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Training with a guarantee of employment: "Methodologist - from beginner to professional"
Find out moreAn expert discussion, organized by the International Observatory on Higher Education Transformations, was held at the Higher School of Economics. The main topic of the discussion was "The rapid growth of the private EdTech sector - is it an alternative to universities?" Participants, including both Russian and European higher education experts, as well as the head of Skillbox, shared their assessments of the development of professional courses and other forms of training outside traditional educational institutions, and made predictions about the future of universities in light of this trend.
The Benefits of Cooperation over Competition
Ivan Karlov, Head of the Digital Transformation of Education Laboratory at the Higher School of Economics, began his presentation by emphasizing that the "significant growth of the EdTech market" mentioned in the title of the discussion is not such an obvious fact.
First of all, there remains uncertainty regarding which companies exactly should be considered part of the EdTech sector. Should this list include organizations offering educational materials? Or should we also consider those that provide specialized service solutions for the educational sphere, but are not directly related to the learning process? This aspect still requires clarification.
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What is EdTech? Even among professionals in this field, there are different points of view on this issue.
Secondly, if we make a comparison, the EdTech segment focused on higher education looks quite narrow compared to schools. According to Karlov, only 2% of Russian educational startups target universities. This may be due to the number of academic disciplines at various levels of education: schools don't offer many. Even if an EdTech solution developer focuses on a specific topic, such as fifth-grade mathematics, they can still attract a fairly broad audience. The situation is quite different at universities, Karlov explained:
A large university can offer hundreds of educational programs at both the master's and undergraduate levels. Each of these programs covers a significant number of courses, but they are typically not standardized even within a single educational institution. This means that programs can vary significantly across departments and institutes, even if their names are the same. This raises the question for EdTech companies about the advisability of investing in a product aimed at a narrow market.
Certainly, there are examples of EdTech products that find their audience within established universities. On the one hand, we're talking about programs focused on general subjects, such as foreign languages, mathematics, or data analysis—these courses are in demand by students in a variety of fields. On the other hand, there are also more specialized solutions. These include simulators and training systems, such as those using virtual reality technologies, which are essential for future doctors, engineers, and representatives of other professions that require long-term practice in a safe environment. Although the market for such solutions is quite narrow, their popularity is high - universities, as a rule, do not have the capacity to develop and maintain high-quality simulators on their own.
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Key areas of interaction between universities and companies in the EdTech field in the British context.
Karlov He argues that organizations operating outside traditional market niches and providing professional education could become competitors for universities. Alarming trends for higher education institutions are already being observed. However, he is confident that collaboration between universities and EdTech can be organized as a symbiotic relationship rather than a confrontation.
Head of the Laboratory of Digital Transformation of the Educational Process at the Higher School of Economics.
Image: resource of the Digital Breakthrough competition
Students, especially those studying at regional universities, often either completely abandon higher education, or at some point decide to quit. They believe they can acquire the necessary knowledge more quickly and efficiently through online learning technologies and, consequently, enter the job market more quickly. However, the situation is not so simple. Looking back at events just ten years ago, when the active implementation of open online courses began, one can notice that many predictions were made that such courses from leading universities would lead to the closure of less competitive educational institutions. However, no real change has occurred, and massive online courses have not posed a threat to universities. Moreover, we are seeing a new strategy in which universities effectively interact with online platforms. This strategy involves some universities using digital content created by other institutions. Karlov observes similar trends in the use of private EdTech products: higher education institutions are beginning to establish partnerships with companies to gain access to more modern and practical educational materials, especially in the field of digital professions. In his opinion, this reflects the general trend towards the creation of digital ecosystems. He emphasizes that universities and EdTech companies should not view each other as competitors, as their missions and goals differ significantly, opening up opportunities for mutually beneficial collaboration. To achieve harmony and integrate new EdTech approaches, as has already happened with online courses, Karlov believes that universities need to change their perception of technology. They should perceive them not as just changes, but as a chance to improve their educational programs.
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Do you want to cope with the difficulties in the field of education? Create ecosystems for collaboration.
Technology as the Foundation of Our Interaction with the World
Barend van der Meulen, Director of the Center for Higher Education Policy Studies (CHEPS) at the University of Twente in the Netherlands, presented a more pessimistic view in his report. He agrees with Ivan Karlov that universities will not disappear from our lives, but, according to the Dutch expert, their sustainability and resilience are no longer as great as they once were. Modern EdTech solutions are significantly transforming higher education, changing not only learning formats but also the social connections previously inherent in traditional universities. However, van der Meulen noted that he does not expect either catastrophic or overly optimistic forecasts for the future.
Head of the Center for Higher Education Studies (CHEPS) at the University of Twente, located in the Netherlands.
Image courtesy of the Institute Education at the National Research University Higher School of Economics.
The promise of EdTech is primarily aimed at university leaders, administrators, and information technology specialists. However, this conversation overlooks two important groups: students and faculty. When considering what EdTech is, MOOCs and online learning immediately come to mind. However, digital technologies have also penetrated many other aspects of higher education, such as digital knowledge infrastructure, online libraries, educational platforms, administrative services, and digital reputational games such as rankings, websites, and social media. And all of these should not be perceived simply as tools.
The essence of van der Meulen's concept is that technological changes targeted at specific aspects of university functioning ultimately transform their fundamental structure. This concerns not only social practices and relationships, but also the responsibilities and expectations of everyone involved in the educational process.
Historically, universities operated within the framework of nation-states, such as German, Russian, and American educational institutions. Educational programs were delivered among faculty and students, and the learning process itself was built on interactions between students and lecturers. However, in recent years, these three spheres - national, university and personal - have undergone significant changes due to the increase in international mobility of students and scientists, as well as the desire to achieve high positions in various rankings.
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Higher education rankings can sometimes create a distorted picture of reality. The reasons for this phenomenon lie in the various aspects that influence the evaluation of educational institutions. Firstly, the criteria by which evaluation is carried out may vary from one ranking to another, leading to different results. For example, some rankings emphasize scientific publications, while others consider the level of student experience or financial indicators.
Furthermore, many rankings may rely on subjective opinions, such as employer or student reviews, which may not reflect the real situation at the university. It should also be taken into account that in some cases, universities may manipulate data to improve their position in the rankings. This may include inflating statistics on graduate employment or providing inaccurate information about research activity.
An equally important aspect is the fact that rankings may not take into account the unique characteristics of each educational institution, such as cultural traditions or the specific focus of its programs. Therefore, while rankings can be a useful tool, it is important to approach them with critical thinking and consider a wide range of factors when choosing a university.
Digital technologies are changing established relationships with unprecedented speed. For example, the potential of secure blockchain contracts calls into question the importance of traditional educational degrees. Moreover, the integration of digital tools introduces new standards for faculty work, which in turn transforms universities into digital platforms. Van der Meulen believes that the experience of digitalizing various public goods and social services provides grounds for predicting the negative consequences of this transformation for higher education.
"Often, digitalization projects begin to expand, spinning out of control and moving from government agencies to private technology companies. Moreover, this is far from always a client-oriented process; there is often a tendency to standardize unique cases. As a result, clients and citizens are transformed into simple consumers, and the efficiency of operations begins to dominate social value. As a result, those who do not meet established service standards are left behind."
Van der Meulen argues that universities should view EdTech offerings as more than just a means to minor improvements. While these technologies can solve specific problems, their implementation can lead to fundamental changes in higher education, bringing with it new complexities and challenges.
The Need for a Practical Focus in Higher Education
Dmitry Krutov, CEO of Skillbox, expressed his position on behalf of EdTech, speaking in defense of traditional universities. He believes that educational institutions should not rush to make radical changes to their curricula and internal organization in response to competition from the private education sector.
CEO Skillbox
Photo: Skillbox
The question of whether The idea that higher education institutions should train undergraduates who are immediately capable of handling business challenges in a short period of time, say, four years, is a source of much debate. Some also argue that universities should cultivate so-called "cultural personalities" capable of not only fulfilling assigned tasks but also demonstrating creativity and originality. In my opinion, one of the most serious problems facing universities today is the desire to focus exclusively on practice-oriented education. This approach is undoubtedly ineffective. In this context, EdTech companies, with greater flexibility and a diverse range of methodologies, as well as a better understanding of market needs, may be in a better position than traditional universities. Krutova believes that it would be advisable to engage private companies to train specialists capable of effectively addressing specific challenges, such as the shortage of IT personnel in Russia.
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Various measures are being taken in Russia to address the shortage of IT specialists. In recent years, there has been a significant increase in demand for IT personnel, which is associated with the development of digitalization and technological innovation.
One approach to addressing the talent shortage is active collaboration between educational institutions and companies. Universities and colleges are beginning to offer specialized programs that meet market demands. In addition, many companies organize internships and practicums for students, allowing young professionals to gain the necessary experience and skills.
Another important step has been the creation of retraining and advanced training programs for people already experienced in other fields. This provides the opportunity to retrain and begin a career in IT, which is especially relevant for those looking to change their professional trajectory.
The government also actively supports initiatives to attract foreign specialists. This includes simplifying visa procedures and creating favorable working conditions for foreign IT experts in Russia, which can help compensate for the talent shortage.
Furthermore, there is a growing number of startups and small businesses in the tech sector, contributing to the creation of new jobs and career opportunities. It is important to note that the development of remote work has opened up new horizons for job seekers, allowing them to work for international companies without leaving the country.
Thus, a comprehensive approach to addressing the shortage of IT personnel, including education, retraining, attracting foreign specialists, and supporting startups, is helping to improve the situation on the labor market in this field.
It is critical for universities not simply to follow market demands, but to focus on solving the problems that only they can handle. For example, they must train future researchers. As Krutov noted, Russia is experiencing a significant decline in the number of scientists, and one of the reasons for this is the insufficient attention to the unique characteristics and cultural context of the country in the process of reforming higher education.
"The number of higher education institutions has increased many times over, and the number of students has also increased similarly, but in terms of training scientific personnel, we have not achieved the expected results. There is a clear decline in the value of university education and the devaluation of diplomas. Stereotypes and reasons that motivate people to enter universities do not contribute to solving this problem. Only about 20% of graduates find employment in their field, and this is far from the expected figures."
According to Krutov, there are numerous opportunities for mutual enrichment between universities and EdTech companies. However, this path is fraught with numerous obstacles, including those caused by the human factor, especially in Russia. "Before the pandemic, no one even wanted to communicate with us," he shared. Higher education was a closed club, to which private companies involved in online education had no access. However, the situation has begun to change: for example, Skillbox launched joint online programs with RANEPA and Moscow Pedagogical State University. However, full-fledged cooperation between the two systems is still a long way off.
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- How have higher education institutions overcome their fear of distance learning?
- Despite changes in the educational environment and the labor market, university degrees still play a significant role. Firstly, they often serve as an indicator of the level of knowledge and skills acquired by a graduate during their studies. Educational institutions ensure systematic subject mastery, which promotes the development of critical thinking and analytical skills.
Secondly, having a diploma can open doors to certain career opportunities. Many employers view it as a necessary requirement for job candidates, especially in specialized fields where a successful career without the appropriate education is difficult.
Furthermore, a diploma serves not only as a document confirming education but also as a calling card, which can increase the level of trust in potential employers. In a competitive job market, having a higher education can become an important advantage, distinguishing a candidate from other applicants.
It is also worth noting that university life provides the opportunity to make useful contacts and develop skills that may be in demand in the future. Networking with peers and professors can play a key role in career advancement.
In conclusion, although alternative pathways to learning are becoming increasingly popular in today's world, university degrees retain their importance due to their role in developing competencies, creating professional connections, and opening up new opportunities in the labor market.
- What changes will happen in higher education institutions: Rectors' views.