We talk a lot about equity, should we do something about it?

The more I read about the state of higher education and the predicament of universities, the more sympathy I have not for leaders saying they need more money, permission or time, but those that simply get on with it.

One leader doing that is Scott Pulsipher at Western Governors University (WGU). His clarity of purpose creating transformative student experiences means WGU is relentlessly focussing resources and efforts on what makes a difference to student experiences, particularly equity groups.

They avoid distractions into hosting over-resourced sporting teams, and pursuing ubiquitous research and community engagement. They avoid copying the strategies of other US colleges that enter pointless all-rounder rankings.?

WGU spends 61% of revenue directly on the student experience. Larger and “more prestigious” places struggle to make 30%. The relative price points of degrees is $15k not $90k.

Scott in his own excellent newsletter Progress, laments the way our sector celebrates privilege rather than aspires to inclusion. This is a theme picked up in a recent piece in the Conversation by Sally Patfield of University of Newcastle. The current Australian debate is characterised by dissecting the recent Universities Accord hoping that if we say the word equity a lot, numbers applying to and completing university education will miraculously double in the next 25 years. They won’t.

If we say equity enough will it stick?

Sally identifies that the word “equity” is used 200 times in the final report. Great. Meanwhile domestic applicant numbers are falling, mainly from equity groups struggling to make their student experience mesh with work and life commitments, and having sub-standard experiences.?

If they get to graduate, and increasingly they don’t, they are saddled with escalating debts, to be met from jobs they have ill-suited skills for. We need to change the model generating these outcomes.

We can say equity as many times as we want. But this does not change the reality of learner experiences and market behaviour for future global populations we know are declining due to lower birth rates.?

These populations of lifelong learners need continuously updated skills ever further removed from what degrees and certificates offer. Giving them a university invented name of micro-credential is no solution.

The debate in the UK is how hard it is when funding is static, costs are rising and demographics are working against them. But now is a bad time to ask for more public funding and resources. There aren’t any, there’s no votes in it, and the public has lost confidence anyway.

The smartest leaders learn from sectors who managed fixed unit funding, rising costs and adverse demographics by innovating.?Aleks Subic at Aston University is doing that to great effect with industry 4.0 partnerships for research and learning receiving 11m pounds last week for a doctoral training centre.

We are excited to have a leading example in Michael Crow of 美国亚利桑那州立大学 join our HEDx conference live tomorrow. He is an innovator, using technology for equity, not just talking about it.

One of the recent success stories of Australian Higher Education is of American private investment in Torrens University Australia. Torrens turns 10 years old this year, having grown from scratch to more than 23,000 students.

Rather than complain about public funding, Australian Entrepreneur of the Year Linda Brown and Vice Chancellor Alwyn Louw built a new business and operating model prioritising student experience, partnered with industry for skills. It avoids legacy resource and executive distraction that public universities suffer.

We celebrated ASU signing a strategic partnership with Open AI recently and now see Torrens partnering with Xaana.AI. This is to unleash the leading edge of practice in learning environments. It celebrates the opportunity and possibility of technology, rather than see it as a risk, worrying about controlling it.

In a different context Ghassan Aouad of Abu Dhabi University has grown an outstanding private university in a setting where innovation sits alongside equity. I’m sure he will share this on stage tomorrow too.

Nonsense we celebrate in the Australian sector

One of the most galling things I see in the Australian Accord and discussion of a Tertiary Education Commission is the celebration of how well regulated we are and how good at directing universities we’ve been, and can be.? What nonsense.

While the world is embracing technological advances, we have 38 public universities having to scramble and scurry to come up with academic integrity compliance policies. They are left employing and deploying armies of people to check for people not doing what the regulator says we must tell them to do.?

This happens while the world’s innovators try new technologies out. And all because we have regulators that think it's about them being in control and not learners taking control of their learning using tomorrow’s technology.

One of the highlights at our conference tomorrow for me will be to hear from Michael Crow on whether he waited for direction from regulators before creating the world’s most innovative university. What do you think he will say?

Will we hear Linda and Alwyn say that Torrens’ success story has arisen because of direction from the regulator, or despite it?

And Joshua Nester , Managing Director of SEEK investments, which invests in globally successful EdTech innovators. As his colleague Mike Ilcsynski said on our podcast released today:

"One of the great promises of AI is to create personalised learning journeys for working adults at scale and lower cost. It’s the holy grail"

He also said:

"Institutions are under huge financial pressure to increase revenue or reduce costs. Technology provides a wonderful opportunity to do both without compromising the student experience. We are looking for companies that pursue that opportunity."

I’m looking for universities doing it rather than talking about it. It would help if out of touch regulators got out of the way. We have a sell out event at the fabulous setting of the Melbourne Museum . As I said last time, we are increasingly bringing the world to HEDx and taking HEDx to the world.

I’m progressing future HEDx events in NZ, UK and UAE in a 4 week trip starting straight after our conference. Readers there, get ready to join the conversation.

The ASU+GSV Summit in San Diego in April is a must attend for me. Thanks for joining our movement for #ChangingHigherEdforGood. Please share this newsletter. I hope it becomes a must-read for your networks.

Sharing the spotlight

Best practice from global innovators using technology to realise improved equity, is front and centre for HEDx.?

Shamit Saggar , the Director of Australian Centre for Student Equity and Success (formerly NCSEHE) , and Paul Harpur OAM of 澳大利亚昆士兰大学 , newly appointed to its Board, discussed an equity lens on change in the sector. Their focus is on workable solutions as actions more than words. You can listen to it here.

It provides great context to our panels tomorrow on technology, inclusion and policy change. You will get access to all panels from our conference in HEDx podcasts in coming weeks.

Mike Ilcsyinski of SEEK Investments gave a positive description on today’s podcast of how technology and innovation makes change for equitable access possible. He argued how this is the case when leaders are bold at the most challenging times and learn from innovators in other sectors.?

You can listen to today’s episode here. It provides a perfect context to sessions tomorrow with Joshua Nester , panels about the state of technology advancement and the nature of work, and a celebration of the Torrens University Australia 10 year anniversary

Everyone we feature on HEDx is part of an action agenda, including through this newsletter. Please share what you think about our latest edition, events and podcasts and provide your feedback. We want to learn and improve.

What we are reading

Torrens University and Xaana.Ai shaping the future of and just gets on with a radical new model? AI education

As regulators call for compliance, best practice institutions and leaders see opportunity and innovation. Mirroring the step taken by ASU with Open AI, Torrens University Australia are breaking free from shackles of regulation to experiment. We applaud them for doing so.

Elitism in Higher Ed

Scott Pulsipher, as President of WGU, advocates to overcome privilege being what drives behaviour in university positioning and student recruitment. As debate about envy taxes versus privilege in Australian higher ed continues, and UK universities continue to jockey around uncomfortable positions of fixed funding and declining demand, there is opportunity for purpose and mission as what bold and inventive global higher ed leaders can pursue.

The final report mentions ‘equity’ 200 times, but can it boost access for underrepresented groups?

Returning to the title of this edition, there is widespread global concern by university leaders about being equitable and inclusive.?If words used counted, we would be well on with the job.?But it’s actions that count. Policy advice makes no difference unless leaders act.?

As the author says, “We need to think about how students are supported and how universities ultimately value and include them.” Plenty of room for innovative, technologically-enabled, action from leaders there. And much to learn from global in and out of sector best practice.