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DISRUPTION
The New Age
of Education
Higher education institutions are facing
increased competition for students
while experiencing lowering enrollment,
increased tuition, and reduced public
funding. Within that climate, high-profile
universities are focused on attracting the
most talented professors and students.
Creating an appealing environment for
students today is a major challenge as
changing technology, lifestyles, and
business environments impact what
students are looking for in college.
Additionally, the breadth of the
university’s mission is broadening and
the makeup of its students is becoming
more diverse. According to the National
Centre for Education Statistics (NCES),
the non-white student population for all
U.S. postsecondary institutions increased
from 29.2% in 2000 to 42.4% in 2015.
During that same time, the number
of non-U.S. residents attending these
schools has increased by 86%.
There is pressure to find cost savings, as
government funding has been declining,
but also a need to keep up with student
demands and expectations for how a
21st-century education should look and
feel. The competition for outstanding
students in higher education mirrors
the war for talent in the business world.
Corporations are increasingly focused
on their employees’ physical spaces
in order to attract and retain young
talent, while increasing productivity and
collaboration. And, just as companies
are investing in workplace design to
create a ‘wow’ factor that differentiates
them to the labour market, higher
education institutions are also focusing
on facilities, culture, technology, and land
use strategies as critical components in
meeting growth and success goals.
Postsecondary Enrollment - U.S.
Total # of Students (Millions)
1990
1995
Total Enrollment
% non-White
2000
2005
2010
2015
20
40%
15
30%
10
20%
5
10%
0
0%
Global Enrollment by Continent
Total # of Students (Millions)
Africa Asia Europe Central /
So America
North America Oceania
200
150
100
50
0
1990
1995
2000
2005
2010
2015
In less than 15 years, global postsecondary enrollment more
than doubled from 100million to 208 million students. This
growth is driven by the tripling of postsecondary students in
Asia, which increased by 76 million from 2000 to 2014 and
now accounts for more than half of all such students.
Source: NCES
Source: NCES
DISRUPTION
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