VIRTUAL: Learning. Life. Work.

Abstract

Institutions of higher education in the 21st century are transforming from traditional centers of learning to being more entrepreneurial in their core business, mimicking more of the modern workplace environment, requiring autonomy in their decision making, and in the way new research and teaching is developed, implemented and transferred in the relationships formed within their respective regions. Flexibility, agility, adaptability creativity and innovation are the new requirements that will enable universities as organizations to respond to new challenges in learning life and work and building these in the graduate attributes they embed in their students. Approaches incorporating Design Thinking and Interdisciplinary pedagogy, with more open cross fertilization within multiple domains are increasingly being acknowledged as appropriate practice to prepare students to face new and shifting paradigms in how they apply their knowledge locally and beyond the discipline as a reflection of ‘real world’ life practice and work to challenges that increasingly have no precedence. The University of South Australia’s through its E25 Initiative has made a commitment to radically realign its curriculum and this paper outlines work in progress on the University’s attempts to rebrand itself as a University of Innovation and Enterprise both in its end-user inspired research outcomes and industry-informed teaching and learning. building a culture and pedagogy reflecting ways that these new approaches can work. through varied methodologies, disciplines and mind sets.