At a time when the value of higher education is increasingly being questioned, this editorial examines the need to re-position higher education for the future workforce. It argues that higher education itself is not the problem; rather, its prevailing structures may no longer be adequate for the realities of the AI era. The editorial explores the strategies institutions can pursue to survive and remain relevant amid the AI wave. In particular, it considers what structural changes may be necessary, how teaching and learning processes may need to be reimagined, how AI can be integrated to drive pedagogical innovation, and why such changes are essential when viewed in light of the foundational purpose of higher education. Ultimately, the editorial calls for intentional action to transform institutional structures and realign them with that original purpose, with AI serving as an enabler rather than a constraint.
Jafarijoo et al. (2026) studied this question.