The Fourth Industrial Revolution in Higher Education

Abstract

The fourth industrial revolution (4IR) is changing all aspects of our lives. Advancements in artificial intelligence, the internet of things, blockchain and robotics are driving the 4IR. In turn, these developments are changing the very foundation of the modern university. We explore two aspects of the 4IR in this chapter, namely how they affect the academic, as well as the infrastructure (assets) dimension of the university. Regarding the academic dimension, we explore issues such as the curriculum and research. The curriculum dimension includes how to structure curricula and configure degree programs to enable the necessary skills for graduates in terms of the 4IR. The research dimension explores how to enhance research culture within the context of the 4IR, including subjects such as the use of crowdsourcing to improve research performance. Regarding infrastructure aspects, we explore how to structure laboratories, classrooms and other assets using developments in 3D printing, virtual reality and augmented reality. The chapter concludes by studying the economic implications of preparing universities for the 4IR.