Education for 21st century would be characterised by the following:

• Inernet would be the basic technology
• There will be Universities with Open walls.
• Distance learning
• Centers of knowledge confirmation. for those that they have knowledge without transcripts.
• You can see Professors only as PhD supervisors!

Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) has emerged as a paradigm for revising and reorienting today’s education. ESD consists of new forms of knowing and learning how to be human in a different way. This education aims to contribute to the sustainability of personal integrity, or in the words of Sterling (2001), to the integrity of the spirit, heart, head and hands. As argued by Dewey and the educational re-constructionists, it is often not enough to do things according to custom or habit, that is, to reproduce the existing social system. Instead, new answers must be sought. If we are to imagine new ways of living and acting, then we must be capable of assessing and bringing about social change, because successfully achieving sustainable development requires the following principles: being aware of the challenge, taking action voluntarily, assuming collective responsibility and forming a constructive partnership, and believing in the dignity of all human beings without exception. These principles for lasting human development, formulated at the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg, imply lessons that largely coincide with the four pillars of education set out in the Delors Report: learning to know, learning to do, learning to live together and learning to be. In the context of ESD, UNESCO (2008) suggested the inclusion of a fifth pillar: learning to transform oneself and society.

I feel that beside the basic learning, countries should apprise the young minds very comprehensively at the primary level itself about the issues that face a particular country. This will help  the future citizens to develop awareness about these issues and inculcate taking actions towards solving the problems by imbibing the commensurate values. For example, the most burning problems in India are:

--Communalism

--Corruption and misgovernance

--Poverty

--Unemployment

--Insensitivity to personal safety issue

--Casteism

--Over-population

--Indifferent attitude to professionalism

The students should be taught through stories and other means about the shape of these problems and the attitude that needs to be developed for resolving these. This way, it would be easier to develop the needed sensitivity and values among the young minds that would  benefit the country as well as the individual

Dear Debi,

If education would truly understand these local phenomena, would they exist?

Education for 21st century would be characterised by the following:

• Inernet would be the basic technology
• There will be Universities with Open walls.
• Distance learning
• Centers of knowledge confirmation. for those that they have knowledge without transcripts.
• You can see Professors only as PhD supervisors!

I believe there are many challenges facing education in the 21st century, which we should overcome and be able to find solutions for them. These challenges may be summarized as follows:

- Stimulating research in universities.

- The right of freedom of thoughts.

- The autonomy of universities regarding financial and administrative decision taking.

- Electronic books.

- Community service standards

- Environment protection.

Electronic learning

I advise you to look at the following link

http://books.google.jo/books?id=ICfh1CtkT2AC&pg=PA39&lpg=PA39&dq=Reformulation+of+Higher+Education&source=bl&ots=cezNQ4DCEf&sig=7LObx_C6pSoY-ypAXz2_lD8OcMw&hl=ar&sa=X&ei=E-YGVMToJKf9ywPC8YKoAw&ved=0CCUQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=Reformulation%20of%20Higher%20Education&f=false

@Mahfuz. I agree with you. I would add these challenges:

- Interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary approaches

- Non-scientific forms of knowledge will be explored

- More active teaching and learning (and more connected to real life)

Increasing specialization (see e.g. within health sciences and IT) sugest deevelopment of wide basic BSc education and then rather narrower MSc specialization. But we should answer the question if common higher education is still need to earn money and be regarded as professionalist. It seems is selected novel professions courses and certificates may constitute more relevant basis (see CISCO and MICROSOFT certificates, certificates in project management: IPMA, PRINCE2, ITIL, or many courses in physiotherapy: Bobath, PNF, Cyriax, and many more). Success of Coursera can change our education, of course if such certificates will provide work :) Of course in selected professiona like lawyers or physicians it is still hard to forecast. Benefits resulting form longer learning (=higher education) may, in selected cases, become little or none. Unemployed MScs and PhDs are reality. To sum up: dynamical changes may lead to unexpected  solutions, shaped by open market and its need for qualifications of workers. Common higher education may not shape elite group properly.

Challenge of 20th century was "how to accommodate the increasing demand for education from those who had been excluded from pursuing a college degree". 

Increasing women population to education, especially in science, math, technology, and engineering programs, has now focused the 21st century, towards advancing diversity in higher education through

are result of  "Legal -social changes have pressed institutions to incorporate educational equity". 

Yes, dear Jesus. I agree with you that interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary approaches, non-scientific forms of knowledge, and more active teaching and learning (and more connected to real life) are challenges to be faced by higher education.

I just completed Leaders of Learning from HarvardX with 98% . But  have I internalised the concepts? I will need to revisit time and again and continue sourcing the literature and developments that are constantly changing. Now the very Anthropology is being redefined with Public Anthropology, Engaging Anthropology etc .Debates are on. 

This experience reinforces that just academic achievements in the label of Higher education will have to produce research papers not to  earn money and fame only but ensure that it connects to the common man on the street. So reformulation of education not only Higher, Secondary , Primary and Tertiary are the reality. It is necessary to realise the different mode of learning process Hierarchical Individual. Hierarchical collective, Distributed individual and Distributed collective  with creative Design Process.

Having said this Higher Education   reformulation scenario is very much visible  Universities that  try to cater job market only  will face challenges that were not there a decade ago. As the job market is going to expand and shrink under the influence of tremendous technological change ! One factory's job can be completed by a click of a button or rather by a simple swipe on the smart phone.. Our future workforce must adopt including the academia and vice-versa to meet the changing scenario. 

Dear Sribas,

The rapid breakthroughs in new information and communication technologies will connate and results in further change in the way knowledge is developed, acquired and delivered.

Use of new learning environments, ranging from distance education facilities to complete virtual higher education institutions and systems.

• Use of information and communication technology (ICT) to hold massively open online courses as alternative learning environments for certain disciplines Evaluating commercial CRM models for enhancing the online course experience.
• Social networks for expanding the reach and effectiveness of student-faculty interactions.
• Extensive use of open blogging platforms for facilitating student interactions by using LMI such as google classroom and Moodle.
• Best professors will offer their courses online and anyone can take the course with his favorite professor. This is already started in US which a few universities allow theit students are allowed to take the online course of well-known professors of other institutes (I do not recall the names!) 

Dear @Sribas and friends, A Report Prepared for the UNESCO 2009 World Conference on Higher Education covers this issue! " The "logic" of massification is inevitable

and includes greater social mobility for a growing segment of the population, new

patterns of funding higher education, increasingly diversified higher education systems

in most countries, generally an overall lowering of academic standards, and other

tendencies"!

http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0018/001831/183168e.pdf

Higher education need to go through a sea change in view of the developments in various technologies such as computers, internet, mobile technology and social networking to name a few. How each of these developments are adopted to benefit higher education should be a topic that needs to be discussed at greater length. Another important dimension for discussion is the great disparity between people and nations in terms of the availability and use of resources. Even in developed countries such as USA, there are disadvantaged people who do not have access to world class education and development. Other aspect that could be discussed could be the distinction between villages and towns with poor infrastructural facilities. How the people in these locations be provided with higher education?

Institute of International Education published the research report Higher Education in the 21st Century: Global Challenge and National Response. It is downloadable, follow the first link. "The result is a thoughtful mix of context and perspective that will both advance our understanding of likely future scenarios for higher education and help us understand the basis for future trends principally."

The article 21st century trends in education: implications for learning and teaching in higher education is very fine reading, the second link!

"Educators should recognize the need for approaches to learning and teaching in a rapidly changing society and, at the same time, be prepared to respond to a much more diverse student population. Some of the most significant influences in the world today are the changes to how we live and work which are brought about by technology, globalization and multinationalism."

http://www.iie.org/en/Research-and-Publications/Publications-and-Reports/IIE-Bookstore/RR29-Higher-Education-in-the-21st-Century-Global-Challenge-and-National-Response

http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpl/login.jsp?tp=&arnumber=1358213&url=http%3A%2F%2Fieeexplore.ieee.org%2Fxpls%2Fabs_all.jsp%3Farnumber%3D1358213

I agree with all the contributors. Tailor made or customized learning would emerge, I think so.

Dear Ljubomir Jacić

Thanks for the links, The first one is downloadable but the second one need subscription.

Hence some one can post a review of the ^21st century trends in education: implications for learning and teaching in higher education^

I am quoting  below for better perspective of the topic from 2007 article.

1. ^The multiple and diverse responsibilities of higher education are ultimately key to the well-being of modern society, but this expanded role adds considerable complexity

and many new challenges. Understanding the broader role of higher education in a

globalized world is the first step to dealing constructively with the challenges that will

inevitably loom on the horizon. The enormous challenge ahead is the uneven

distribution of human capital and funds that will allow some nations to take full

advantage of new opportunities while other nations risk drifting further behind^

2. ^It has been said that the traditional university will be rendered obsolete by

information technology, distance education, and other technology-induced

innovation. The demise of the traditional university will, in our view, not take place

any time soon. There has been a profound and pervasive disconnect between

employing new ICTs and leveraging them to enhance quality. But major change is

taking place, and it is one of the key parts of the academic transformation of the 21st

century.^

3.^Providing higher education to all sectors of a nation's population means confronting

social inequalities deeply rooted in history, culture and economic structure that

influence an individual's ability to compete. Geography, unequal distribution of wealth

and resources all contribute to the disadvantage of certain population groups.

Participation tends to be below national average for populations living in remote or

rural areas and for indigenous groups^.

4.^ There is no doubt that higher education is entering a period of crisis,

unprecedented since World War II, and the full impact is as yet unclear^

5. ^At the same time, these changes have helped to concentrate ownership of publishers,databases,and other key resources in the hands of the strongest universities and some multinational\companies, located almost exclusively in the developed world^

How many institutions or authors will contribute in this forum with Draft articles of research papers without sacrificing the income and confronting with the existing institutional regulations  ?

Higher Education for 21st century across the globe should give special emphasis on Value system in their areas of specializations

In the field of Medical Sciences we are in a reformulation of higher education due to global trends.

There are issues to be resolved in our field and that the influence of the Universities and Colleges of medicine, these are:

- The rescue of the clinical method, which can not be substituted for medical technology, it is not sustainable in all parts of the world.

- The mass without affecting the quality.

- Training on the stages of the Primary Health Care advocated by WHO, without detriment to the hosiptalaria preparation.

- Ethics and Humanism professional future.

- The social commitment of university graduates in health sciences.

- The rapid development of medical science.

- The exponential growth of information and technologies in these areas.

These are some of the challenges we face.

Agreed with Nageswara that Higher education need to go through a sea change in view of the developments in various technologies such as computers, internet, mobile technology and social networking to name a few.  There will be movement towards distance learning and online teaching and learning.

Hi, Umesh Sharma

Ca we add that the need of the hour in balancing free and paid knowledge sharing, access ,etc.Old and Rigid academics have to adopt the new age. Ivory tower is under maintenance schedule!!!

Surely, yes Nirmal.

One distinct character of higher education in the 21st century is in the way we assess the learning of students.  This approach of gauging academic achievement could enable schools to determine the quality of education and how it will affect the developmental efforts of their country.  The article "Student achievement: a gauge for attaining quality education" provides further enlightenment on this concept.

A credible assessment for comparing student achievement could be a benchmark in formulating policies towards uplifting the level of education in developing countries. Surveys of student performance have been carried out regularly by international agencies, the result of which usually portrays the school’s level of performance vis-à-vis the standard set by the evaluating body. Though commonly participated only by some colleges and universities in each country, still its significance cannot be ignored. Firstly, the comparison system could point-out the weaknesses not only the schools under assessment but also those who were not included in the process. Secondly, advanced methods and strategies, functional processes and technologies of top-notch performers could be emulated and imbibed by low-performers. Thirdly, students in schools which are below standards, with a purpose of redeeming their institution, could be motivated to excel in their studies and consequently pursue a good career. Fourthly, higher learning institutions could be instigated to look for alternative ways to uplift their functions and performance. Finally, a system of international comparison of student achievement, highlighting the deficiencies and inadequacies in academic endeavors, would encourage the government to implement policies that may alleviate the poor condition of its educational system.

Deleted research item The research item mentioned here has been deleted

Reforms should focus in upbringing

Something good to share; 

"Addressing teachers and students across the country on Teachers' Day, he said children could help in nation building by saving electricity and not compromising on cleanliness. Suggested that professionals volunteer to teach a class in neighbourhood schools once a week to do their bit for nation building. These were some of the goalposts set by Mr. Modi in his Teachers’ Day interaction with children across the country. "Please tell me if we agree that there are problems in the education system like lack of good teachers etc; can’t this be rectified. Why can’t we convert nation building into a people’s movement,” he asked. Citing the example of Japan where teachers and students together clean schools, the Prime Minister questioned why it cannot be replicated in India." - Prime Minister of India on Teacher's Day

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/i-am-a-task-master-modi/article6383519.ece

In my opinion:

Pursuit of the classical education that gives every University specificity and preserve direct relationship between teacher and student BUT:

- internet is a VITAL technology for the devlopment and deepening of knowledge.

- e-learning facilitates the work of studens and teachers.

- provision of teaching on common platforms by themes and university (or common to several universities) may be ways to facilitate the work.

- in all cases diversification of ways of organizing teaching (andcontrol of knowledge), exchange between students and teachers, conduct and supervision of works, exchange between teachers, presentation of works, etc.

Thank you Sriba for the idea of this very important question and for the boring contributions.

The aim of higher education should be scholarship. The aim is education not training. Training is part of education and should not be taken lightly. Nevertheless, training ensures that a person can perform some task in a regular manner. Education means a person understands a subject well enough to devise the training.

Education cannot be ensured without true interaction between teacher and student. This is the major challenge of e-learning. A good education (scholarship) is required to develop methods to communicate well and effect true interaction.

The 21st century will see greatly increasing numbers of students.  It is necessary to increase the number of educators. We need scholar educators who are unencumbered by education fads and fantasies. 

The current massification trend is forcing higher education (in the larger sense -- that is, institutions that educate the average student, not just boutique elite graduate programs) to deal with large numbers of students who do not have the traditional preparation. The challenge, in keeping with major industry disruptions of the past, is to deliver curriculum that helps larger numbers of students master incomplete skills for less money. Quite a challenge! I have no doubt that online will be key here, however online proponents generally overlook the importance of personal contact with faculty as important to many students, and the fundamental importance of good reading skills for online programs. Another issue is that higher education has traditionally served the purpose of preparing leaders and offers opportunities to develop presentation and self-regulation skills --  it is unclear how this should be dealt with online. For example, the apprentice model of graduate clinical psychology preparation has an important personal component. Also, how will STEM work through the lab components of biology courses online? 

I believe that higher education will change toward online programs in its less central areas -- low status institutions that educate first generation students -- and will stay more or less the same at elite institutions, much as we have theatre as an elite pastime, and TV for the masses. As when manufacturing moved from handicrafts to mass production, there will be something lost in the transition we face. I hope that what is lost will not adversely impact the least well-prepared of students, however I suspect this will be the case due to the usual human stratification arrangements.

Higher Education should be of ready to use or application orientation on bigger scale.

Example a 5-year information and communications technology plan should describe the Information Technology (IT) requirements including hardware, software, human resource (HR) capability building, information systems and communication infrastructure for productivity improvement and for communicating developments and services.

This could be understood better if the student have initial orientation to any such of the activities prior to be "added more" with inputs. hence relevant areas of exposure should be one of the criteria before selection to any course work on a Higher Education level.

In some cases, the student may be interested in the course work, but would not have the opportunity to prior exposure, then such of those candidates can be tried with an Aptitude test followed by Industrial training for about a year and then pulled into the course work learning. Such of those students can get a certificate of experience for that one year prior to the learning activity which adds weight for future placements, on completion of the course work.

Challenging Era for International Education!

International educators shouldn’t talk about the negative aspects of globalization...

"But we also see the possibility for connectivity and mutual growth and benefit that are available to us through other forms of global connectivity."

https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2017/02/21/international-educators-grapple-changed-political-and-social-landscape?utm_content=buffer228e4&utm_medium=social&utm_source=linkedin&utm_campaign=IHEbuffer