt to a new normal and a new set of expectations from our future students.