Singapore did something to combat the rise of China and that’s why they are where they are today. They have positioned themselves as a financial center and an educational center, but they are just a pimple on the very edge of Asia. Their rise is partly as a result of fall of the 20th century superpowers of the USA, Europe and Japan. If these super powers weren’t drowning in debt then Singapore wouldn’t be as important on earth as it is today. It is very possible that Shanghai and Singapore will be the leading financial centers on earth very soon.

Before it seems foreign universities flocked to setup in Singapore, but now I think the flocking is to China. They have to flock from the dying 20th century superpowers to survive. And the only places to go are cina, the near east, the middle east, the eastern bloc and a few out of the way locations that no body wants to go to. Now Russia might be the next education center competing with China, or more likely they will be working together.

In the dying 20th century superpowers, universities lived of government funding and government guaranteed student loans. So the price tag on education kept increasing, and that’s priced them out of the market place. Now if you’d like an education it’s cheaper to leave the dying 20th century superpowers, except Germany, and head to the East. There you are able to learn the language for the future in addition to get a degree. And in the event that you play it right you may get a scholarship from their government, or your government as could be the case in NZ.

Then you can certainly remain on and work in one of the 21st century superpowers.

Now the biggest change hitting mankind considering that the printing press or fire for example, is heading to a university near you. And when it gets there, change could be the word. Will the universities of the 20th century upgrade or downsize, or go extinct to accommodate the newest generation. The generation who have been raised in front of a display, in cyber space. The generation who are able to get what they want at the click of a mouse, or the touch of a screen. Are they likely to go to a physical campus or a digital campus? Are their internet friends who they have never met likely to influence them to go to a virtual campus. Or will their classmates from school drag them off to a physical campus. Only time will tell.

MOOCs are an introduction to courses at a physical university, but they are also an introduction to the virtual university world of the future. And they introduce the MOOCers as to the they can do in cyber space. Exactly how many MOOCers will now attempt an on the web university in place of likely to a physical campus. The change MOOCs are inflicting on the long run hasn’t got here yet, not surprising they have only existed for several years. Let them have time.

Now with the after affects of the 2020 pandemic still with us. Where lots of graduates still haven’t got jobs, maybe the mindset of enter into university at any cost is no more relevant. And cost could be the factor and so could be the major. World Class University So where can you receive a top notch education at a cost you are able to afford. Try likely to the East or cyberspace. It is still cheaper to attend the East now, but that might change as the internet generation comes of age. Also as universities have priced themselves out of the market place and the half-life of what you learn at university is getting shorter, why head to university. All that’s necessary is a diploma in a certain subject and you have access to a job. Better still obtain the diploma while you are working. Not four years later and anything from $20,000 to over $100,000 in debt. And when companies accept MOOCs on a CV then education is free, anyway so far.

Peter Legrove is along the way of writing a new book. One of his other books in education is about teaching your children to see using phonics and Montessori sandpaper letters. This book is about MOOCs, what they are, how to complete them, and the consequence they might have on the future of education as we realize it. This web site is (c) Copyright Peter LeGrove 2020, All Rights Reserved