campus future

Looking to build the campus of tomorrow? 5 trends you should know


Today's trends will bring about a new vision for the traditional college campus.

Though the word “campus” often evokes an image of brick buildings in the middle of trees, sidewalks and busy students, the campus of tomorrow won’t look quite the same.

Instead, a new report outlines a different reality brought on by the move to digital resources and on-demand learning. Much attention has been paid to how pedagogy and management are changing, but less attention is focused on the physical dimension.

“Innovations in physical space must be made to accommodate demands for accessibility, flexibility and affordability,” according to The State of Higher Education in 2017, a report from professional services firm Grant Thornton.

The report notes that while college and university leaders have new opportunities when it comes to technology and analytical tools that enable new management strategies and learning initiatives. But those same leaders also deal with challenges, such as competition from nontraditional education providers and making effective use of physical assets.

(Next page: Today’s changes will bring about tomorrow’s campus)

Laura Ascione

"(Required)" indicates required fields