Higher education is undergoing momentous change.  2024 will continue to pose challenges for higher education, but also gives us an opportunity for universities to change and adopt new styles of leadership, teaching, support and engagement.  Our five predictions for 2024 are:

1.   Continued financial pressure

With economic challenges facing many parts of the world, higher education often slips down the funding pile.  There is often less funding for students and discretionary funding diminishes or vanishes.  We must continue to promote and recognise the value of higher education.  In the UK we produced for Universities UK the tangible benefits of higher education, for example, showing how many teachers, doctors, nurses are produced. To find out more, check here.

2.   Globalisation will continue apace

Universities cannot run successfully in a single country market.  Research, talent acquisition and students are all now operating on an international scale.  On the flip side increasingly countries around the world are concerned about immigration and mobility of the workforce, which impacts directly on home and international student markets.  Globalisation is not a third stream, it is moving to an integral part of everyone’s role in higher education. 

3.   Faster technological advancement

The rapid pace of technological advancements requires universities to adapt and integrate new technologies into their teaching methods, research processes, and administrative systems.  This requires huge systemic change from everyone within our universities.  We will need to drive a new culture.

4.   Greater pressure to support student wellbeing and mental health

The mental health and well-being of students are creating huge concerns with universities expected to address these issues through support services and proactive initiatives.  Sitting alongside health services that are often at maximum capacity, universities will need to find long-term solutions and approaches to supporting their students.

5.   It will continue to be a world of uncertainty

There are few norms anymore.  Political, environmental and technological uncertainty dominates.  Changing funding, academic models of delivery and types of student all put pressure on our system.  We need to be agile and responsive, finding a way through to ensure higher education continues to thrive.

Our leadership development programmes help you transform your organisation, embrace and manage successful change.  You will hear from inspirational leaders, about their successes and failures, be able to address your challenges and create a network of peers.  Standing still is not an option so join our programmes and embrace 2024. 

For more information about our leadership programmes, check here.