Hi everyone,
Tiffany here.
As a reminder, Focus Friday is happening Today! April 17th! 12:30-1:30 EST. This week, we’re turning to another area where institutions are navigating rapid change: the future of online and distance learning.
Over the past few years, institutions have been expanding their offerings, invested in digital infrastructure, and experimented with new delivery models and yet questions remain about what students actually want, what “flexibility” really means in practice, and how institutions can build models that are both high-quality and sustainable.
To help us unpack what the current and future landscape of online and distance education may look like, I’ll be joined by Graeme Owens from Boreal Education. Graeme works directly with institutions on digital learning strategy, program development, and partnership models, bringing a practical perspective on what’s working, what’s shifting, and where this space may be heading.
You can join the conversation here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tbHLi1lVQGOgQYTHKNnodw#/registration
Looking Back
Two weeks ago, our Focus Friday conversation turned to a topic that continues to generate a lot of interest: how post-secondary institutions and industry actually work together. Joined by Lindsey Fair (Invest Ottawa), the discussion explored not just what these partnerships look like, but why they so often feel more difficult than they should.
A central theme throughout the conversation was that while universities and industry partner frequently, they also tend to misunderstand each other just as reliably. These misunderstandings are less about disagreement and more about fundamentally different ways of operating. Industry is often driven by short timelines and immediate outcomes, while institutions are working across longer horizons, balancing education, research, and broader societal impact. Even shared language like “impact” or “value” can mean very different things on each side.
These differences become most visible when partnerships are formed without a clear, shared understanding of purpose. While both sides may point to similar goals, their underlying motivations can diverge, leading to partnerships that drift over time. This is often compounded by structural challenges, including misaligned incentives and processes that treat partnerships as add-ons rather than something built into the design of work from the outset.
At the same time, the discussion highlighted what more effective partnerships can look like. Successful examples tended to start with a clearly defined problem, align incentives across participants, and include some form of “translation layer”: people who understand both institutional and industry contexts and can bridge the gap between them.
Work-integrated learning and student employment also emerged as key areas of opportunity, though not without tension. Employers are looking for talent that can contribute quickly, while institutions are focused on learning and development. Bridging this gap requires designing experiences where students can demonstrate real capability, and where employers see clear value in participating.
The conversation also raised an important question about institutional roles. Colleges and polytechnics, which were designed to meet labour market needs, often find it more straightforward to engage with industry. Universities, however, were not originally built for this purpose, and continue to play a distinct role in advancing longer-term, foundational knowledge. As expectations shift, there is a growing question about how to balance these roles without losing what makes each type of institution unique.
The conversation ultimately returned to a simple idea: partnerships work best when they are intentional. When treated as a universal expectation, they can become fragile; when approached as a targeted capability, they can create real value.
You can watch the recording of this Focus Friday on HESA’s YouTube Channel here: https://www.youtube.com/@HigherEdStrategy
