Beyond Prestige: Reimagining Higher Education in the Age of AI

By Dr. Jian Zhang

This morning, I read an article in The Atlantic that questioned one of the most enduring

assumptions in higher education—that the world's most prestigious universities will always

remain the most influential.

The article argued that demographic shifts, rising tuition, artificial intelligence, changing

workforce expectations, and growing public scrutiny are forcing higher education into a period of profound transformation.

As I finished reading, I found myself nodding in agreement.

Not because I believe prestigious universities are losing their value.

Rather, because I believe we have reached a moment when we must rethink the purpose of

higher education itself.

For more than thirty years, one of the questions I have been asked most often is: "Where should my child go to college?"

For many families, the answer has traditionally centered on rankings, reputation, and prestige.

Those factors certainly matter.

But I believe they are no longer enough.

When the Question Became Personal

Recently, my own daughter faced one of the most important decisions of her academic journey.

She narrowed her Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) choices to two extraordinary institutions:

Johns Hopkins University and the University of California, San Francisco.

Both programs are exceptional.

Both educate outstanding healthcare leaders.

As our family discussed the decision, I realized that prestige alone could not answer the question.

Instead, we asked ourselves: Which environment will best help her become the leader she hopes to be?

That is a very different conversation.

Choosing a university is not simply choosing a brand.

It is choosing an environment where people grow intellectually, professionally, and personally.

Prestige may open doors.

Purpose shapes lives.

Education Remains Essential—But Learning Is Changing

Higher education transformed my own life.

Growing up in rural China, I could never have imagined studying in the United States, becoming a professor, leading a century-old hospital, or serving on a university board.

Education made those opportunities possible.

That belief has never changed.

What has changed is how we learn.

Artificial intelligence is making knowledge more accessible than ever before.

Information that once required years of study can now be found within seconds.

If information is becoming increasingly available, universities must provide something that

technology alone cannot.

They must cultivate:

• Wisdom.

• Judgment.

• Character.

• Leadership.

• Creativity.

• Ethical decision-making.

• The capacity to learn continuously throughout life.

The future value of higher education is no longer measured by how much information students memorize.

It will be measured by how well universities help students become thoughtful, compassionate, adaptable leaders.

Higher Education Must Become More People-Centered

Throughout my career in healthcare, I have witnessed an important transformation.

Healthcare has evolved from being provider-centered to becoming increasingly patient-centered.

Every major innovation begins by asking one question: What is best for the patient?

I believe higher education is approaching a similar moment.

Instead of designing education primarily around institutions, traditions, or disciplines, we should begin with people:

• Students.

• Faculty.

• Parents.

• Employers.

• Alumni.

• Communities.

• Professional organizations.

• Public policymakers.

Every stakeholder has valuable perspectives that should help shape the future of higher

education.

Universities should not simply prepare students for graduation.

They should prepare them for lifelong learning, meaningful careers, responsible citizenship, and lives of purpose.

AI Should Make Education More Human

Some people worry that artificial intelligence will diminish education.

I believe it presents an extraordinary opportunity.

AI can personalize learning.

Provide immediate feedback.

Reduce repetitive administrative work.

Allow faculty to spend more time mentoring students.

Technology should never replace human relationships.

It should strengthen them.

The purpose of AI is not to make education less human, but more.

Why I Joined the University of San Francisco Board of Trustees

As I reflected on this morning's article, I realized it also reaffirmed why I accepted the

opportunity to serve on the Board of Trustees at the University of San Francisco.

Throughout my career, I have served healthcare in many roles—as a clinician, educator,

executive, professor, and board director.

One lesson has remained constant.

Great institutions do not thrive simply because they have a proud history.

They thrive because they continually evolve while remaining faithful to their mission.

I believe higher education stands at one of those defining moments.

Universities must continue to honor their traditions while embracing innovation.

They must preserve academic excellence while responding to the changing needs of students and society.

As a trustee, I hope to contribute my experience in healthcare leadership, governance,

organizational transformation, and innovation.

More importantly, I hope to help shape a vision of higher education that remains deeply human in an age increasingly shaped by technology.

Beyond Prestige

The article I read this morning asked whether today's most prestigious universities will remain the leaders of tomorrow.

That is an important question.

But I believe there is an even more important one: How do we design higher education so that every learner has the opportunity to discover purpose, develop character, and reach his or her fullest potential?

Education has never been about preserving institutional prestige.

It has always been about transforming lives.

The universities that will shape the future are not simply those with the strongest brands.

They are the ones that inspire curiosity, cultivate wisdom, embrace innovation, and empower

every student to become a leader capable of making the world better.

That is the future of higher education.

And it is a future I am honored to help build.

~~~

超越名校：AI时代，我们需要重新定义高等教育

今天早晨，我读到《The Atlantic》上一篇关于高等教育的文章。

文章提出了一个值得深思的问题：

在快速变化的时代，今天最具声望的大学，未来是否还能持续保持领先地位？

作者认为，人口结构变化、学费持续上涨、人工智能迅速发展、就业市场不断演变，以及

社会对大学价值的重新审视，都正在推动高等教育进入一个全新的时代。

读完文章，我深有同感。

并不是因为我认为名校已经不重要。

恰恰相反，我认为真正需要重新思考的，不是哪一所大学最好，而是——

未来的大学，究竟应该培养什么样的人？

一个我回答了三十多年的问题

三十多年来，无论是在大学任教、担任医院行政总裁，还是指导青年人才，经常有人问我

同一个问题：

"我的孩子应该读哪一所大学？"

过去，人们首先想到的是排名。

是名气。

是学校的品牌。

这些因素当然重要。

但今天，它们已经不足以回答这个问题。

最近，这个问题也发生在我自己的家庭。

我的女儿申请护理博士（DNP）项目，最终在两所世界一流大学之间作出选择——约翰·

霍普金斯大学和加州大学旧金山分校（UCSF）。

两所学校都十分优秀。

真正让我们反复讨论的，却不是哪一所排名更高。

而是：哪一个学习环境，更能够帮助她成长为自己希望成为的医疗领导者？

那一刻，我更加确信：

选择大学，不只是选择一所学校。更是在选择一种成长的环境。

名校可以打开机会之门。真正决定人生高度的，是在那里成长为什么样的人。

教育的重要性从未改变

教育改变了我的人生。

如果没有教育，我不会从广东揭西农村走进中山医科大学。

不会来到美国继续深造。

不会成为教授、医院CEO，也不会有机会担任大学董事会成员。

因此，我始终相信：教育，是人生最重要的投资之一。

但是，教育的重要性没有改变。改变的是学习方式。

AI正在以前所未有的速度改变知识获取。

未来，知识本身将越来越容易获得。

如果知识不再稀缺，那么大学真正的价值是什么？

我认为，是培养AI无法替代的能力。

 智慧。

 判断力。

 品格。

 领导力。

 创造力。

 伦理思维。

 以及终身学习的能力。

未来大学培养的不应只是知识拥有者。

更应该培养能够创造价值、引领未来的人。

高等教育，也需要以人为本

过去几十年，医疗最大的变化之一，就是从"以医院为中心"走向"以病人为中心"。

所有改革，都围绕病人的需求展开。

我认为，高等教育今天也来到类似的转折点。

未来教育，不应只是围绕学校设计。

更应该围绕"人"设计。

 学生。

 教师。

 家长。

 校友。

 企业。

 社区。

 行业组织。

 政府。

每一位利益相关者，都应该参与未来教育体系的设计。

大学不仅要培养毕业生。

更要培养终身学习者、负责任的公民，以及能够服务社会的未来领导者。

AI应该让教育更有人情味

很多人担心AI会削弱教育。

我却认为，它可能让教育变得更有人情味。

AI可以实现个性化学习。

提供即时反馈。

减少教师重复性的工作。

让教师有更多时间去陪伴、启发和指导学生。

科技的发展，不应该减少人与人的连接。而应该让教育更加关注人的成长。

为什么我加入旧金山大学董事会？

今天读完这篇文章，我更加坚定了自己加入旧金山大学董事会（Board of Trustees）的初

心。

过去三十多年，我先后担任临床护士、教授、医院CEO、董事等不同角色。

一路走来，我越来越相信：

真正伟大的机构，不是因为历史悠久。而是因为能够不断创新，同时始终忠于自己的使命

。

今天，高等教育正站在新的历史起点。

大学既要坚守办学使命, 也要拥抱时代变革。

既要保持学术卓越, 更要回应社会和学生不断变化的需求。

作为董事，我希望贡献自己在医疗管理、组织治理、创新发展等方面的经验。

更希望参与推动一种更加以人为本、更具社会责任感、更能适应AI时代的新型高等教育

。

超越名校

今天早晨那篇文章讨论的是：

未来还有没有永远的名校？

而我更想问的是：

未来，我们应该建设什么样的大学？

教育，从来不是为了维护一所大学的声誉。

而是为了成就每一个人的人生。

真正影响未来的大学，

不是因为它们拥有最高的排名。

而是因为它们能够激发求知欲，培养智慧，拥抱创新，帮助每一位学生成为能够创造价值

、服务社会、改变世界的领导者。

我相信，

这才是AI时代高等教育真正的未来。