The rise of the ‘non-traditional’ student

By Léo Charbonneau.They are now the majority of students worldwide, their expectations are different, and universities must step up to the challenge or be left behind. Most universities focus on traditional students – those who enter straight from high school, study full-time and live on or near campus. However, non-traditional students – older, part-time and often returning to their education mid-career – are actually the majority of students and their expectations can be very different, said Joseph Aoun, president of Boston’s Northeastern University. “They’re telling us, ‘Things are changing, wake up.’” Read more...