New visuals highlight how leading universities have the same collaborative characteristics as startups
There’s growing momentum around the question as to whether or not colleges and universities should run like startups; in other words, should higher-ed institutions cater more to the economy with collaboration, curriculum, and services to pipeline students for jobs? However, it seems many practices implemented in leading universities may already embody the collaborative startup mentality.
“Universities need to be run like startups, or risk becoming obsolete,” writes Best Value Schools, creator of the infographic (based on multiple data sources) and a champion of pipelining students for ‘valuable’ degrees.
According to the online resource for students (Best Value School), “the Golden age of universities” may be over, with statistics that reveal:
- One-third of students won’t finish college
- Tuition has increased faster than inflation
- Student debt is at an all-time high
- Two-thirds of students leave with debt
- The value of the Bachelor degree “has fallen every year since 2000”
- Two-thirds of teachers are part-time and non-tenure track
(Next page: How leading universities are like startups; infographic)
Best Value Schools explains that universities that do prepare student for a “creative economy” prioritize the same three things that drive successful startup culture:
1. Density
For example, physical proximity to potential jobs is important, as Silicon Valley wouldn’t have risen to preeminence without Stanford and Berkeley, says the infographic. Cultural connection also brings entrepreneurial processes.
2. Shared Resources
Education and innovation initiatives minimize expenses by pooling resources, such as: Co-working spaces, labs, and prototyping facilities. The infographic urges universities to stop restricting access by department or major, and stop tying use of facilities to intellectual property policies. Universities also need to partner with other universities to enforce tuition differentials.
3. Nurturing Communities
According to Best Value Schools, it’s important to know the difference between a website and a campus community. And though it’s difficult to build relationships online, universities need to foster real networking like startups, breaking down the silos of disciplines, such as: Entrepreneurship students working with engineering students and designers working with computer information system majors.
For a larger view, click here.
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