The IAUP and Microsoft realize the significant changes happening in higher education around the world.  Driven in part by the current economic situation, globalization of education, the consumerization of IT, and “digital natives” as the majority student body, universities are experiencing profound challenges related to financing, changes in pedagogy, and the pressure to link outcomes to local economic drivers.

As in the rest of the modern economy, many universities are turning to technology to help them with their key work loads of teaching, research and administration.  But given their special missions, they are not able to wholesale adopt commercial technologies to their environment.

10To address these needs, the IAUP and Microsoft have partnered to provide “Academic Summits” where we and our partners (such as Nuventive) address the problems or opportunities top of mind for senior campus leaders.  We accomplish this by having sessions with three components.  First, we open with a university presenting the issue and the business case.  Second, we or a partner presents how technology was applied as a solution.  Third, we have round table discussions among the attendees in order to engage with them on actions steps to apply the solutions to their own campus.

The IAUP has commissioned a standing task force to assist with the planning and deployment of Academic Summits.   Based on the advice of the task force at the Triennial meeting in NYC, Microsoft conducted Academic Summits in five locations around the world in the previous calendar year (see below). IAUP President, Dr. Neal King, has keynoted at the Washington, D.C. and Redmond, WA (March 8 & 9, 2012) meetings.

The Academic Summits are co-hosted by Microsoft, IAUP and a local university. IAUP welcome the input from the Academic Task Force, as well as the general IAUP membership, where they should be conducted in the future.  In addition, suggestions for a program agenda specifically tailored to University Presidents are welcomed.

Teacher Education Initiative

Although not a standing IAUP Task Force, Microsoft has invited the IAUP President, Dr. Neal King, to serve on its Faculty Advisory Board for its Partners in Learning “Teacher Education Initiative.”

It is commonly accepted that new teachers will primarily adopt the pedagogical approaches used by respected faculty members during their educational experience.  Once individuals begin their own academic careers adopting new technologies and new pedagogical approaches is exceedingly difficult, due to the time and resource demands placed on these new teachers. For new teachers to fully utilize cutting edge technologies, they need to see those technologies in use while they are themselves students.

The purpose of this initiative is to design and then launch a professional development workshop for university school of education faculty in order for them to more systemically use, as well as teach the use of, technology to pre-service teachers.  The ultimate goal is to prepare teachers in the appropriate use of technology during their educational programs by having those future teachers see the effective educational use of that same technology.
We are partnering with faculty members from elite universities around the world to develop this two day workshop for faculty.  Each institution will send 1 – 3 faculty members to be part of the “Faculty Advisory Board.”  They will help to create the workshop syllabi and they will facilitate the first series of workshops.

For those IAUP institutions with Schools of Education, this initiative may be of interest and they may wish to consider adoption of the professional development workshop.