The landscape of higher education is facing a time of growing uncertainty. As former vice president and vice principal at King’s College London, Jonathan Grant puts it (2021), universities are living in an “in-between time” while undergoing significant transformations. We are for instance witnessing the emergence of a new power university (De Caro-Barek & Støckert, 2023; Grant, 2021) that is pushing forward to break free from the obsolete chains of New Public Management governance. Some of the new power trends are already beginning to be visible. New power learning is more representative and relevant, it delivers knowledge and skills on demand on digital platforms in a life-long perspective and will lead to more participation in higher education globally (2021). Parallel to this development, we are witnessing an unprecedented technological turn with Artificial Intelligence (AI) revolutionizing higher education through profound digital transformation. AI will enable new processes that enhance learning experiences, streamline administrative tasks, and foster innovative research. As AI continues to evolve, universities must cope with these emerging changes and adapt to harness its potential. At the same time, they must address ethical and organizational issues in the way they govern themselves if they want to survive.

A new, more diverse student body is also entering higher education. The Gen Z generation has not experienced the pre-Internet era and struggles to cope with traditional teaching and learning approaches (Szymkowiak et al., 2021). They are more prone to taking ownership of their learning in more informal settings using new technologies (ibid.), so universities must adapt and find more appropriate strategies to integrate modern technological learning tools in pedagogical practices (ibid.). They also bring forth alternative socio-political and ethical perspectives that challenge the status quo of old theories and ideologies about race and gender in Academia, and in so doing of our place in this world (Kaplan, 2020). In a parallel manner, universities must also accommodate the needs of other types of students at very different life phases, and from a lifelong perspective.

This Research Topic invites theoretical and empirical contributions to explore the implications of recent developments for the future of learning environments within higher education. We seek to engage researchers in a comprehensive discourse to contribute to two distinct streams. The first stream aims to gather researchers to develop papers that delve into the organizational implications for higher education. This includes examining how broader societal changes pose challenges to internal dynamics within higher institutions. Contributions in this stream could analyze trends such as technological advancements, demographic shifts, and evolving educational policies, assessing their impact on governance, curriculum design, and institutional strategies in higher education. The second stream encourages scholars to investigate the evolving nature of university didactics and pedagogy. Contributions here could focus on how teaching methods, learning strategies, and educational technologies are adapting to the needs of a diverse and digitally connected student body. This exploration might include forecasting future trends and implications, such as the integration of artificial intelligence in teaching, the rise of personalized learning experiences, and the challenges and opportunities presented by remote and hybrid learning models.

Both empirical and theoretical contributions are encouraged, with an emphasis on innovative research that bridges the gap between theory and practice. We welcome diverse perspectives and interdisciplinary approaches to shed light on how higher education can evolve and adapt in an ever-changing global landscape. The purpose of this article collection is not only to address the complexity of the themes mentioned above but also to try and offer insights and hopefully, potential solutions and inspiration to pave the way for a university Renaissance from a truly humanistic perspective. We welcome submissions from different subjects and research areas that address, but are not limited to, the following topics:

- The AI Turn in Higher Education: how is AI reshaping learning environments in higher education? What are the implications for knowledge creation and dissemination?

- The university campus: how can universities change the way they build and organize their campuses to guarantee not just learning spaces but inclusive and open places of learning for real sustainable education?

- Organizational Support Systems: how are universities adapting their organizational structures and support systems to accommodate these changes?

- Future Pedagogical Practices: what pedagogical practices will be relevant in the future learning landscape of higher education?

- Lifelong Learning and Microcredentials: how are concepts like lifelong learning and microcredentials influencing the design of learning places in higher education?

- Policies and Regulations: what role do policies and regulations play in shaping the future of learning places in higher education?

Submissions should be original, unpublished work and should provide a clear contribution to the field. Both theoretical and empirical papers are welcome. All submissions will undergo a rigorous peer-review process.

The editors will only accept manuscript submissions after the submission and approval of a manuscript summary.

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Frontiers in Education

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