The 21st Century University Student

Alan G. Walker, President of Upper Iowa University wrote a very interesting blog in the Washington Post today advocating a new model for higher education. This model goes against the traditional university structure in America that encourages students to live on campus and attend classes full-time. Instead, Walker offers different models like online education and education centers. Students may choose from a combination of models in order to find the best one that fits their needs.  "A student can take any of the four modes of study, or mix and match. They all obtain the same diploma." http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/campus-overload/post/upper-iowa-university-restructures-to-better-serve-working-students/2011/11/28/gIQAAZaFcO_blog.html

This may not be anything new for such 21^st institutions like VUB whose Master’s of Educational Sciences program already allows full time students to study. However, in the hallowed halls of American Universities more and more students are seeing the advantage of working while they obtain their diploma. This is due in large part because of the high cost of tuition in the States and the Great Recession. Open source programs and online courses simply have “bigger bang for the buck.” As tuitions become more prohibitive to those students in the middle and lower classes I believe alternative models like those at Upper Iowa University and VUB will become the norm.