Learning Ecologies: Can the City Be Our Classroom?

Johns Hopkins Fast Forward Innovation Hub encourages “tinkering” to accelerate commercialization of ideas. (Alan Karchmer photography.)

Over the past few months, Gensler San Francisco’s EDU 2.0 group, a cohort of emerging designers, strategists and leaders in the Education practice area, hosted a series of three roundtable discussions around the experiential learning trend and what it means for educational institutions and cities.

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Incubating Entrepreneurs at UC San Diego’s Basement

The Basement at UCSD before and after, Image © Gensler

It’s been over a year since Gensler helped UC San Diego transform an underutilized rehearsal studio into a thriving campus hub for burgeoning student entrepreneurs. Dubbed “the Basement” by Armin Afsahi, UC San Diego’s then chief alumni officer who sponsored the initiative, this once overlooked space now brings students, alumni and local business leaders together to nurture new enterprise and spur innovation. Gensler’s Tom Heffernan recently spoke with Gloria Negrete, the Basement’s Director of Planning and Strategic Initiatives, to find out how things are going.

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Preparing Students for 21st Century Jobs

Students at work in the new Applied Science Center at Ventura College. Image © Gensler

The labor market continues to demand a more skilled workforce, and it is estimated that by 2020, 65 percent of job openings will require some level of post-secondary education. While demand is growing for middle-skill workers, the number of graduates at this level does not meet the need and has resulted in a growing “skills gap.” Community Colleges are positioned to fill this gap by providing employers with a better skilled workforce while restoring economic opportunity for more workers.

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The New Wave: Innovative Learning Environments

The Garage at Northwestern, Image: Garrett Rowland.

Innovative learning environments have hit the mainstream in recent years - academic incubators and their ensuing culture of entrepreneurship and innovation are emerging on campuses globally. These spaces are playing a large part in the evolution of today’s education environments and have become a powerful tool for learning, collaboration and institutional student yield. Colleges and universities are competing to keep up with this trend and meet the modern student’s needs for success.

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Academic Incubators: The New Student Union

Garage at Northwestern. Image: Garrett Rowland.

Millennials are looking to Gather for Meaning

The student union has always been a college campus’s shared environment. It’s where students gather and a sense of community is fostered. Student unions historically offered leisure activities like bowling, movie night or student government offices, but today’s students are looking for more. They want to unite for something meaningful – not just for themselves, but for the benefit of their communities. Universities are filling this void with innovation centers and academic incubators.

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