The Future of Learning: Prof. Michael Smith on Higher Education’s Digital Shift

Prof. Michael D. Smith, Professor of Information Technology and Public Policy at Heinz College and Tepper School of Business, Carnegie Mellon University, shares key insights from his transformative book, The Abundant University: Remaking Higher Education for a Digital World. The Abundant University by Michael D. Smith explores how our current higher education system is financially and morally unsustainable due to its exclusivity and inefficiencies. Smith argues that embracing digital technologies in enrollment, instruction, and credentialing can create a more accessible, inclusive, and sustainable model. He challenges institutional resistance to digital learning and highlights how technology can expand educational opportunities, benefiting students, employers, and society. Prof. Smith holds a PhD in Management Science and Information Technology from MIT’s Sloan School, along with an M.S. in Telecommunications Science and a B.S. in Electrical Engineering (summa cum laude) from the University of Maryland. His research applies economic and statistical methods to analyze firm and consumer behavior in digital markets, with work published in top academic journals and featured in The Harvard Business Review and The Sloan Management Review and press outlets including The Economist, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Wired and Business Week. Professor Smith has received several awards for his teaching, research, and writing including the National Science Foundation’s prestigious CAREER Research Award, the 2009 and 2004 Best Teacher Awards in Carnegie Mellon’s Masters of Information Systems Management program, and the 2024 Frandson Award for Literature for The Abundant University. This podcast is brought to you by Global Management Consultancy. For more information, please visit www.globalmanagementconsultancy.com. Disclaimer: A. The background music used in this video is the property of its respective developer and is protected by Copyright. Although it is a free version, Business Talk, Global Management Consultancy and Deepak Bhatt do not hold the rights to this music. B. Prof. Michael D. Smith has generously shared profound insights from his book, “The Abundant University: Remaking Higher Education for a Digital World,” during his appearance on the Business Talk Podcast Channel. The uploaded video contains copyrighted material; therefore, any modifications to graphics, music, or the presence of the author or host are strictly prohibited.