It is very interesting question. I think the future of the universities will not be good as I notice because it has changed to a bussiness companies more than academic institutions. That is my opinion

It is very interesting question. I think the future of the universities will not be good as I notice because it has changed to a bussiness companies more than academic institutions. That is my opinion

Dear Dr. Hatem is right. Their first  and foremost purpose and objective is making money than educating. This might lead them nowhere, to my mind.

Education of fundamental knowledge should be at the center of universities. Who can say he/she masters 'all knowledge' to make an adequate selection of priorities?

If it is all about money, then it is about money, dear Bahram; if it is about knowledge, then knowledge is immeasurable and invaluable, dear Marcel!

Dear @Marwan, the role of universities has been developed from classical role to a necessity to improve the life of people; so, universities follow the needs and willings of the people, this is mostly making money. On the other hand, there always be universities that have the message of improving knowledge.

Dear Profs and friends, there will be 'sages on stages' and 'guides by the sides'.  According to the extent each teacher or prof has imbibed the constructivist theory, so will be his/ her practice.

'The classroom is no longer a place where the teacher ("expert") pours knowledge into passive students, who wait like empty vessels to be filled. In the constructivist model, the students are urged to be actively involved in their own process of learning.'

http://www.ucdoer.ie/index.php/Education_Theory/Constructivism_and_Social_Constructivism_in_the_Classroom

Dear All,

The commercialisation of universities may destroy their primary function: education. Parallel with the appearance of the business-related spirit maintenance and distribution of knowledge are pushed into the background. Teachers became continually ordinary employees later purely business oriented people. The corruption or cheating among university staff is a clear consequence of the spirit of commercialisation.

Just as we have witnessed the spread of e-books, so we will witness the increase of e-courses, that is, televised or skyped courses. This educational model is economically mandated, as it enables every university to give courses in every nation. A natural tendency exists to engage in passive televiewing, and to the degree that the televised course is a mere spectator activity, the teacher will resume his traditional role as the "sage on the stage." If, on the other hand, students insist on participating (the "constructivist" model), then the teacher will become the "guide on the side." In all probability, the future university will display a mixture of both tendencies, just as the present-day university does.

Dear Miranda,

Unfortunately, many students have no demands “to be actively involved in their own process of learning.” What to do?

"Teachers have become ordinary employees," rather than "professors" of knowledge! Well argued, my friend Andras!

It is expected that technological advances, the internet, quantitative social science, and the computer revolution will affect higher education processes.

University management should begin to facilitate a larger conversation about what is happening and what action might be taken.

University management are uniquely positioned to understand the situation, to study the effects of these factors on teaching and learning, and to help design new strategies to respond.

Auletta (2012) states that if universities fail to rethink their strategic situations and business models, they may well fall to the coming educational “tsunami”.

That bad, ha, dear Mahfouz?!

So, dear Cecilia, robots will replace us and be the masters while we become the slaves of machines that are not paid a salary! Very ironic indeed and grim future!

In the developing nations as well as want-to-develop nations there is a perceptible frustration on the state of universities. Many of the voices above have stated the obvious. But I have a slightly different perception. Despite all the turmoil that may currently prevail, there is an increasing realization that knowledge based economies (KBE) sustain better growth, particularly heartening are the examples of South Korea, Taiwan, China, Malaysia, Singapore and Hongkong. In the western hemisphere, we have had Germany, Sweden, England, and USA as shining examples for a long time. For some interesting reads, see:

http://scholar.google.co.in/scholar?q=knowledge+based+economy&hl=en&as_sdt=0&as_vis=1&oi=scholart&sa=X&ei=DgQGVPOMJMzguQSx-ICgCA&ved=0CB4QgQMwAA

http://www.oecd.org/sti/sci-tech/1913021.pdf

An increasing number of politicians, academics and economists are coming to believe that knowledge and R&D are the way to progress, even to obtain better social justice for their populations. There is also an increasing number of voices in the developing world to synchronize education with the needs of the society and make it relevant for life rather than just employment.

I do believe that education, particularly higher education and research will become more qualitative and socially relevant/useful in future.

Let us all hope that higher education and research will be more qualitative and socially useful in the  future, dear Srinivasan ! 

Inshallah, dear Marwan, inshallah. May the world be so blessed!!

Dear Cecilia,

I can but quote Huxley: “Brave new world!”

I am sorry, I am creating thoughtcrimes as well and the Ministry of Truth will punish me.

I think that the future of higher education will be like me and my secretary, in a way. She is faster  in typing and more acquainted with Word and the PC. I type half a page in 10 minutes she types 100 in a minute! She does the spell checking OK (but does she know as much, can she compose a letter without mistakes, can she provide ideas, does she know as much, is she as qualified, can she be as qualified, given all those years of training, can she be left on her own to do the job right)?! I mean, she can be more computer-literate, but can she be as knowledgeable?! I leave final answer to your sound assessment!

There'll be time  when electronic equipment would teach and replace us, dear Cecilia!

As far as my imagination goes, universities will become clinical and research organisations. These clinics will transfer/download knowledge/subject knowledge/images directly to our brain. Every body who could afford the cost could become knowledgeable / (educated of present time).No more classes, no more exams. Meaning of degree will change..................(i can keep writing)

Dear Prof. Marwan M. Obeidatthe,

In my opinion there will be same phase growth rate of modernization of the university. IT and its supported equipments are part of modernization.