Evolution of university education
The work of educational organisations is affected by various political or economic trends, and these changes shape the learning experiences of many people. Modern universities help students and graduates adjust to the changing demands of employers and increasing competition in the labor market. In particular, teachers help learners acquire the skills related to problem-solving, innovation, creativity, autonomous learning, and digital literary since they are important for the ability of a person to integrate into the knowledge-driven economy (Sheryl 2012, p. 223). At first, one should briefly overview the main external influences affecting the work of universities. It is possible to refer to the globalisation of various economies that tend to become more open. This tendency includes the elimination of trade barriers and growing interaction between companies that can represent countries which can differ in terms of culture, political regime, social structure, and so forth (Rupert & Solomon 2006). To a great extent, the globalisation of the economy can be explained by the fact that political barriers between countries are gradually removed after the end of the Cold War (Keohane 2005).
Apart from that, one should focus on the increasing popularity of liberalism as the political ideology adopted in developed and developing countries. Additionally, this cooperation is facilitated by information technologies that have passed through the period of rapid development during the last two decades (Rupert & Solomon 2006). Apart from that, one should keep in mind that modern corporations attempt to recruit the most competent candidates throughout the world (Vance 2005, p. 74). It is no longer possible to assume that businesses operating in developing countries try to outsource only those business activities requiring low-skilled and low-paid labour. This assumption is no longer relevant since such corporations as Microsoft, Google, Nokia seek for highly-skilled professionals living in different countries (Vance 2005, p. 74). These are the main influences that prompt the evolution of university education.
Due to the impact of the external environment, universities try to prepare learners for various challenges and strengthen their competitiveness. For instance, students should know how to work in a multi-cultural environment. The employees of modern businesses should be ready to work with people who may represent different cultures, religious groups, or ethnicities (Vance 2005). Additionally, these individuals should understand how to create an inclusive environment which can be critical for resolving or avoiding conflicts in the workplace. This is one of the reasons why such concepts as diversity and cross-cultural management play an important role in the education of students who may represent different fields of knowledge. To some degree, these changes can be explained by the necessity to promote the rights of people who could be marginalised due to some reasons in the past. For example, one can mention various minority groups. Some leading companies, such as Intel can make significant investments in the promotion of diversity (Wingfield 2015). Thus, in this case, one should speak about the influence of political changes taking place in society. In turn, universities respond to these trends. This argument is relevant if one speaks about the education of students who may major in such disciplines as HR management, business administration, finance, and so forth since they professionals often need to work at international and cross-cultural levels.
Apart from that, modern educators focus on the use of tools that facilitate the spread of information and creation of content. In particular, they encourage learners to apply technological tools that facilitate the analysis and interpretation of data. This policy can be explained by several external influences. To some degree, this policy reflects the requirements of businesses working in the globalised post-industrial economy, which is partly based on the quick flow of information (Julien 2008; Ahamed 2009). Furthermore, this component of education becomes particularly important at the time when many enterprises choose to operate in the online environment (Rupert & Solomon 2006). Thus, modern students should acquire the ability to find and reproduce information, create content and share it with other people. Furthermore, students are required to work on various assignments requiring the use of various information technologies since, in this way, they can better understand what kind of opportunities digital media can offer. Additionally, digital literary is vital for independent learning and continued professional development of a person. Therefore, contemporary students have to accept the fact that the use of technologies has become an inseparable part of the educational process. Moreover, these skills are critical for their ability to integrate into the workplace and remain competitive. The graduates of modern universities should perceive life-long learning as pre-requisite, which is important for personal and professional development (Alsop 2008). They should be able to broaden their knowledge and skills even after completing their formal education (Cartelli 2012). In turn, digital literacy is one of the skills which make life-long learning possible (Cartelli 2012). Thus, the experiences of students have been transformed significantly due to these tendencies.
Apart from that, one should focus on the growing importance of such a concept as a knowledge economy. This term can be described as the system of production, which primarily relies on knowledge-intensive activities that lead to technological progress and rapid obsolescence of existing products and services (Roberts 2009, p. 287). Knowledge economies usually lay stress on innovation, research and development (Roberts 2009; Paunica et al. 2011). In many cases, companies representing such economies can outsource manufacturing activities in developing countries. It is possible to say that universities are important for creating and maintaining the knowledge economy. They make sure that workers are ready for the new requirements set by employers. As a result, college teachers emphasise the need for continuous education that should be a part of professional development (Sheryl 2012). This is why university educators provide greater autonomy to students and encourage their independent learning. These people should be able to acquire knowledge and skills in both formal and informal settings. For example, they should be able to learn while working on different tasks related to their professional activities. This behaviour is vital for the increased competitiveness of a person who should know how to deal with the complex situations arising in the workplace. On the whole, university education can be an important platform for life-long learning. This is one of the main tendencies that should be taken into account.
Furthermore, modern universities pay attention to the creativity of learners who should not act only as of the recipients of the information. More likely, they should apply their knowledge and skills in order to find new solutions to existing problems. Furthermore, these individuals should be able to act as innovators because these activities are vital for improving the performance of businesses. Additionally, they are critical for the development of new technologies, products, and services. This process is an important element of the knowledge economy which lays stress on the technical and intellectual expertise of businesses. In their turn, universities do not lay stress only on the retention of information or ability to solve specific and narrow tasks set by teachers. This approach to education is not sufficient because it does enable a person to deal with various challenges arising in the workplace. In many cases, these problems cannot be solved according to conventional standards or templates. In turn, learners attending universities are encouraged to act as leaders and decision-makers who are able to find creative solutions to existing challenges. Moreover, they can take independent initiatives without waiting for the permission of senior executives. Additionally, university education is supposed to make sure that a person is able to synthesise ideas and communicate them to various stakeholders (Hofer 2012). Overall, university students have more control over their learning activities, and this autonomy can be important for their professional and personal growth. These are the main details that can be singled out.
Additionally, one should speak about the increased role of university graduates in modern companies. It should be mentioned, many companies encourage their employees to continue their postgraduate studies since this strategy can be vital for promoting innovation in the workplace and improving the performance of businesses (Golddsworthy 2009). This is why modern education organisations provide post-graduate programs that can best fit the professional needs of learners (Golddsworthy 2009). In this way, they try to meet the increased demand for educational services (Golddsworthy 2009). This is another trend that influences the experiences of many students as well as teachers who are also required to raise their professional level.
Additionally, administrators of universities have also recognised their role in the knowledge economy. They also accept the necessity for improving the competitiveness of educational institutions. This is why they strive to attract the most qualified students and teachers. Moreover, these organisations begin to operate on a global scale. For instance, some American and Western universities open its branches in countries that pass through the period of rapid economic growth. As a rule, they struggle to reach the post-industrial stage of economic development. In particular, one can mention such countries as Saudi Arabia and the UAE (Lewin 2008). In this case, one can speak about Paris-Sorbonne University, London Business School, or New York University. This case illustrates the export of educational services to other countries. Furthermore, they can offer online courses to learners who may be living in different countries. These examples demonstrate that universities can be viewed as the main drivers of the knowledge economy in which more attention is paid to intellectual capital, rather physical assets (Seetharaman et al. 2002). This assumption underlies the work of university administrators and teachers. Furthermore, the role is recognised by other stakeholders such as companies, governments as well as separate members of the community who want to strengthen their social status.
University graduates have certain advantages over other people. In particular, they are better prepared for challenges associated with the functioning of the global economy. In particular, they have a diverse set of skills that can assist that can help them work on creative and changing tasks. Thus, universities can help people raise their socio-economic status. Additionally, they contribute to the sustainability of different businesses. On the basis of this discussion, one can distinguish the following changes 1) increased emphasis on the continuous professional development of students; 2) focus on innovation and creativity; 3) increasing use of information technologies and the growing importance of digital literacy. These changes indicate that university education is vital for a person’s integration into the knowledge economy. Apart from that, these institutions play a key role in promoting the economic development of countries that struggle reach the post-industrial stage of development. Thus, these institutions profoundly shape the long-term development of various societies.
Reflection
In my opinion, my digital behaviors can help me improve my workforce and social contributions. As a rule, they are related to the search of information pertaining to my learning activities. For instance, digital environment enables to get better insights into the peculiarities of investment decisions, banking, and management. So, in the long term, such activities can help me raise my professional level. Moreover, the use of information technologies helps me complete various projects and assignments which require students to take complex decisions. For example, they are useful for the analysis of quantitative information which can be critical for financial managers. On the whole, such activities are critical for my academic performance. Hopefully, I will be act as a better professional who can best serve the needs of stockholders and clients who can be viewed as the most important stakeholders in organisations. Thus, digital behaviors can help me integrate into the knowledge-driven economy which can function effectively provided that people can timely respond to the new economic and technological trends. In the long term, my professional activities can contribute to the development of the society. For instance, investment decisions can lead to the creation of jobs. These are the main positive aspects that can be singled out.
Admittedly, there are negative aspects of digital behaviors. For example, in many cases, a person’s privacy and confidential information can be threatened. Such dangers can be faced by people who actively use social networking sites (Benson 2014). Furthermore, in some cases, employers can learn about by the values and attitudes of workers by examining the information that they can make public via social networking sites (Andrews 2008). As a rule, I do not use digital media for discussing my private life. However, I also understand that digital behavior can be associated with some important risks. In many cases, these risks can undermine the professional career of a person and his/her reputation. This is one of the details that can be distinguished.
Additionally, I would like to point out that sometimes digital activities can prevent a person from doing his/her learning or professional tasks. This argument is particularly relevant if one speaks about the use of social networking sites. Similarly, one should also speak about online resources that offer entertainment opportunities to users and they can divert a person’s attention from other important tasks (Management Association 2013). In many cases they can significantly decrease the productivity of a person because they can lead to inefficient time management. (Nadin 1997). Very often, a person can spend an enormous amount of time on the tasks that can be completed relatively quickly. This is one of the risks that have been identified by various researchers (Management Association 2013). Nevertheless, it can be reduced to the minimum provided that a person can clearly identify his/her priorities and single out the time-bound goals that should be attained. In this way, students and employees can make sure that they can complete the most relevant tasks. Despite the risks associated with digital technologies, they can be regarded as very valuable tools that simplify many business processes and learning activities. Therefore, one should not idealise or fear these technologies. As a rule, the outcomes of digital behaviors depend on the values, attitudes, and motivation of a person.
One can distinguish several advantages and risks associated with this connected world. In this case, the term connected world can be described as the community in which various stakeholders can quickly get in contact with one another. More importantly, this concept implies that people are better able to learn more about the events that take place in other parts of the world. In many cases, such a notion as global village is used to describe this world (Lockard 2010). It is possible to focus on several distinct advantages that entrepreneurs should not disregard. Under such circumstance, companies can better identify and explore new opportunities for growth. Additionally, they will be able to make informed decisions because they are able to derive data and information from various sources (Lockard 2010; Tan 2008). These opportunities are of great importance to me since I will work in the investment sector which can be viewed as a significant part of the knowledge economy. This connectedness of the global world can be partly explained by the increasing use of various information technologies that enable a person to take more balanced decisions (Lauder 2012). These are some of the main positive sides that can be distinguished.
To a great extent, my university experiences have enabled me to study the internal and external environment of different organisations. For example, educators were able to attain these goals by focusing on digital literacy of learners who were required to apply different tools facilitating the collection and analysis of quantitative information. In many cases, these tools can help a person better anticipate new trends in the economy (Tan 2008; Lockard 2010). In addition to that, digital literacy can assist my independent learning, especially after graduation. These competencies are important for my professional growth in the long term. More importantly, I have been able to learn about the use of different analytical methods and critical thinking skills since they are useful for making use of new business opportunities. Finally, these methods are vital for evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of different decisions. These are some of the main details that I would like to distinguish. Overall, interconnected world can foster the development of the global economy; in turn, university graduates can better understand the peculiarities of this environment which is driven by competition and information technologies.
Nevertheless, at the same time, I understand that this interconnected environment is more open to competition that cannot be hindered with the help of any protectionist policies. Under such circumstances, there are very few barriers that can shield workers or organisations from the rivalry of businesses that offer similar products or services. In particular, an individual should keep in mind that his/her skills should be continuously elaborated; otherwise, his/her positions in any company can be threatened in the long term. Such a person may not be able to cope with complex challenges that businesses have to face. As it has been said before, modern corporations have access to a wider pool of candidates who may come from different countries. Similarly, businesses should work on the improvement of their products and services in order to retain their positions in the market. Furthermore, people, who intend to act as entrepreneurs, should remember about the risks of substitute products which can deprive them of their competitive advantage. Thus, they should continuously act as innovators since this behavior is vital for the sustainability of their businesses. These are the main details that can be singled out. To a great extent, my educational experiences have helped me understand the challenges associated with knowledge economy. In particular, I have had a chance to work on group projects that enabled me to apply my theoretical knowledge of economics, management, and finance. Moreover, I was able to work on case studies illustrating the complexities of the modern knowledge economy. For instance, I learned more about the ways in which businesses gained and retained their competitive advantage for a long time. Admittedly, learning activities may not cover every nuance related to the work of banks or financial institutions. However, they can throw light on the main principles that one should follow.
Furthermore, my university education helped me better understand the peculiarities of working in multi-cultural orgsanisations that may work in different countries of the world. In my opinion, these attributes are important for a person who wants to act as a leader in the workplace. These professionals should understand how people who represent different cultural groups can interact with one another. Furthermore, senior executives should understand how and why these people may enter into conflicts. To some degree, my learning activities gave me a better idea about such pitfalls as prejudices and stereotypes that can completely undermine teamwork in organisations (Vance 2005). Thus, university education can warn a student about these problems that have profound implications for the performance of various employees (Vance 2005). For example, one can speak about people who may represent minority groups. Additionally, I have been able to learn more about the work of companies operating at an international level. Ability to work in this diverse environment is of critical importance to these organisations. In fact, this attribute is important for their financial performance.
There are several lessons that I have derived from my university experience. In particular, I would like to speak about the need for continuous development of a person who should work on his/her skills even after graduation. In this way, one can become more resilient to various challenges such as the development of new technologies or availability of substitute products. Thus, in this case, formal and informal learning are closely connected to one another since a person should be able to acquire knowledge without teachers’ guidance. This view on education and career is critical for the ability of an individual to make any progress. Moreover, my educational experiences have demonstrated to me that it is critical to search for alternative solutions which are important for achieving growth and gaining competitive edge over other businesses. This is one of the points that can be made.
Apart from that, my studies have given me a better idea about the peculiarities of the modern knowledge economy. I have been able to learn more about the complexities and risks associated with the work of businesses that rely on their intellectual capital. In particular, the owners of these businesses should bear on mind that innovation should be the most important business process. In fact, this activity will be the key to their long-term sustainability and competiveness. If this component is lacking, such organisations are less likely to remain sustainable in the long term. This is one of the main ideas that attracted my attention during my studies.
Certainly, one cannot suppose that university education is a sufficient precaution against every pitfall. There are many cases, illustrating that even the most qualified professionals can make grave errors. For instance, one can speak about the senior executives of people who ran the financial institutions that went bankrupt during the financial crisis of 2008. Still, university graduates can better identify different risks and minimise their possible impact. These advantages of university education can be of great benefit to me. The competencies that I acquired during my studies can be vital for coping with various difficulties related to my future profession. Thus, I can say that these experiences are of great value to me.
Conclusion
On the whole, this discussion indicates that university education have evolved considerably in order to respond to such processes as globalization and rising importance of the knowledge economy. In particular, these institutions attach importance to the autonomy of learners and their continuous education. Furthermore, teachers attach importance to the digital literacy of students. It is possible for me to say that my educational experience help me embrace the challenges that may arise in the workplace. Much attention should be paid to the need to remain competitive for a long time. These are the main arguments that be put forward.
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