Systems Thinking for a New Era: Reimagining Higher Education

The Globe & Mail have recently declared that our university system is entering a crucible of economic upheaval.

Over the last decade, Canadian universities have become overly dependent on international students to fill gaps caused by provincial underfunding. However, as international student enrollment stagnates or declines, institutions are facing severe financial shortfalls. Not only this but universities have struggled to commercialize research and innovation, unlike U.S. institutions like Stanford and MIT, which generate significant income from ideas that were founded on their grounds Furthermore, private sector collaborations remain difficult under current institutional frameworks, despite success stories like MaRS Discovery District from the 加拿大多伦多大学 and OCAD U CO from OCAD University .

Meanwhile, elite universities with large endowments and big brand names, such as the University of Toronto and McGill, are thriving, widening the gap between top-tier schools and smaller institutions. Still, the return on post-secondary education is diminishing as starting salaries stay the same and the cost of education rises, leading many to question whether the cost of higher education is worth it.

As universities face these major winds of change, they are confronted with a pivotal choice: scale back or blaze a new path. Universities can attempt to find cost savings and reduce operations, waiting for more favourable conditions before attempting to grow again. Or the alternative is to take a bold approach, embracing invention and experimentation.

The work required to forge a new path is daunting. There is no clear quantitative model to guide universities through this transformation. They must rely on qualitative data and small signals to point the right way and must work towards realizing a possible future that is heavily based on external influences. This means universities must make flexible, adaptive plans and recognize when to stay the course and when to change direction.

That’s where systems thinking offers a structured approach to addressing these challenges:

• Create a common understanding of the drivers of change
• Understand the relevant decisions facing your organization
• Have group conversations with a common understanding of the relevant choices
• Build plans that list the critical uncertainties, track them over time and allow the team to reevaluate constantly

By adopting a systems-thinking approach, universities can start the hard work of creating a sustainable future informed by real-time data, collective understanding, and adaptive strategies. The choice is clear: we can either retreat and hope for circumstances to return to normal, or we can lead through innovation, experimentation, and strategic foresight.

To begin your systems thinking and strategic foresight journey, head over to https://www.ocadu.co/contact today!