What IF... Higher Education Prepared us for Democracy?
Free discussion resources, job post, and grant application closing soon
Dear friends,
What IF… we leaned into the liberal tradition of higher education? What if the primary role of higher education was not simply to train the future workforce, but to educate for democratic citizenship? What if we explored the role higher education plays in supporting citizen-driven democracy?
The future of higher education is increasingly uncertain. What IF… higher education prepared students not only with the knowledge and skills needed for careers, but also with the capacity to navigate a rapidly changing world? Estimates suggest that AI and emerging technologies could displace tens of millions of jobs, including many positions that once required college degrees.
That’s why this week we’re highlighting our facilitation plan, Where Is Higher Education Headed? Keep reading to learn about this resource and others, our grant application, job posting, and upcoming summer trainings.
At the Interactivity Foundation, we abbreviate our name as IF to signal democratic possibility. “What IF…” is our foundational question — one that opens imagination and invites experimentation. Each Wednesday, we offer a bold question and discussion resources designed to expand collective possibility through our What IF Wednesday newsletter.
If you haven’t already, we invite you to subscribe to What IF Wednesday — and share it with a friend. Do you have a topic, question, or resource you would like to share? We’d love to include it in a future newsletter.
With Society Changing, What Are the Impacts On Higher Education?
It’s May, and high school and college students are preparing to graduate. Teachers and professors are grading papers and administering final exams. As the academic year comes to a close, now is a good time to step back and reflect on the purpose of higher education — and where it may be headed.
For generations, society has told young people that obtaining a college degree is essential. Yet the expectations surrounding higher education, and its role in society, are rapidly changing.
Our population is both aging and shrinking, according to the Economic Policy Institute.
Demographic shifts continue to contribute to “brain drain” in many rural communities and states, resulting in shrinking workforces.
Colleges and universities are struggling to meet admissions and recruitment goals.
The cost of obtaining a college degree continues to rise.
For the first time in U.S. history, non-college-educated workers are seeing stronger economic gains than recent college graduates.
When adjusted for inflation, wages for college graduates fell by 5.6% between December 2019 and December 2025, while wages for non-college graduates rose by 1.5%. Slowing wage growth is not the only challenge facing recent graduates. They are also encountering rising unemployment and growing competition from AI in white-collar professions.
Preparing for the Future
As citizens and members of society, it is important to consider how the goals of higher education may challenge our existing beliefs — particularly around the creation of knowledge and the value of learning environments that combine traditional learning with emerging educational technologies.
As we prepare ourselves and future generations for the future, we must ask:
What values should we uphold, and what priorities should higher education address?
What skills, abilities, and experiences should higher education impart to students — and at what cost?
Whose interests does higher education serve, and how are perceptions of its value changing in response to technological disruption and shifting economic realities?
These are deep and profound philosophical questions about the role and future of higher education — questions worthy of collaborative public discussion.
Discussion Resources
Our facilitation plan, Where Is Higher Education Headed?, is organized into three sections:
What Is the Purpose of Higher Education?
Who Is Served by Higher Education?
What Does the Future of Higher Education Look Like?
Here are just a few of the questions explored in the facilitation plan:
What would a society without higher education look like?
How are professional and vocational schools regarded in relation to other forms of higher education?
What can be done to ensure that higher education does not widen social disparities?
How might we embrace technologies to promote engagement, skill-building, and meaningful learning outcomes?
How should we fund higher education in the future?
For those who want to dive deeper into the policy options, check out our Discussion Guide: The Future of Higher Ed, edited by Tim Steffensmeier.
To learn more, download the full discussion guide or visit our IF Resource Library for more facilitation plans and discussion guides.
We Are Hiring a Program Coordinator!
The Program Coordinator is primarily responsible for supporting the Collaborative Discussion Project (CDP) and other IF programming. This coordinator role is responsible for managing digital content and platforms, coordinating communications and outreach, and assisting with program delivery. See full job description here.
This position will remain open until filled. For full consideration, please submit your application by Sunday, June 7th.
Questions can be directed to jes@interactivityfoundation.org, Attn: CDP Program Coordinator Position.
Deadline Friday, May 15th: Apply For Our Collaborative Discussion Project Cohort Grant!
Click here to learn more about our CDP Cohort Grants and apply!
Upcoming Events
Collaborative Discussion Coach Trainings
June 1–5, 2026 | 12:00–3:00 PM Eastern (Virtual) SOLD OUT!
August 21, 2026 | 8:30–4:30 PM Eastern (In-Person, Pittsburgh, PA)
Register for a monthly webinar to learn more about upcoming events and our free resource library of facilitation plans, discussion guides, innovative tools, and collaborative discussion toolkit!
Thursday, May 21, 2026 | 2:00—3:00 PM EST
Thursday, June 18, 2026 | 12:00—1:00 PM EST
Friday, July 24, 2026 | 2:00—3:00 PM EST
Thursday, Aug. 20, 2026 | 12:00—1:00 PM EST
Coming Soon! Apply to become an IF Discussion Club Host (think book club, without the book) $1,000 stipend support.
Do you have ideas for a What IF…newsletter? Do you have discussion resources, events, or programs that you would like us to share? Please reach out to me! I’d love to hear from you. And if you like this newsletter, please share it with a friend.
Thanks,
Scott Vogel, Director of Communications