Bryan Alexander is an internationally known futurist, researcher, writer, speaker, consultant, and teacher, working in the field of how technology transforms education.
Bryan taught literature, writing, multimedia, and information technology studies at
Centenary College of Louisiana, where he pioneered multi-campus interdisciplinary classes, while organizing an information literacy initiative.
From 2002 to 2014, Bryan worked with the National Institute for Technology in Liberal Education (NITLE), a non-profit working to help small colleges and universities best integrate digital technologies. With NITLE, he held several roles, including co-director of a regional education and technology center, director of emerging technologies, and senior fellow. Over those years Bryan helped develop and support the nonprofit, grew peer networks, consulted, and conducted a sustained research agenda.
In 2013 Bryan launched a business,
Bryan Alexander Consulting, LLC. Through BAC he consults throughout higher education in the United States and abroad.
This session will begin by developing present-day trends likely to shape higher education's futures. They include trends from outside the academy that nonetheless impact universities, including forces from demographics, macroeconomics, culture, policy, and geopolitics. Technological change drivers receive particular attention, from 3d printing to digital video, artificial intelligence, and the rapidly changing device ecosystem.
We then shift to explore trends within higher education. These include changes in enrollment, finance, and equity. They also include the intersection of education with technology.
The session concludes by presenting several scenarios for future universities.
