4 Digital learning trends for Higher Education

A version of this post was originally published in University Business, on April 13, 2021.

After more than one year of lockdowns and social distancing measures, it’s clear that some of the changes brought by the pandemic are here to stay. As we’re collectively figuring out the new normal, I can’t help but think that not all change is bad. In fact, change is long overdue.

Higher Education (HE) has significantly lagged behind other industries on the road to digitization. Despite the growing demand for edtech and online learning, face-to-face lectures and on-campus activities remained the core part of how students accessed their education.

However, the events of 2020 have put HE on a fast track to digital adoption.

Firstly, we saw prestigious universities move online entirely this academic year. Some even offered tuition discounts for students taking online classes. More will inevitably follow suit, but perhaps not to the same extent, instead opting to embrace hybrid learning environments, as investors turn their attention to edtech and express a particular interest in the link between HE and the workforce.