Envisioning the Future of Christian Higher Education: Leadership for Embracing, Engaging, and Executing in a Changing Landscape

ABSTRACT

The focus of this article centers on three specific themes of disruption that are likely to affect the future of Christian higher education. The first theme examines the juxtaposition of faith-based institutional identity and its influence on a post-modern society. The second theme explores the disaggregation of traditional faculty functions and the impact on student learning and institutional effectiveness. The last theme addresses changing student demographics and the associated expectations of this post-traditional population. The magnitude and complexity of these themes requires dynamic and flexible leadership at the board, administrative, and faculty levels. This article distinguishes between disruptive and technical change, and identifies how each approach impacts the unique social concerns facing faith-based institutions today. The article concludes by proposing new models of institutional collaboration and innovative cultures of learning that will meet the pragmatic need for institutional efficiency and effectiveness.