Michigan Tech to create new initiatives to plan for the future
In 2018, Michigan Tech engaged in conversations with students, faculty, and staff to create strategic initiatives used to help the university decide where to focus its energy for the future. This first iteration of Tech Forward Initiatives has officially ended. Michigan Tech’s administration will now have to create new initiatives, updated based on past progress and changing expectations for education.
The university set forth Tech Forward Initiatives in 2018 to increase its institutional standing in an emerging era of artificial intelligence technology. The university heard from staff, students, and the wider community to form nine initiatives surrounding the following themes: develop solutions to natural resource, water, and energy problems, build innovative autonomous and intelligent systems, create technological solutions to exchange human health and quality of life, prepare culturally receptive leaders for a diverse world, and redefine education for the next generation.
The community can expect Tech to start similar conversations for the next generation of students and staff. President Richard Koubek wrote in his article “Tomorrow’s Needs: Michigan Tech Reaches an Inflection Point” (Sep. 12, 2024) for Michigan Tech News, “Over the next few months I will be asking leaders from across campus to provide us with thought pieces answering two important questions: In 2035, what will society’s most pressing questions be? And what are Michigan Tech’s best opportunities for answering those questions?”
These leaders responded in a series of seven additional opinion pieces (titles starting with “Tomorrow’s Needs”), answering questions for their respective topics. These topics include water, computing and AI, students, health, energy and the environment, and education.
While not much is known about the current development plans, students will start to see the results of past efforts. Current general education requirements will be replaced for the next class of incoming freshmen with the Essential Education curriculum. This program strives to imbue students with several “Essential Abilities” concerning critical thinking, communication, adaptation, and contribution skills, as stated on Michigan Tech’s website. Tech wants to continue to adapt to the needs of the evolving workforce and maintain its reputation to employers through embracing new educational strategies. This includes more opportunities for remote learning and labs.
As stated by Koubek, a Chronicle of Higher Education article identified the university as likely to be reclassified as a R1 research university (the highest level) after the new requirements are finalized. Additionally, the university developed new programs and hired new directors to support past initiatives. No matter the final initiatives, it’s clear that a Michigan Tech education today will be different from the present one ten years from now.
