Universities and the Innovation Landscape

What are universities for? Are they an elite pipeline for elite jobs, or can they meet the needs of societies transforming amid technological advances? Azeem Azhar explores the role of higher education in research, innovation, and progress with Geraint Rees, Dean of Faculty of Life Sciences at University College London and a leader of their AI strategy.

They also discuss:

• How University College London researchers drove the design, approval, and production of a breathing aid for COVID-19 patients in just 6 weeks.
• Why liberal, diverse universities can survive alongside more focused, skills-based institutions.
• Why universities are essential to a healthy startup ecosystem.

@azeem
@ExponentialView
@profgeraintrees

Further resources:

• “Understanding the Enduring Consequences of Covid-19” (Exponential View podcast, 2020)
• “What will education look like in 20 years? Here are 4 scenarios” (World Economic Forum, 2021)