Future U.

Future U. Jeff Selingo and Michael Horn discuss what’s next for higher ed and talk with the newsmakers you want to hear from most.

07/01/2026

Why isn't every college doing this? 🤔

Kettering's President reveals why co-op programs (where students alternate between class and PAID work) aren't everywhere—despite parents demanding ROI.

Hint: It's not about scalability.

Full episode in bio 🎧

19/12/2025

Vanderbilt Chancellor Daniel Diermeier explains the fundamental challenge facing higher education associations like the AAU in leading sector reform. He reveals how deep disagreements among university presidents about the core problems in higher ed have created a leadership vacuum.

Diermeier discusses his philosophical differences with Princeton's Chris Eisgruber, outlining two distinct camps: those who believe universities have drifted from their core purpose and need internal reform, versus those who see attacks from the political right as the primary problem.

While praising the AAU's effectiveness on issues like research funding and financial aid, he explains why institutional neutrality and reform initiatives face resistance when red state publics, blue state publics, and private universities can't align on fundamental questions.

This clip offers rare insight into the behind-the-scenes tensions among elite university leaders and why meaningful reform has been so difficult to achieve in higher education.

18/12/2025

Vanderbilt Chancellor Daniel Diermeier offers a candid take on higher education's challenges in this clip from Future U. While others focus on political battles, Diermeier argues the real issue is deeper: universities have become "too comfortable, period." He discusses how higher ed's complacency extends beyond federal relationships to fundamental questions about institutional mission and purpose.

In this revealing moment, Diermeier explains why he believes universities must stop "waiting things out" and start addressing core issues that have existed across multiple administrations. Rather than getting caught up in political resistance narratives, he advocates for universities to focus on their core mission while thoughtfully engaging with whatever political environment they face.

This perspective comes from someone praised by critics of elite higher education for taking a different approach to campus leadership. Diermeier's comments shed light on why some institutions like Vanderbilt are being seen as models for navigating today's challenging higher education landscape.

For more insights on the future of higher education, subscribe to Future U wherever you get your podcasts. New episodes every week featuring the leaders and thinkers shaping higher education's evolution.

16/12/2025

Vanderbilt Chancellor Daniel Diermeier explains why his university chose to engage in dialogue about Trump's higher education compact rather than joining the widespread resistance. He clarifies that Vanderbilt was never asked to sign the compact but was instead invited to comment on a draft, making their decision to participate in dialogue a natural extension of their commitment to engagement with policymakers at all levels. Diermeier argues that the drama surrounding the compact was overblown and triggered by inaccurate media coverage, while emphasizing Vanderbilt's approach of focusing on the actual decisions they need to make rather than getting caught up in political narratives.

This clip is from Future U's interview with Chancellor Diermeier, where hosts Jeff Selingo and Michael Horn explore how elite universities are navigating the current political landscape and what it means to maintain institutional purpose while engaging with federal policymakers.

🎧 Listen to the full episode for more insights on higher education leadership, institutional neutrality, and the future of research universities.

12/12/2025

Michael Horn challenges the common assumption that liberal arts skills like critical thinking automatically transfer from classroom to workplace. He argues that these skills are domain-specific and explains why universities need structural changes—not just AI adoption—to make liberal arts education more relevant for career success.

Key insights:
• Critical thinking learned in history class doesn't automatically work in business contexts
• Liberal arts skills are actually "baskets of skills" that need intentional design for transferability
• Universities need cross-functional teams to redesign courses, majors, and credit requirements
• Structural innovation matters more than just asking faculty about AI usage

🎙️ NEW Future U Episode: The Road Trip DebriefJeff Selingo & Michael Horn unpack game-changing insights from Butler Univ...
09/12/2025

🎙️ NEW Future U Episode: The Road Trip Debrief

Jeff Selingo & Michael Horn unpack game-changing insights from Butler University and Adobe's higher ed summit:

✨ How Butler created a culture of innovation (spoiler: it's about process, not just ideas)
🤖 Why 60-70% of faculty aren't using AI while students race ahead
💼 The disappearing entry-level job market—and what colleges must do now
📊 Eye-opening data: dozens of well-known colleges face serious financial trouble

Plus their boldest 2026 predictions 🔮

Listen wherever you get your podcasts.

Wishing our Future U community a warm and restful Thanksgiving! 🍂We’re grateful for your support. Stay tuned — we have t...
27/11/2025

Wishing our Future U community a warm and restful Thanksgiving! 🍂

We’re grateful for your support. Stay tuned — we have two more episodes coming your way before the year wraps up!

21/11/2025

Abby Fiorella, a board member at Marymount Manhattan College and alumna of the institution, shares the emotional journey of leading her college through a merger with Northeastern University. She reveals how trustees must "leave space for emotion" while ensuring that feelings don't drive strategic decisions.

Abby's perspective offers rare insight into the trustee experience during one of higher education's most challenging decisions. Her approach of acknowledging emotion while maintaining strategic focus provides a roadmap for other institutions facing similar crossroads.

Episode is made with support from

When Marymount Manhattan College’s board of trustees decided last year to merge with Northeastern University, becoming a...
20/11/2025

When Marymount Manhattan College’s board of trustees decided last year to merge with Northeastern University, becoming a part of that Boston-based university’s global system, the vote was unanimous.

As Jeff and Michael continue their ongoing exploration (some might say obsession) with mergers and acquisitions in higher ed, they talk to one of Marymount Manhattan’s trustees, Abby Fiorella, on this episode to get a board member’s perspective on how mergers can be strategic wins for smaller institutions, as well as key to protecting their core missions.

This episode is made with support from .

14/11/2025

From Future U's live recording at Adobe EduMax 2025, education expert Allison Salisbury shares her perspective on how AI is fundamentally reshaping the role of higher education. She draws a compelling parallel between AI's impact on human agency and creativity to what the printing press did for knowledge access - arguing that this represents an incredible opportunity for educational transformation.

Salisbury emphasizes that the primary goal of higher education should be cultivating human agency among learners, helping students graduate with the self-belief and confidence to create and build collaboratively with both humans and AI. This isn't just about teaching students to use AI tools, but about fundamentally shifting their mindset from passive consumers to active creators who see the world as editable and themselves as builders.

Join hosts Jeff Selingo and Michael Horn as they explore the future of education in an AI-driven world. Don't forget to subscribe for more insights on higher education trends and innovations.

🎙️ What does it mean to be "AI-ready" in 2025?We sat down with three powerhouse voices at EduMax to tackle the questio...
14/11/2025

🎙️ What does it mean to be "AI-ready" in 2025?

We sat down with three powerhouse voices at EduMax to tackle the question reshaping higher education and the workforce.

From NYU's Jennifer Sparrow championing "failure fluency" to 's bold take on the experience gap ("22-year-olds are now expected to perform like 27-year-olds"), to Simon Kho's reality check on why relationships still trump algorithms in business—this conversation cuts through the AI hype to what really matters.

Key takeaways from our live Future U recording:
📚 Liberal arts skills aren't outdated—they're essential
🔄 The shift from consuming AI to creating WITH it changes everything
🎓 Universities need to provide 50% applied learning experiences NOW
💡 Your college brand matters less; your ability to build and communicate matters more
🤝 Human creativity + AI capabilities = the future workforce

The bottom line? In an AI world, our most human skills—creativity, relationship-building, and ethical judgment—become our superpowers.

Swipe through for insights that will change how you think about preparing for an AI-powered future →

🎧 Full episode available wherever you get your podcasts.

When federal policy feels uncertain, states have an unprecedented opportunity to lead. 🎓In our latest episode, we sit do...
05/11/2025

When federal policy feels uncertain, states have an unprecedented opportunity to lead. 🎓

In our latest episode, we sit down with Ruth Watkins from to explore their groundbreaking State Opportunity Index—a framework measuring how well states connect education to employment across five critical areas:

✨ Clear outcomes
✨ Quality coaching
✨ Affordability
✨ Work-based learning
✨ Employer alignment

The numbers tell a compelling story: States invest $129 billion annually in higher ed, yet 30% of college graduates aren't seeing positive ROI within 10 years of graduation. Meanwhile, employers can't find the talent they need.

Our favorite insight? Ruth's reframing of "soft skills" as higher-order skills—because the ability to think critically, solve problems, and work across differences isn't soft at all. In an AI-driven economy, these human capabilities are more valuable than ever.

Jeff and Michael dig into why this moment demands state leadership, how work-based learning is succeeding in unexpected places (looking at you, Iowa and Pennsylvania 👀), and why we need to focus as much on the "I" in ROI as we do the "R."

Link in bio to listen. What role do you think states should play in shaping higher ed's future?

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