--- title: "What We’re Reading: Short Courses, EdTech & the Future of Higher Ed" description: Explore this week's must-read topics, including the benefits of micro-credentials, the role of Edtech in education, and more. image: https://blog.virtualinternships.com/hubfs/eliott-reyna-kcT-7cirBEw-unsplash.jpg --- [![Logo_SignatureLogo_07202021.jpg](https://blog.virtualinternships.com/hubfs/Logo_SignatureLogo_07202021.jpg.png)](https://blog.virtualinternships.com/) - [Companies](https://www.virtualinternships.com/companies/) - [Host an Intern](https://www.virtualinternships.com/companies/) - [How It Works](https://www.virtualinternships.com/companies/how-it-works) - [FAQs](https://www.virtualinternships.com/companies/faqs) - [Educators](https://www.virtualinternships.com/#) - [Universities](https://www.virtualinternships.com/universities/) - [Governments](https://www.virtualinternships.com/governments/) - [Affiliates](https://www.virtualinternships.com/#) - [Interns](https://www.virtualinternships.com/interns) - [Apply for Internships](https://www.virtualinternships.com/interns/) - [How It Works](https://www.virtualinternships.com/interns/how-it-works) - [Career Fields](https://www.virtualinternships.com/virtualinternships/career-fields/) - [Experiences](https://www.virtualinternships.com/interns/experience) - [FAQs](https://www.virtualinternships.com/interns/faqs) - Resources - [Blog](https://blog.virtualinternships.com/) - [About Us](https://www.virtualinternships.com/#) - [Our Mission](https://www.virtualinternships.com/our-mission/) - [Our Team](https://www.virtualinternships.com/our-team/) - [Join Us](https://www.virtualinternships.com/join-us/) - [Press](https://www.virtualinternships.com/press/) - [Contact Us](https://www.virtualinternships.com/contact-us/) [Companies](https://blog.virtualinternships.com/tag/companies) [News](https://blog.virtualinternships.com/tag/news) [Universities](https://blog.virtualinternships.com/tag/universities) # What We’re Reading: Short Courses, EdTech & the Future of Higher Ed [Virtual Internships](https://blog.virtualinternships.com/author/virtual-internships) Sep 30, 2024 ---   Welcome to this week’s edition of our Weekly Reading Round-Up! This week, we’ll explore how short courses are driving student success, the evolving role of EdTech in our institutions, and key insights into what higher education might look like by 2035. We’ve prepared concise TL;DR summaries to save you time while keeping you informed on the latest industry insights. Let’s dive in! ## How Short Courses Benefit Student Success [Read on Inside Higher Ed](https://www.insidehighered.com/news/student-success/academic-life/2024/09/20/shortened-college-terms-can-improve-student-outcomes)   **TL;DR:** More colleges are adopting shorter academic terms to enhance student outcomes. Short courses, typically eight weeks long, allow students to take fewer subjects at a time, leading to higher annual credit loads and improved completion rates. These accelerated courses appeal especially to nontraditional students, online learners, and those balancing work with study. Studies suggest that students enrolled in short courses are **20% more likely to complete their degree on time**, thanks to focused learning and better engagement.   **Why Educators Should Care:** However, transitioning to short terms requires significant institutional investment, redesigning curricula, and increased faculty support. While students benefit from focused learning and flexible scheduling, colleges need to align entire programs to the short-course model and provide targeted advising to ensure long-term success.   ## Future of Higher Education [Read on The Chronicle of Higher Education](https://chronicle.brightspotcdn.com/b9/98/d61e27e14ccdb738fd0724cbbcd0/higher-ed-in-2035-free-digital-postchronfest-1.pdf) **TL;DR:** A comprehensive report explores the potential future of higher education in 2035, focusing on hybrid learning, the rise of micro-credentials, and the increased integration of AI. By 2035, 70% of higher education institutions are predicted to incorporate AI into everyday learning environments. **Why Educators Should Care:** As the landscape of higher education evolves, understanding the trends outlined in the comprehensive report is crucial for educators. The anticipated integration of AI and the rise of hybrid learning and micro-credentials will significantly impact teaching methods and student engagement.   ## For a Great Product, Get Your Devs in Front of Customers [Read on Medium](https://medium.com/p/dd9eecf38615) **TL;DR:** The article emphasizes the critical importance of involving developers directly with customers to enhance product development and address the significant gap between customer needs and product offerings. By participating in these activities, developers can better understand user needs, identify and fix issues quickly, and contribute to creating a product that truly resonates with customers.  Why Employers Should Care: Companies that do this have reported a 30% faster product iteration cycle and significant improvements in customer satisfaction. By involving engineers in customer interactions, companies can gain valuable feedback to refine their offerings, improve customer satisfaction, and differentiate themselves from competitors.    ## Your College Major Is Minor Compared to This [Read on Forbes](https://www.forbes.com/sites/brandonbusteed/2024/06/28/your-college-major-is-minor-compared-to-this/) **TL;DR:** Research shows that graduates who complete internships and long-term projects are more likely to be engaged in meaningful work and earn higher wages. Encouraging students to pursue these experiences, regardless of their major, prepares them for non-linear career paths and ensures they are equipped with the skills employers prioritize. Why Employers and Educators Should Care: For educators, it highlights the value of internships, long-term projects, and industry-recognized credentials in enhancing students' job prospects.   ## Edtech in Higher Education: Empirical Findings from the Project ‘Universities and Unicorns: Building Digital Assets in the Higher Education Industry’ [Read on CGHE](https://www.researchcghe.org/publication/edtech-in-higher-education-empirical-findings-from-the-project-universities-and-unicorns-building-digital-assets-in-the-higher-education-industry/) **TL;DR:** while higher education has significantly digitalized, the integration and impact of EdTech solutions are less advanced than often portrayed. Funded by the ESRC, the research examined the interactions among universities, EdTech startups, and investors, focusing on digital user data and operations. Key findings indicate that all parties struggle to derive value from user data, with digitalization leading to increased work and costs for universities.  Why Educators Should Care: Findings show that 85% of universities have embraced digital assets, yet only 40% have fully integrated these tools to enhance learning outcomes. This gap indicates that many institutions are missing out on the full potential of these technologies to improve student engagement and success. By focusing on the effective integration of digital assets, educators can better prepare students for a rapidly evolving job market and ensure that they gain the skills necessary to thrive in their future careers.    ## Sign up to our newsletter for more!   [![Share on facebook](https://7528309.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hub/7528309/hubfs/raw_assets/public/mV0_d-web-default-modules_hubspot/img/facebook-color.png?width=24&name=facebook-color.png)](https://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.virtualinternships.com%2Fweekly-reading-roundup-future-of-higher-ed%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dfacebook) [![Share on linkedin](https://7528302.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hub/7528302/hubfs/raw_assets/public/mV0_d-web-default-modules_hubspot/img/linkedin-color.png?width=24&name=linkedin-color.png)](https://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.virtualinternships.com%2Fweekly-reading-roundup-future-of-higher-ed%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dlinkedin) [![Share on twitter](https://7528304.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hub/7528304/hubfs/raw_assets/public/mV0_d-web-default-modules_hubspot/img/twitter-color.png?width=24&name=twitter-color.png)](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.virtualinternships.com%2Fweekly-reading-roundup-future-of-higher-ed%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&url=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.virtualinternships.com%2Fweekly-reading-roundup-future-of-higher-ed%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&source=tweetbutton&text=) [![Share on pinterest](https://7528311.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hub/7528311/hubfs/raw_assets/public/mV0_d-web-default-modules_hubspot/img/pinterest-color.png?width=24&name=pinterest-color.png)](https://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.virtualinternships.com%2Fweekly-reading-roundup-future-of-higher-ed%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dpinterest&media=) [![Share on email](https://7528311.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hub/7528311/hubfs/raw_assets/public/mV0_d-web-default-modules_hubspot/img/email-color.png?width=24&name=email-color.png)](mailto:?subject=Check+out+https%3A%2F%2Fblog.virtualinternships.com%2Fweekly-reading-roundup-future-of-higher-ed%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail&body=Check+out+https%3A%2F%2Fblog.virtualinternships.com%2Fweekly-reading-roundup-future-of-higher-ed%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail) [Companies](https://blog.virtualinternships.com/tag/companies) [News](https://blog.virtualinternships.com/tag/news) [Universities](https://blog.virtualinternships.com/tag/universities) ## Similar posts Companies ### [What We’re Reading: Higher Ed Costs & Skills Credentials](https://blog.virtualinternships.com/weekly-reading-roundup-middle-skills-credentials) Stay informed with this week’s top stories on layoffs, the evolving job market, AI’s impact on education and hiring, faculty wellbeing, and beyond. 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