Global Higher Education and VUCA – Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, Ambiguity

Abstract

VUCA describes today's chaotic, turbulent, and rapidly changing education environment, which is the new educational normal. VUCA; volatility, uncertainty, complexity, ambiguity, terms coined for the military world also describes today's education world. As a result, educational leaders face the uncertainty of workforce reductions and budget cuts affecting the process of increasing student performance. In addition, rapid changes in technology are constant and ambiguity reigns as mandates for change increase In today's education world VUCA, the chaotic “new normal” is real. The financial crisis of 2008-2009, for example, rendered many businesses obsolete, and organizations throughout the world were plunged into turbulent economic environments. At the same time, rapid changes marched forward as technological developments like social media exploded, the world's population continued to simultaneously grow and age, and global disasters disrupted lives, economies, and businesses. In the new normal, higher education institutions are caught in a critically demanding and increasing unknown present and future characterized by volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity.

Toward an inclusive digital economy for all: Perspectives from an intersectional feminist social work lens

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Instruction Using Social Media in Global Higher Education

“…Persuading some global universities to allow educational access to social media tools has been an issue in many countries (Lemoine, Hackett, & Richardson, 2017b). Educators and researchers support the need to provide for the appropriate use of technology in classrooms (Bugawa & Mirzal, 2018;Chernikova & Varonis, 2016), but some global university faculty members are reluctant to use social media when it is not a familiar tool or if they are hesitant to try new learning approaches (Bernard, Borokhovski, Schmid, Tamim, & Abrami, 2014).…”

The Development of Global Higher Education in a World of Transformation

“…In this era of VUCA (volatility, uncertainty, complexity, ambiguity) a term coined for the military world also describes today's higher education environment. VUCA describes the chaotic, turbulent, and rapidly changing education atmosphere, which some have suggested as the new normal for higher education and indeed for society (Lemoine, Hackett, & Richardson, 2016b). Globalization has also created many VUCA factors because it entails the formation of world-wide markets operating in real time in common financial systems with unprecedented levels of foreign direct investment and cross-border mobility of production and people (Bosire & Amimo, 2017).…”