A New Era for Higher Education

Transformative Innovation: A New Era for Higher Education

April 28, 2025 | Washington, DC

We find ourselves facing major disruptions at home, in our communities, and around the world.

These disruptions give us incredible opportunities:

• to re-think and re-imagine higher education’s role in society. 
• to articulate a positive future vision of higher education - shifting us from a defensive stance to a forward-looking leadership role. 

What is a positive vision for the future of higher education? How does it affect the future of work? How can it activate more agile, innovative, and resilient individuals and communities?

As we deal with polycrises and increasingly rapid change, we must consider how to develop more agile and innovative individuals and communities and better prepare today's students for tomorrow's workforce.

Description: Roundtable participants will present successful models, promising practices, and positive future visions for higher education. Discussions will explore commonalities among these visions and consider strategies to create this positive future. 

Goal: Developing and articulating a positive vision for higher education's future may help colleges and universities regain public trust, address growing doubts about the value of higher education, and serve as catalysts for large-scale social innovation.

Participants: Leaders from higher education institutions, foundations, corporations, associations, citizen-sector organizations, and beyond. This event is being held in conjunction with the World Bank Spring Meetings.

Location: Ashoka Global Headquarters