Yes, many curricula in higher education institutions can become obsolete, especially in fast-evolving fields like technology, business, and environmental sciences.

Yes, many higher education curricula lag behind industry needs, making skill-focused training more relevant for immediate job readiness and adaptability.

From my point of view, yes, I do believe that many curricula in higher education institutions are obsolete. However, there are other programs that have designed more contextualized, flexible, and relevant curricula that enable students to develop competencies.

No, i do believe that most if not all of the curricula in higher education are updated, timely and reponsibe to the needs of times. Mainly because higher education institutions have institutionalized curriculum review conducted at a regular basis.

Another is that, in doing curriculum review, higher education curriculum planners always consider the thrusts and goals of the country vis-sa-vis national development goals.

You raise a pertinent concern about higher education curricula. Many critics argue that traditional curricula in higher education often fail to keep pace with the rapidly changing demands of the job market and technological advancements. This perceived obsolescence can be attributed to several factors:

Preference for Skills Training in the Job Market

Broader Implications

While skills training is gaining prominence, higher education still plays a vital role in fostering critical thinking, research abilities, and a deeper understanding of complex subjects. The ideal scenario might be a balanced approach where higher education institutions collaborate with industries to integrate skill-based learning into traditional academic frameworks. This would ensure graduates are both intellectually equipped and practically prepared for their careers.

I think it must depend on the function of the chosen courses. If they promote a more open, flexible approach to issues and others then they are justified whatever their particular areas are. I have good company in this position: "The value of a college education is not the learning of many facts but the training of the mind to think."  Albert Einstein   (NYT May 19, 1921)

It appears manifest that some areas need rigorous and continual updating: My son, studying in an I TECH school, is always complaining that the material set in some subjects lags far behind what is introduced in the same fields online. On the whole, curriculum planners have to update and upgrade the set material according to the latest

I think that the vast majority of professors, until the moment when they need to proceed with accreditation or reaccreditation of a program, only then do they make any changes to their plans or programs.

Desde mi experiencia, en la revisión de diseño y rediseño de programas en la Educación Superior, observó que más que estar deficientes los programas se debe enfocar el problema en simplificarlos y hacerlos aplicable a la realidad de la sociedad actual, donde la resolución de problemas a partir de proyectos y la investigación como parte de motivar la innovación en todos los niveles educativos para hacer más desafiante y motivador el aprendizaje.

Yes, for this reason they must review that their study plans are relevant and consistent with the recommendations of some international organizations such as the OECD, the Alpha Tunning program and Industrial Revolution 4.0, as well as the needs of the contexts where the university courses are located. Regards Dr. Mulugeta.

نعم ولاسيما في بلادنا نتيجة لعدم اهتمام جهات الاختصاص بالمناهج وتطويرها لمواكبة التغيرات المستمرة في مجال التعليم العالي والبحث العلمي

Many curricula in higher education institutions are often criticized as being obsolete due to their failure to align with the rapidly evolving demands of the modern world. Many programs emphasize theoretical knowledge over practical, industry-relevant skills, leaving graduates ill-prepared for the workforce. The slow pace of curriculum updates, coupled with a lack of collaboration between academia and industries, exacerbates this gap. Additionally, emerging fields like artificial intelligence, renewable energy, and digital transformation are often underrepresented in traditional programs. To remain relevant, curricula must be restructured to prioritize adaptability, interdisciplinary learning, and the integration of emerging technologies, ensuring that students are equipped with the skills needed for a dynamic, innovation-driven future.

What does it mean obsolescence when you speak about knowledge creation/development? I truly believe the University, and the academic activity looses its focus when it depends or rely on external mandates and exclusively contextual industry/economic needs. The seeking of longstanding virtues of truth, beauty, wisdom (in all areas not just philosopohy as some argue) most of times must be carried against the mainstream. To acknowledge the influence and power of external, instrumental drives over the University makes it, as a whole, obsolete in its own terms, becoming a mere industry that deliver bulk certificates and degrees, in a clientelar relationship with society and between students and faculty. The Universty today should regain its capacity to reflect on society as a whole, providing answers that may enlighten, among others, the industry, the productive sector and not viceversa.

The obsolescence of a program curricula in various higher education may vary depending on the specific area of intended professional development of the learners. In the aviation academic milieu, the program curricula are regularly updated by the school as required by regulatory (government) institutions to keep abreast with the needs and requirements of the aviation industry. The revisions of the program curricula are usually a collaborative undertaking done by the stakeholders which is composed of learners; parents; academic experts, industry representatives and the school administration. In a nutshell, the curricula in the higher education institutions are not obsolete as the school do regular curriculum development, usually done every 2 years as required by government regulatory bodies and the needs of the industry. The revised curriculum is usually implemented on the succeeding year after the approval of the Commission of Higher Education (CHED) and government regulatory institutions such as the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP).

Yes, they're all obsolete curriculum, changes must be made for adjustment. A four years of studies in University turned to 5 to 6 year for irrelevant and borrowed courses. Strike and all sorts of delays emerged. I think all these things must be reviewed.

I really appreciate all of you particularly Olayanu John Lina Madridano Constante Lina Madridano Constante Carlos Ossa Illanes Rubina Sadaf د.عصام أحمد النقيب for your insightful reactions.

absolutely....// so is the thinking of many academicians so archaic that it is unbelievable that they need a revamp from the top down for a new generation to help the healthcare system to the new century, as an editor still gets fights to do a straight line or a zigzag incision what a shame and stupid, let us do it together will be stronger

Not all higher education curricula are outdated. There are also college curricula that have elaborately integrated scientific disciplines with religious aspects. In addition, many colleges have now begun to transform themselves to cover all needs through research efforts. One of them is the result of the initiation of SDGs points. I think that colleges that are still conservative are more towards the teaching methods that are still conservative, including in the aspect of academic administration. Essam Serry

one or two apparent changes the product is the answer to evaluate the action needed, competence is in question, need a Flexner action in the 30's a 100 years later in a similar mode

Sí. La mayoría de currilas son obsoletas, para los requerimientos actuales en la sociedad. Se forma a los estudiantes con contenidos y planes obsoletos, y al egresar de las escuelas se encuentra con ámbitos laborales en los que no puede actuar, porque todo está modernizado y tecnificado. Las curriculas y planes de estudios, no deben ser modificados por personal que sabe más de política que de educación. Estas deberían ser analizadas y modificadas por expertos en educación, conocedores de las necesidades sociales actuales. Al hombre actual le interesa más lo material que lo intelectual para sobrevivir. Desconoce que lo intelectual le facilita abrir un panorama para su desarrollo.

while those responsible for higher education work and move with time they are hoarding the green infusion to build towers on concrete and stone, when the imbalance in highest education needs balance to work on demand and needs can be easily directed if the reverse logic and the political thinking was removed from the higher education, do not need examples just read the newspapers daily events in any area in the country

Colleges are supposed to develop their own regulations every period according to the developments in the labor market and also the developments and information technologies.

The modality of the teaching students have to be updated with the technology. Encouraging students to devoted time on their researching based on courses or subject.

Including outdoor experience to the teaching programme enhanced and stimulate understanding of the course.

if the students of today are taught the same way I was taught 65 years ago then that is grand dogma, there was no technology involved there were no drugs available in the global arena and many people passed due to infectious diseases then I have no name to label,

Let’s rethink the pressure to produce job-ready graduates

"Higher education has experienced multifaceted changes in recent decades and is under pressure not only to provide graduates with skills that fit economic and labour market imperatives, but also to actively contribute to social and economic development.

This pressure arises especially from the significant expansion of higher education worldwide, and the underlying argument that a skilled workforce is a driver of economic growth, both for productivity and earnings at the level of individuals, and for resilience and adaptability to economic and technological changes at the country level.

The increasing pressure to supply a skilled workforce shows that higher education is responding to economic and social arguments related to human capital theory and the accumulated empirical evidence on the private and social benefits of higher education. However, this has raised a set of questions regarding the responsibility of higher education for the fate of their graduates in the labour market.

It is time to discuss the boundaries between what we can expect from higher education and what goes beyond its responsibility. A more nuanced view is needed to understand the role of higher education in guaranteeing access to education and skills and the labour market outcomes of graduates...

Finally, we need to go beyond general statements about the articulation between higher education and the labour market. Comparative studies are needed to deepen our understanding of graduate labour markets in different countries and regions, and of the solutions being implemented to improve the quality of graduates’ employment outcomes in a variety of political, economic and social contexts."

https://www.universityworldnews.com/post.php?story=20250221071505296

The answer to this question depends upon the perceived goal of education. I strongly agree with the following quote:

"The value of a college education is not the learning of many facts but the training of the mind to think." – Albert Einstein. (NYT May 19, 1921)

Thus, I don't find current curricula obsolete, unless one seeks to train technicians rather than thinker/leaders.