Higher Education Reimagined - April 22nd 2021

[Lee Stott]

Reimagining higher education is essential to not only prepare a diverse set of learners for success in the future, but also to deliver the experiences that today’s digital natives and lifelong learners expect. If we’ve learned anything from the past year, it’s that now is the time to reimagine the experience for students and educators around the world.

On Thursday, April 22, join Microsoft at Higher Education Reimagined to explore how to prepare today’s students for the workforce of the future, how to harness data to reimagine the student experience, and the shift to student-centered learning. Save the date and join us for this free event.

In the opening keynote, Microsoft President Brad Smith and Anthony Salcito, Vice President of Education, will share their views on what is needed to prepare higher education students and institutions for the future and Microsoft’s role in a higher education reimagined.

Following the keynote, we’ll host the following sessions:

Higher Education Reimagined Agenda

Prepare all learners for the workforce of the future	The world of work is changing. Jobs in every field are increasingly digital, in areas such as software development, cybersecurity, AI, and machine learning. While the future holds great promise, the key to success in supporting global economic development lies in empowering today’s students with the skills they will need to be successful and thrive in this digital, ever-changing economy. Hear how Microsoft can help higher education institutions prepare a diverse set of learners for an evolving workforce. Hosted by: Leigh Cresswell, Director of Business Strategy, Microsoft Corporation Alicia Redmond, Principal Product Manager, Microsoft Corporation Guest speakers: Eleanor Donoghue, Head of Career Services, University College Cork Ed Pierson Director of IT and Chief Information Officer College of Engineering, Texas A&M University
Harness your data to reimagine the student experience	Universities more than ever need to take a student-centric approach to deliver personalized experiences for each student, while making the most of their resources. Uniting student information helps to support success from admission to graduation and beyond. Sectors like retail and entertainment are perfecting omnichannel strategies to engage customers during every step of their journey—and students expect the same type of innovative engagement that they have in their digital consumer experiences. Attend this session to learn how to harness your data to reimagine the student experience. Hosted by: Jim Chase, Director of Business Applications, Higher Education, Microsoft Corporation Dustin Ryan, Director of Data & AI, Higher Education, Microsoft Corporation Guest speakers: Dr. Jennifer Beyer, Vice President of Product Management, Anthology Lou Aronson, CEO & Founder, Discourse Analytics, Inc.
Shift to student-centered learning	The rapid move to remote learning was seen by many to be heroic. We also uncovered harsh truths regarding digital equity and access that point to the need for a more holistic approach to flexible learning. The Economist Intelligence Unit recently found that 60 percent of faculty witnessed a drop in engagement as students struggled to stay focused, and 70 percent of faculty are concerned about their ability to deliver engaging, high-value learning experiences. In this session, educators from leading universities will share how they provide inclusive, engaging hybrid learning experiences today and what is needed for more engaging learning experiences moving forward. Hosted by: Rob Curtin, Director, Americas Higher Education, Microsoft Education, Microsoft Corporation Guest speakers (in order of appearance): Jim Kurose, PhD, Distinguished University Professor College of Information and Computer Sciences, Associate Chancellor for Partnerships and Innovation, Co-Chair Flexible Learning Taskforce, University of Massachusetts Amherst William Lindner, Director, Campus Reimagined Initiative, Florida State University Sean Brown, Chief Strategist, Campus Reimagined Initiative, Florida State University James Raber, PhD, Executive Director of Support, Infrastructure and Research Technology, Division of Information Technology, Kent State University

Save the date to your calendar and join us on April 22 for Higher Education Reimagined. On-demand sessions will also be available after the event. For more information, see Microsoft in higher education.

Career Coach supports students from their first day of higher education, and throughout their time at the institution. It will assist them in identifying career goals aligned with their passions, interests, and strengths. It will also help them find opportunities to develop real-world skills and connect them with alumni, peers, and faculty who can support them on their career path.

Many of today’s higher education students are concerned about their future. When the Class of 2021 graduates, they are likely to face an uncertain and challenging job market. According to EIU survey data (2020), 46 percent of students report being extremely concerned about getting a job after graduation, and over half said they had lost confidence in the value of a university/college education.

Higher education institutions are facing increased challenges as well. Some colleges and universities are seeing a decrease in applications and enrollments due to students losing confidence in the value of a university or college education. A recent survey of 2,200 teenagers showed that half were questioning the value of a traditional ­­four-year college experience and were open to alternative paths to careers.

Offering personalized career guidance that equips students with real-world skills can help institutions not only demonstrate positive employment outcomes, but also encourage new student enrollment and persistence through graduation. However, career services departments are not always scaled to provide personalized guidance to all students. ​This is where Career Coach comes in.

Welcome to Microsoft Career Coach

To learn more about how Career Coach works, check out this demo to see the app in action. And stay tuned for details about how Career Coach can help your institution guide students and bring together the curricula, skills, and networks that will guide students toward fulfilling their career goals

Institutions that have a LinkedIn Learning* campus agreement can provide students access to LinkedIn Learning’s full 16,000+ course library, ensuring they can seamlessly identify and grow the skills needed to stand out in today’s job market. Students can also find learning resources in Microsoft Learn to prepare for industry-recognized Microsoft certifications. Career Coach also helps them track progress toward their goals and learn about the career journeys of alumni.