The business of education
With the numbers of people attending universities up to 50% of the population in many developed countries, the attitude of students has changed… as have the expectations they place upon the institutions they attend. I spoke to Dr. Roland Zarzycki, Vice-Rector of Academic Affairs at Collegium Civitas—an eminent Polish non-public university which has a reputation for attracting students from around the world—to discuss how higher education establishments need to start treating education as a business and students as clients, whilst still keeping the heart and soul of higher education alive.
What do people want from higher education nowadays?
“Higher education has always been partially about getting a degree and partly about being independent. Employers tend to look at people who studied—especially those who took the chance of going abroad—as being self-reliant and courageous people. That has not changed. But the value of degrees has changed. Students are looking less and less at pure humanities and are looking for degrees that they think of as being practical.
“This is because the job market is tough in a world drowning in overproduction and hyper-consumption. Students, particularly those who pay for their education, see education as an investment rather than as an experience.”
So, in the 21st century, is the emphasis on the business or the education?
“The obvious answer is both but it is a tricky balance. If it were only about money, we would give the students what they want; namely all those extremely practical courses that they think are applicable to the business world. However, that is what they want, not necessarily what they need. We understand that they need a balance of practical knowledge and more intangible courses that make them question the world and encourage critical thinking, discussion skills, and listening.
“The important thing is to show students how these things that they feel are less valuable to them are actually going to serve them well in future.”
Is technology a big factor in standing out from the crowd?
“The back-office technology is essential for any university or learning institution. Every learning environment, from primary schools upwards, now has a bespoke system for managing information and creating student interfaces. It is an absolute basic for any private or public institution nowadays because learners, parents, and teachers expect technology to enhance the curriculum.
"At Collegium Civitas I am also running a workshop to teach lecturers to use technology. That way, when they do bring technology into the classroom, they are expert users and they know it is bringing real value.”
Are the best universities nowadays simply those with the best marketing?
“It is an incredibly competitive market. Students have a choice between public and private learning. And they have so many institutions vying for their enrolment. Things like rankings and opinions are now essential to educational establishments which want to attract students. There are also any number of dirty tricks that universities play, such as being selective or creative about the rankings they quote, or even advertising courses that they do not run—just to get students to call the admissions line and get the conversation started.
“Marketing is essential and many universities bend the truth, but students are becoming wise to this and will carefully research before they enroll. That means reading opinions on chat forums and listening to the real experiences of others who have studied at these places. So marketing is important but it is also equally important to have a strong alumni network who act as the ambassadors for the institution.”
It seems that times change, technology changes, and market conditions change; however, there are some things that stay the same. A great teacher is still the one who inspires free thinkers to search for their own ideas. And the best endorsement is still a satisfied client.
To find out more about Collegium Civitas, visit: www.civitas.edu.pl/en/.
