AI in Higher Education: Shifting Toward Lifelong Learning

For years, colleges and universities have primarily focused on educating young people and conducting research. However, Northeastern University President Joseph E. Aoun argues that higher education needs to adopt a third focus: lifelong learning. Speaking at the Engineering the Future with Artificial Intelligence event at Saint Joseph University in Beirut, Aoun emphasized that higher education must evolve or risk becoming obsolete in a rapidly changing world.

Aoun, a graduate of Saint Joseph University in Beirut, delivered the keynote address virtually from Northeastern’s Boston campus. He urged higher education institutions to better serve adult learners. “If you move into lifelong learning, you have to customize the offerings to the needs of employers and their future needs, and personalize it to the needs of the individuals,” Aoun said. “This is something that higher education has not done so far.”

Aoun highlighted the importance of rethinking how higher education serves adults who are short on time and seek tangible results. “We have to rethink how we are working with adults who are short on time and want results,” he stated. During the event, Aoun was interviewed by economist and journalist Albert Kostanian before an audience that included engineers, architects, students, scholars, scientists, business leaders, and policymakers.

Aoun discussed the ubiquitous impact of AI and the opportunities it presents. “The impact of AI is being felt on a daily basis everywhere,” Aoun noted. “We don’t have a choice to stop it — no country by itself, no research institution, no one can stop it.” He emphasized that AI is a significant opportunity to transform society.

Northeastern University’s approach to navigating this AI-driven transformation is centered on the concept of humanics, which Aoun defines as the integration of technological, data, and human literacy. This approach enables students to transfer knowledge across domains and adapt to diverse challenges. Aoun highlighted Northeastern’s experiential learning model, which includes co-ops in 146 countries and a commitment to providing lifelong learning opportunities on campuses in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.

Aoun also noted Northeastern’s embrace of over 200 combined majors, underscoring the university’s commitment to preparing students for a rapidly evolving job market. As AI becomes increasingly powerful, Aoun stressed the need for universities to adapt quickly. “Every university should ask itself, ‘Why do students come to us? Is it to get knowledge? I can get knowledge anytime I want now — from AI chatbots, from many things,’” Aoun said. “Students come for a different purpose — to integrate knowledge and to gain the experiential component.”

He concluded that while knowledge is becoming a commodity, the experience is not. “Knowledge is becoming a commodity,” Aoun continued. “But the experience is not.”

By embracing lifelong learning and integrating humanics, higher education can remain relevant and valuable in an AI-driven world.