Abstract:

Universities today are under an enormous amount of criticism and pressure -- and much of it is justified. The educational system we have come to accept is one with a more lackadaisical approach than those in the past. Many educational institutions still adhere to the structures and models developed in the 17th and 18th centuries, instead of evolving in response to new challenges and changing needs. With the accelerating costs of higher education and the rising demands for an educated work force, our educational models must adapt and advance if we are to secure a brighter future.

Ben Nelson’s frustration with his own undergraduate experience led to a determination to reform and develop a new approach to higher education. How can we hold accountable all educational institutions to fulfill their responsibility to prepare students with the intellectual foundation and practical skills that will serve them as graduates and in the jobs of the future? How might we ensure higher education nurtures critical wisdom, so that graduates are prepared to make the decisions of consequence needed to create a better world for us all?