Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

The Economist Events' Second Annual Higher Education Forum Examines Global Macrotrends Shaping Higher Education

  • 08/12/15

NEW YORK CITY – The Economist Events announced that its second annual Higher Education Forum will take place on October 22, 2015 at The Apella in New York City. The conference will bring together experts to explore the global economic macrotrends shaping the higher education industry and identify market opportunities for institutions of higher education to stay competitive during seismic industry shifts.

Chaired by senior editors from The Economist, the Higher Education Forum is a full-day conference designed for a wide range of senior-level decision makers in the field of higher education, public policy, non-profits and private employers that have a vested interest in developing and accessing a skilled workforce for the foreseeable future.

“As demand for higher education continues to rise across the world, U.S. universities must reinvent higher education in order to meet economic demands and remain a global education leader,” says Anne McElvoy, Higher Education Forum chairperson and senior editor for The Economist.

From big data to bootcamps and nanodegrees, the forum will address how institutions of higher education are adapting their models to think globally, act locally, delivering on the promise of economic mobility and emerging as industry leaders.

Featured topics include:

  • Perspectives on the future of higher education and work
  • Lessons from abroad
  • Quantifying student outcomes
  • The future of alternative credentialing
  • Big data on campus

Some confirmed speakers include:

Allen Blue, Vice president of product management and co-founder, LinkedIn
Stan Litow, President, IBM Foundation
Dale Stephens, Founder of UnCollege.org and author, “Hacking Your Education”
Haiyan Wang, Managing partner, China India Institute
Harry Patrinos, Manager, education, World Bank
Mike Metzger, Chief executive, PayScale
Robert Mendenhall, President and chief executive, Western Governors University
Stephanie Bell-Rose, Senior managing director and head, TIAA-CREF Institute
Thomas Leppert, Chief executive, Kaplan

Arizona State University and 2U are platinum sponsors. American Councils for International Education, Association for the Study of Higher Education (ASHE), Cross-border Education Research Team (C-BERT), Council of Colleges of Arts & Sciences (CCAS) and Ellevate Network are supporting associations of the Higher Education Forum.

For more information on the program, speakers or to register for the event, delegates can visit econ.st/1G3xBKy

Join the conversation and connect with attendees and speakers on Twitter via #HigherEdForum 

About The Economist (www.economist.com)
With a growing global circulation (approximately 1.6 million including both print and digital) and a reputation for insightful analysis and perspective on every aspect of world events, The Economist is one of the most widely recognized and well-read current affairs publications. The paper covers politics, business, science and technology, and books and arts, concluding each week with the obituary. Its website offers articles from the past 10 years, in addition to web-only content such as blogs, debates and audio/video programs. The Economist is now available to download for reading on Android, iPhone or iPad devices.

Featured

  • Can AI Help Build Stronger Communities in Student Housing?

    Student housing success is shifting from operational performance to student experience, with belonging now at the center. A recent 2025 report underscores a growing emphasis on student well-being, community, and engagement, signaling that expectations now extend beyond logistics to ensure students feel supported in their living environments. AI is enabling that shift by reducing administrative workload and giving teams more time to focus on meaningful student engagement.

  • Photo credit - Chuck Coates

    Florida District Modernizes Central Energy Plants at Two High Schools

    Flagler Schools, a public school district in Flagler County, Fla., recently partnered with Matern Professional Engineering to modernize the central energy plants at two of its high schools, according to a news release. The project is part of a larger, district-wide effort to reduce energy costs and operational expenses.

  • Dallas ISD Voters Approve $6.2B Bond Package

    Dallas ISD voters have approved a record-setting $6.2-billion bond package that district leaders say will modernize aging campuses, eliminate portable classrooms and reshape learning environments across one of the nation’s largest school systems.

  • Quattrocchi Kwok Architects Opens New Office in Denver

    Education planning and design firm Quattrocchi Kwok Architects (QKA) recently announced that it has opened a new office in Denver, Colo., the firm’s third overall. QKA is headquartered in Santa Rosa, Calif., and runs an East Bay Area office in Oakland.