In a recent blog from Future Shapers’ Richard Hames (https://thefutureshapers.com/the-ivory-tower/), he speculates on the future of higher education in the light of the monumental changes in education accelerated by the Covid-19 pandemic. Reading this article, it became clear that the success of the new BGU PhD program illustrates many of his points. In our first year we admitted 25+ students, with our first learner already beginning their research. I want to reflect on BGU’s new PhD program using topics suggested by Hames, showing that we were … [Read more...]
BGU’s newest program is 1-year old! – Reflections on the PhD in Innovative Urban Leadership.
Around the World in 8 Weeks
The World is Flat by Thomas Friedman is undoubtedly my favorite reading resource during my many courses in BGU. I remember being greeted in 2009 by these lines on the introductory page “Why go through all the trouble of writing a second expanded and updated version of The World Is Flat only a year after the first expanded version was published and a mere two years after the original? I can offer a very brief answer: because I could and because I had to. Precisely because of the powerful technological forces detailed in this book (emphasis … [Read more...]
January 2021 Ice Age Course
The world is facing so many unique leadership challenges related to the impact of the pandemic. BGU has been adjusting in significant ways, and one way that we responded was by forming a new class called Transformational Strategies for the Ice Age* that was taught during the July 2020 module. The course was successful at equipping leaders to change course during these trying times that we’re living through. 17 leaders from Ethiopia, Kenya, Jamaica, South Africa, Guatemala, Haiti, and the United States produced some incredible projects that … [Read more...]
2021 BGU Urban Immersions
With so many travel restrictions around the world, BGU’s signature urban immersion courses have been significantly impacted in 2020. Just like so many other institutions, BGU has had to pivot by adjusting urban immersion dates and through seeking out new ways to innovatively deliver the world class leadership training that we offer. I am actually very excited about the urban immersion opportunities that we’re planning to offer in 2021. We are hoping and praying that global travel will begin to open up in this coming year. We’ll continue to … [Read more...]
BGU was Zooming before Zoom was The Thing
BGU was Zooming before Zoom was The Thing: Now is Not A Time to Rest on One’s Laurels Many schools have been forced to use Zoom as a crisis strategy during COVID-19. BGU has been using Zoom and other video-conferencing technologies before Zoom as a central strategy for ten years. Zoom was essential to BGU’s mission to create cross-cultural learning environments before COVID. BGU students don’t just study ABOUT the world, they study WITH the world often with peers from 5 to 10 time zones in each of their classes. With 70% of BGU student … [Read more...]
