| | November - 20198IN MY OPINIONBy John Wensveen, Ph.D., Vice Provost of Academic Schools, Miami Dade CollegeInnovation and Technology: The Crossroads of Education and IndustryOverviewAcademic institutions and industry have interesting relationships, where they randomly interact but seldom do they commit to permanent collaboration. In the age of mega disruption and acceleration, emerging technologies are often the root cause of separation because there is a frequent disconnect between what academic institutions offer in terms of programming compared to what industry demands. The talent skills gap continues to widen and there is a need for academic institutions and industry to come together in the form of co-invested strategic partnerships. A separation of these entities is not an option and this will be avoided assuming both partners drive technology instead of it driving them. Academic institutions and industry must work collaboratively to fuel innovation resulting in successful application of technology in the learning environment. This includes development of smart campuses, smart classrooms, smart laboratories, smart centers, and smart people. Academic institutions and industry must work in partnership, creating accelerated career pathways for citizens of communities served resulting in job security and financial stability and employers with sustainable business models supported by needed skills. The future is now. What are we doing about it?Trends and Challenges Impacting the Smart Learning Environment The United States is under producing employable talent. Industries are John Wensveen
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