Some people argue that colleges have lived past their usefulness, but that’s not true. Universities are needed now more than ever.
Financial stability
A college degree is one of the best ways to assure that you’ll experience financial stability.
College grads make more money than their peers who do not go to college. While money is no guarantee of a happy and successful life, the money a college degree will make for you can help to offset inflation over time.
A university degree makes you more employable. As automation takes over many of the jobs that do not require higher order thinking skills, workers who can compete in today’s job market are more likely to remain employed.
Universities are needed to produce graduates with the critical thinking skills that are in demand.
Universities are the hub of their communities
Colleges provide quality education, training, and certification for the kinds of jobs needed in the community. Some universities are research centers or medical centers for their regions, and they become well-known for the caliber of students they turn out.
Institutes of higher education become the civic glue that holds together the fabric of our lives. Schools are involved in every aspect of our lives, and we need universities more than ever to continue serving as a resource and mentor for those in the community. Higher education has the knowledge and resources that can improve the quality of life for those around them.
The reach of a college often goes far beyond its communities. Universities have a global impact, and we need them for a peaceable, worldwide workforce.
A social voice
High school promotes free speech in only the most desultory fashion, and the workplace often does not permit employees to express themselves freely during work hours.
Universities, however, are champions of free speech, and most social protests take place at college campuses. Described as chaotic places, colleges encourage diversity in thinking. That’s part of the educational process: learning how to analyze and debate perspectives that are different than your own.
Universities serve as the social lab needed to test theories and explore divergent thought.
Global education initiatives
International education is needed more than ever. Already countries trade and work across porous borders of commerce, but they are working against a resurgence of nationalism. Some leaders are concerned that the return to nationalism will create animosity between countries.
An intercultural, global education can mitigate the sense of pitting one nation against another, and many leaders are advocating for an international baccalaureate curriculum. Colleges are in a position to support and continue this initiative, requiring that all graduating students have a foundation in international studies.
Universities are not going away; we need them more than ever.
