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What Makes a University Worth Attending? | University Design
In this episode, David J. Staley reads his latest University Design blog article for the Center for Higher Education Leadership and Innovative Practice (CHELIP).
What does it really mean to attend a particular university? During the pandemic, one of Staley's students captured something essential: "I don't feel like I attend the Ohio State University." His frustration reveals a deeper truth about higher education that most metrics and rankings completely miss.
In this article, Staley explores a provocative thesis: universities are in the reputation business, operating on intangible capital rather than tangible assets. Drawing on economic theory from Haskel and Westlake's "Capitalism Without Capital," he argues that the real value of a university lies not in its buildings, publication counts, or job placement statistics, but in something far more elusive—its phenomenology, brand, and ineffable experience.
KEY TOPICS EXPLORED:
- The pandemic's revelation about what students truly value in university attendance
- Why traditional metrics fail to capture institutional value
- How intangible capital defines the modern economy—and universities
- The gap between reputation and current reality at many institutions
- Arizona State's transformation from punchline to innovation leader
- Vanderbilt's satellite campus strategy and the question of whether reputation can transcend place
- What university leaders must understand about phenomenology and brand
ABOUT UNIVERSITY DESIGN:University Design is a blog column by David J. Staley exploring innovative approaches to higher education strategy, structure, and future possibilities. Published through the Center for Higher Education Leadership and Innovative Practice (CHELIP). This podcast features audio readings of selected articles from the column.
AUTHOR/READER:David J. Staley is a historian, futurist, and author focused on the future of higher education and innovation in university design.
READ THE FULL ARTICLE: https://ingeniousu.wpcomstaging.com/
RELATED READING: Haskel, J., & Westlake, S. (2018). Capitalism without capital: The rise of the intangible economy (Paperback ed.). Princeton University Press.
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By Melissa Morriss-Olson
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In this episode, David J. Staley reads his latest University Design blog article for the Center for Higher Education Leadership and Innovative Practice (CHELIP).
What does it really mean to attend a particular university? During the pandemic, one of Staley's students captured something essential: "I don't feel like I attend the Ohio State University." His frustration reveals a deeper truth about higher education that most metrics and rankings completely miss.
In this article, Staley explores a provocative thesis: universities are in the reputation business, operating on intangible capital rather than tangible assets. Drawing on economic theory from Haskel and Westlake's "Capitalism Without Capital," he argues that the real value of a university lies not in its buildings, publication counts, or job placement statistics, but in something far more elusive—its phenomenology, brand, and ineffable experience.
KEY TOPICS EXPLORED:
- The pandemic's revelation about what students truly value in university attendance
- Why traditional metrics fail to capture institutional value
- How intangible capital defines the modern economy—and universities
- The gap between reputation and current reality at many institutions
- Arizona State's transformation from punchline to innovation leader
- Vanderbilt's satellite campus strategy and the question of whether reputation can transcend place
- What university leaders must understand about phenomenology and brand
ABOUT UNIVERSITY DESIGN:University Design is a blog column by David J. Staley exploring innovative approaches to higher education strategy, structure, and future possibilities. Published through the Center for Higher Education Leadership and Innovative Practice (CHELIP). This podcast features audio readings of selected articles from the column.
AUTHOR/READER:David J. Staley is a historian, futurist, and author focused on the future of higher education and innovation in university design.
READ THE FULL ARTICLE: https://ingeniousu.wpcomstaging.com/
RELATED READING: Haskel, J., & Westlake, S. (2018). Capitalism without capital: The rise of the intangible economy (Paperback ed.). Princeton University Press.