Agile or Fragile…Are Universities Stuck in the Year 2000?

American universities were founded with a moral and civic purpose: to expand human potential and enable better lives. For generations, that purpose guided institutions as they prepared students not only for work, but for meaningful participation in society. Today, as the needs of learners and the economy evolve, that mission is being reexamined.

At the center of this conversation is an important question: If higher education exists to improve lives, how well is it doing so today—and how might it do so even better in the years ahead?

One perspective holds that universities are delivering on their mission, particularly when students enroll in programs designed around access, completion, and real opportunity. From this view, higher education remains a powerful engine of social mobility, economic stability, and long-term growth. The opportunity ahead lies in making outcomes clearer, pathways more navigable, and return on investment more transparent for students, families, and policymakers.

Another perspective suggests that while universities continue to play a vital role, aspects of the current model have not kept pace with how people learn, work, and advance. Rising costs, unclear learning signals, and evolving employer expectations have created space for new approaches to education and training. These emerging models offer valuable lessons that can inform how institutions renew and strengthen their mission.

This debate will explore how the mission of higher education is evolving, where universities are succeeding, and how institutions and new models alike can contribute to expanding opportunity and improving lives.

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