NuVuX Summit Programming Recap

At the end of September, we hosted our inaugural NuVuX Summit. The event was a gathering of our domestic and international partners, and leading members of the NuVuX community. The event featured panels on the future of learning and work, time for partners to share experiences, and a discussion on how NuVu can continue to push the educational boundaries in the coming decade.  The event was also a celebration of a decade of innovative learning.

Following a keynote speech about ‘The State of the World’ delivered by Meghna Chakrabarti, host of NPR’s On Point, we hosted panel discussions and shared some of the current goings-on in our partner schools. Since the launch of NuVuX in 2015 and its mission to bring studio-based learning and the design process to classrooms of all kinds, the network has successfully delivered the architectural studio model to traditional schools around the world. The NuVuX Summit was the first of its kind to build community and share resources and ideas with one another.

Future of Learning

Carrie Jung, Senior Education Reporter at WBUR moderated a conversation with educational figureheads Rob Riordan and Tony Wagner. The discussion included ideas and projections on the current models of education, and how alternate models will evolve and emerge over the next ten years. Tony and Rob offered insightful knowledge on the intersection of skills, and new kinds of partnerships that must be fostered in education in order for students to succeed in the future. As innovation and technology drives changes in the way industries function, the roles of teachers and students will shift.

Future of Design, Innovation & Technology: Predicting the Next 10 Years

For a discussion on the future of Design, Innovation & Technology, we invited Yihyun Lim, Betsy Goodrich and Ron Witte. The panelists answered poignant questions about the integration of virtual and physical experiences into our daily lives, and how this will transform aspects of our learning, social, work, and family life. Panelists shared examples of how design, innovation and technology serves larger societal goals, in addition to the biggest challenges brought on by new technologies and innovations.

The Global Perspective

The Global Perspective panel was an intriguing and necessary conversation around the greatest impact of globalization thus far, from a social, economic, cultural, and political perspective. The panelists Kate Mytty, Nasser Rabbat, and Joost Bonsen shared examples of work in developing countries and emerging markets focused on innovation and entrepreneurship that has lead to change in more unusual areas. Recognizing the growing economic inequalities worldwide, panelists discussed and challenged the various efforts taken to work with marginalized and low income communities. As interdependence between nations and cities grows, we as a community must consider how changes in one place impact another, in addition to how we connect students and communities from different cultures in a deep and meaningful way.

Future of Work

Rachel Reiser, Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Students at BU’s Questrom School of Business facilitated a discussion with leading executives in marketing, engineering, and health innovation. The panelists included Leslie Forde, Lindsey Bleimes, and Sumit Nagpal. The changing nature of work will affect the type of skills, mindsets and knowledge students should be learning in school. As technology continues to shape our personal and professional lives, work-force readiness will be reframed and redefined. Panelists shared experiences in how companies are blurring the boundaries between industries through their work, and the value of diverse teams in industries that are more and more interconnected.