Digitalization and innovation for more sustainable teaching, as well as a stronger connection with the ecosystems of businesses and institutions to shape the higher education of the future. These are the directions for the post-pandemic university that emerged from the 12th edition of Reinventing Higher Education (RHE), an annual conference organized this year by Luiss Guido Carli and IE University of Madrid. Between Monday, November 15 and Tuesday, November 16, the event brought together over 35 experts and influential representatives from academia, the media, and the public and private sectors from more than 25 countries.

Since its launch in 2010, the international RHE forum has aimed to serve as a platform where education leaders can reflect on the state of teaching and research worldwide, and discuss innovations and transformations in teaching models to meet the needs of a constantly evolving job market.

At the opening of the 2021 edition, Luiss Rector Andrea Prencipe and IE University of Madrid President Santiago Iñiguez introduced the major transformations of the post-Covid “new normal” for the world of education. Meanwhile, the Minister of University and Research, Maria Cristina Messa, emphasized that inclusion, lifelong learning, skills, equity, and digitalization are the five essential priorities for developing European inter-university cooperation.

Echoing these sentiments, Francesca Bria, President of the National Innovation Fund-CDP Venture Capital, and Francesco Starace , CEO and General Manager of Enel, emphasized—moderated by Andrew Jack, Global Education Editor of the Financial Times—that the challenge for today’s societies lies in integrating the trajectories of academia, institutions, and the business world. This integration is key to responding to the transformations of a constantly evolving job market, which is increasingly based on collaborative approaches and models.

“During the pandemic, we took a crash course in the future,” said Andrea Prencipe, Rector of Luiss, adding, “As a university, we firmly believe that to handle unforeseen crises and unexpected challenges in the post-Covid era, students must acquire new skills, including through the integration of knowledge and a multidisciplinary approach. This conference, therefore, presents a great opportunity, bringing together academics, institutional leaders, and business leaders to reflect together on innovative educational processes and inquiry-based teaching, encouraging students to tackle real-world problems.”

“Now in its twelfth edition, the ‘Reinventing Higher Education’ conference has become a beacon for the future, bringing together academics, companies, and institutional representatives to discuss ways to collaborate, exchange ideas, and analyze issues so that they can learn from one another. In particular, it aims to plant the seeds of teaching and innovation that will shape the society of tomorrow.” said Santiago Iñiguez, President of IE University, adding: “There’s no doubt that the world has changed dramatically over the past two years, and that’s why higher education will continue to evolve and play a strategic role in strengthening the mindset and critical thinking of managers and entrepreneurs, creating new opportunities for development and growth. At our university, for example, we aim to create space for innovation—both institutionally and academically—to enrich the teaching process.”

The first day then featured a debate among academic representatives from over 20 countries, from Russia to England to Qatar, about new educational networks that are increasingly oriented toward localized internationalization. They also discussed the importance of a “cultural diplomacy” capable of building bridges for dialogue and exchange between countries. Prof. Raffaele Marchetti, Vice-Rector for Internationalization at Luiss, also spoke on the panel “Setting the pace for universities in the new global landscape,” moderated by Anne McElvoy, Senior Editor of The Economist.

The second day of the conference kicked off with the presentation of the study “Future of Universities 2030 and NextGeneration EU’s Impact.” This research, which involved a sample of universities including the American University of Beirut, the University of British Columbia, the University of Edinburgh, King’s College, and IE University in Madrid, highlighted students ’ preference for in-person classes, even though 62% are convinced that hybrid classes will continue.

The importance of education as a tool for continuous growth and a catalyst for social inclusion, cultural cosmopolitanism, and sustainability were the central themes of the keynote address by Ilham Kadri, CEO of Solvay, a chemical industry giant and leader in circular economy processes. In the afternoon, she outlined a new vision for development that views education—including in science and technology— as a key driver in the post-pandemic international landscape.

Presidents from universities around the world—from Argentina to Austria, from Chile to the President of Renmin University in Beijing, China—shared their strategies for integrating the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into course curricula and research activities with representatives from leading international university rankings, including Nunzio Quacquarelli, CEO and founder of QS – Quacquarelli Symonds. The goal: to guide and direct knowledge production to serve new societies that are increasingly international, open, and inclusive.