News stories about college rankings always catch my eye. I am always eager to see how my Alma Mater (University of Wisconsin) compares to lesser -- I mean other schools.
A recent article posted on Bloomberg.com compared ROI of top Universities. ROI is a term bandied about in education a lot lately. Colleges and universities are faced with the economic reality that a student is not guaranteed to make a living just because they hold a degree.
Business leaders know that an employee is not guaranteed to be a top performer just because they hold a degree. Education is important. Learning is more important. Performing is most important.
When universities measure their ROI, they should consider Lifelong Learning as part of the formula. They should consider graduate school attendance, but more importantly, they should evaluate whether or not the student is continually honing their skills -- taking classes, attending seminars, participating in industry associations. This type of learning makes the difference in performance. Top performers earn the best incomes.
If a student graduates with the mindset that they will always be learners, their ROI will be high indeed.
