To Trust Our Future Leaders, We Must Change Higher Education Now

Skills of tomorrow, taught today

Erik P.M. Vermeulen, PhD
4 min readMar 29, 2024

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Photo courtesy of author

Feeling uncertain about the future has become a common phenomenon in today’s society.

Conversations with peers often lead to a sense of despair, especially when discussing the next generation of leaders. Many people believe that these future leaders are ill-prepared to face the greatest challenges of our world.

However, it’s not all hopeless.

As the director of an educational program, I have a different perspective. I remain optimistic about the potential of the next generation to lead us in the right direction, provided that we change how we approach higher education.

If we don’t change higher education, the future looks grim.

The Educational Paradigm Shift

Education is the foundation of our societal progress, but it is at a crossroads.

The traditional approach of emphasizing knowledge transfer and skill development is no longer adequate to keep up with the fast-paced world we live in. Education is more than just acquiring knowledge and mastering skills; it involves fostering a dynamic, interconnected community.

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