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The future needs skills: universities in the changing digital age
On March 21, 2025, the BTU Cottbus invites you to events about Future Skills. The aim is to further educate university staff.
The future needs skills: universities in the changing digital age
The BTU Center for Scientific Continuing Education recently published its continuing education program for the summer semester and invites all employees to expand their skills. There is a clear focus on the so-called Future skills, which are becoming increasingly important in research, teaching and administration. Important topics this semester include digital transformation, sustainable work and agile methods.
Universities increasingly have to deal with the changing conditions and complex problems of today. In this context, future skills are cross-industry requirements that are intended to enable future workers to operate effectively in a dynamic work environment. The Information, Communication and Media Center (IKMZ) and the Center for Scientific Continuing Education (ZWW) have been working together with this objective in the “Future Skill Readiness” project since 2023.
Initiatives to improve the education system
In addition to the work of the BTU, the Future mission education, a joint initiative of the Stifterverband and its partners, plays a crucial role. Its goal is to improve the education system and equip more people with the necessary skills, especially in the wake of transformation processes such as digitalization and artificial intelligence. These developments require new skills that are currently not sufficiently taught at universities and educational institutions.
One specific project is the Alliance for Future Skills, which will start in October 2024. This initiative aims to significantly increase the proportion of universities that integrate AI competencies and future skills into their educational offerings. Those interested can get involved in one of four thematic task forces or in the “Future Skills in the World of Work” forum.
Current challenges in the education sector
The challenges in the education sector should not be underestimated. The 2017 Higher Education Index shows that the German higher education landscape achieved only 46 points on a scale of 0 to 100, with a modest increase of 5 points year-on-year. While the field of international education was able to exceed the target of 70 points with 75 points, progress in other areas such as vocational-academic education and teacher training falls short of expectations.
| Field of action | Points 2017 |
|---|---|
| International education | 75 |
| Equitable education | 47 |
| Vocational and academic education | 40 |
| STEM education | 41 |
| Teacher education | 30 |
| Quaternary education | 31 |
The persistently low proportion of students in part-time, distance learning or further education courses as well as the decline in further education master's courses raise alarming questions. To date, the needs of the world of work have increased significantly due to digital innovations and changes in employment activities, while further training in the education system is making only slow progress.
This makes it all the more important that feedback and participation in further training courses are actively requested. This is the only way those affected can work together to develop a modern educational offering that meets the requirements of a rapidly changing working environment. Although the upcoming changes create challenges, they also offer opportunities for further training and the development of future skills.