This episode is a deep dive into the future of higher education in the age of AI, featuring Scott McKinley, whose career spans finance, global higher education leadership, and Amazon Web Services. The conversation explores the misalignment between traditional academia and rapidly evolving industry needs, how AI can transform both the business and learning sides of education, and why project and team-based experiential learning is essential for preparing graduates. The discussion moves from historical context to bold predictions about hyper-personalised AI mentors (“Obi-Wan Kenobi” for every learner), the importance of lifelong learning, and the consequences of failing to adapt. The episode blends practical insights for business leaders, educators, and policymakers with visionary ideas about innovation, data privacy, and the next wave of AI adoption.

Scott McKinley is a seasoned executive leading global innovation and corporate entrepreneurship in the education field throughout Asia, Europe, and the USA.

He thrives on taking disparate facts, people, markets, and processes and distilling them into differentiated business models that drive sustainable innovation. Several noteworthy examples: Scott co-founded Neumont College of Computer Science (neumont.edu), led strategic and corporate engagement for Cisco’s Internet of Things education program, and led Laureate Education’s entrance into Asia. He has lived and worked outside of the US for 20 years across many Asian countries and in Europe. Scott is the founding partner of McKinley Hodge Group.