| |9 September 2020HIGHERReviewTo become the key enablers for fostering new-age skills for Industry 4.0, Universities need to don their 4.0 avatar and move from functioning as a trust to operating as an enterprisebe devoid of choices? Universities of the future must not only integrate and offer learners the choice of creating `tailor-made' programs but also the environment to deliver it. Offer Nano or micro degrees which not only deliver individual value but when combined create a robust learning system. A learner must have a plethora of options to select nano-degrees as appropriate to unlock a degree. This can enable learners to select the programs they prefer, to design one or several customized degrees. Besides, the stackable nano-degree models can be an enticing resource for professional learners for continuous upskilling or gig workers who aim to expand their skills on the go.Collaborative Model: Universities cannot work in silos and strive on content alone. The delivery and acknowledgement of content by industry must be equally effective. It is widely accepted that learning experiences of today need to leverage technology and data extensively to enable multi-modal learning. Agility and adaptability will become the make or break factor. Corporate are incessantly striving for innovation to gain a competitive edge. The industry-academia partnership can also be further strengthened if universities can collaborate with corporate to co-create centres of research excellence with an aim to solve common problems, creating more IPs, and overall a win-win situation at both ends.This collaboration can be built rapidly with a bridge education solution where the new age workforce that emerges out of the eco-system has widespread industry acceptability. With 1 billion of the 3.3 billion people who are employed today needing to be upskilled globally, there is a huge need and potential in bridge education for those who are looking for their first jobs (education to job bridge) and for those who are looking for better jobs (job to job bridge). Through bridge education, university partners have been able to attract better quality students, deliver skills in demand by Industry 4.0 with day 1 job-readiness and demarcate their geographical reach by leveraging technology to scale. This also allows innovation in strength areas to be driven by having the potential to charge premium fees for personalised learning paths and specialized credentials. The proximity to industry context is the most critical element of this machinery. This model assists universities in shortening the lag time required to adapt curriculums, conduct assessments with individualized data and insights and deliver micro credentials relevant to a personalized career specification.Applied Research with Corporates: For years, Universities have been the hub for research and innovation. However, research output is heavily dependent on external grants and funding. The funding has been a barrier to the volume of research output unless it is driven by government mandate. However, corporate are constantly pushed for the latest innovation and finding a new competitive edge, which demands continuous research. If universities can collaborate with corporate to co-create Centres of Research Excellence with a goal to solve the common problems, it will create a win-win situation at both ends.The future of learning and research is poised for massive change. To retain their significance and enhance the value universities will be required to adopt strategies that drive successful enterprise in the digital era.
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