The Glass Bead Game

1. The DNA of universities shapes their evolution and resistance to change

"University DNA is not only similar across institutions, it is also highly stable, having evolved over hundreds of years."

Institutional traits persist. Universities have developed common organizational structures, practices and values that are deeply ingrained and resistant to change. These include things like academic departments, tenure systems, and emphasis on research. Even as external pressures mount, universities struggle to fundamentally alter their core DNA.

Change is difficult but possible. While university DNA is stable, it can evolve through intentional efforts. This requires strong leadership, a clear vision for change, and buy-in from key stakeholders like faculty. Successful change often involves:

• Reexamining core assumptions about the university's purpose and operations
• Implementing new organizational structures and incentives
• Leveraging technology and innovative teaching methods
• Balancing preservation of valuable traditions with necessary reforms

2. Harvard's model profoundly influenced American higher education

"As these policies were copied, incompletely, by less prestigious and less resource-rich universities, they had tremendous impact on higher education."

Harvard as the prototype. Harvard pioneered many features that became standard in American universities:

• Elective system of course selection
• Graduate schools and emphasis on research
• Tenure system for faculty
• Comprehensive curriculum across disciplines
• Selective admissions and merit-based scholarships

Widespread but imperfect emulation. Other institutions sought to copy Harvard's successful model, but often lacked the resources to fully replicate it. This led to:

• Mission creep as schools tried to expand beyond their means
• Emphasis on research at the expense of undergraduate teaching
• Rising costs as schools tried to offer everything at its best
• Loss of institutional diversity and unique missions

3. Disruptive innovation threatens traditional universities

"Today, such innovation is within their power. If they cannot find innovative, less costly ways of performing their uniquely valuable functions, they are doomed to decline, high global and national rankings notwithstanding."

Disruptive forces. Traditional universities face increasing competition from new models:

• Online education providers with lower costs
• For-profit institutions focused on career preparation
• Competency-based programs emphasizing skills over credentials
• Free or low-cost massive open online courses (MOOCs)

Adapting is crucial. To remain viable, universities must:

• Embrace technology to enhance learning and reduce costs
• Focus on their unique value proposition and core strengths
• Improve outcomes and demonstrate return on investment
• Innovate in curriculum design and delivery methods
• Partner with employers to ensure relevance of programs

4. BYU-Idaho pioneered a new university model focused on teaching

"BYU-Idaho would continue to be teaching oriented. Effective teaching and advising will be the primary responsibilities of its faculty, who are committed to academic excellence."

Reimagining the university. BYU-Idaho broke from tradition in several ways:

• Eliminating tenure and faculty rank
• Focusing solely on undergraduate education
• Operating year-round to maximize efficiency
• Emphasizing applied learning and internships
• Developing a learning model centered on student engagement

Benefits and challenges. This innovative approach:

• Reduced costs while maintaining educational quality
• Allowed for serving more students with existing resources
• Required faculty to adapt to new roles and expectations
• Faced skepticism from traditional academic circles

5. Online learning and technology are transforming higher education

"Online learning is disruptive at the institutional level—very few universities and colleges will be able to ignore it."

The online revolution. Digital technology is reshaping education through:

• Fully online degree programs
• Blended learning models combining online and face-to-face instruction
• Adaptive learning platforms tailoring content to individual students
• Virtual and augmented reality for immersive experiences
• Data analytics to track student progress and improve outcomes

Implications for universities. The rise of online learning:

• Increases access and flexibility for students
• Challenges the value proposition of residential campuses
• Requires new faculty skills and support structures
• Offers potential for cost savings and scalability
• Raises questions about quality assurance and accreditation

6. Modular curriculum design can improve quality while reducing costs

"Modularity had also been the inspiration for BYU-Idaho's integrated majors, with their associated minors, clusters, and internships."

Rethinking degree programs. Modular design principles can:

• Allow for more flexible and customizable learning paths
• Reduce time-to-degree and wasted credits
• Facilitate interdisciplinary studies and career preparation
• Enable more efficient use of faculty and resources

Implementation strategies:

• Break down traditional majors into smaller, stackable units
• Create interdisciplinary modules addressing specific skills or knowledge areas
• Design clear pathways connecting modules to career outcomes
• Leverage technology to deliver content across modules efficiently

7. Universities must balance tradition and innovation to remain relevant

"Our challenge today is radical reformation. Change at the margins will not do. The choice, it seems to me, is this: Reinvention or extinction."

The innovation imperative. Universities face pressure to:

• Reduce costs and improve affordability
• Demonstrate clear value and outcomes
• Adapt to changing workforce needs
• Compete with new educational models

Preserving core values. While innovating, universities must maintain:

• Academic freedom and intellectual inquiry
• High standards of scholarship and research
• Holistic student development
• Contributions to society beyond job training

Striking the balance. Successful universities will:

• Clearly define their unique mission and strengths
• Selectively adopt new technologies and teaching methods
• Foster a culture of continuous improvement
• Engage stakeholders in the change process
• Measure and communicate their impact effectively

Last updated: January 22, 2025