As colleges, universities and policymakers grapple with how to remain relevant in an era of rapid technological change, reassess the value of a degree and reinvent what higher education means for today’s learners, Caroline Levander is uniquely positioned to offer authoritative insight. Levander serves as vice president for global strategy and the Carlson Professor in the Humanities at Rice University, where she leads development of new global hubs, online learning and strategic partnerships. She is also the author of the forthcoming book “Invent Ed: How an American Tradition of Innovation Can Transform College Today.”
In “Invent Ed,” Levander draws on a rich history of American invention from Benjamin Franklin to Steve Jobs to show how the “inventive method” of combining knowledge in new ways can serve as a model for renewing the modern college. She argues that higher-ed institutions must ask themselves: “Are we a museum, or are we a startup?”
“American higher education was built on an inventive spirit — an openness to experiment, to fail and to try again,” Levander said. “If we can recover that spirit, universities can once again become engines of discovery rather than monuments to the past.”
With artificial intelligence reshaping everything from classroom pedagogy to credentialing, Levander offers clear-eyed commentary: She places AI’s impact in historical context by pointing out that massive open online courses once seemed destined to render campuses obsolete are now being integrated as tools to enrich learning. Levander emphasizes that the value of college depends not just on earning a credential but on treating the institution as a laboratory for reinvention.
“AI doesn’t replace education, but it does challenge us to redefine it,” Levander said. “The real opportunity lies in teaching students how to work with intelligent technologies, not in fear of them, and to use those tools to invent new ways of thinking, creating and solving problems.”
For journalists covering higher education policy, the future of work and student success, Levander is a compelling expert who connects historical insight, institutional leadership and the cutting edge of ed tech and global strategy. She can speak to topics including:
- The value proposition of a college degree in a rapidly changing job market.
- How AI, online learning and new global hubs are reshaping how institutions deliver and students engage in higher ed.
- Innovative institutional models that promote risk, invention and student creativity rather than rote credentialing.
- The intersection of global strategy, institutional innovation and student outcomes.
- Student mental health and wellness in a rapidly changing workplace.
Journalists interested in scheduling an interview with Levander can contact Rice media relations specialist Brandi Smith.
Praise for Levander and ‘Invent Ed’:
“‘Invent Ed’ explores America’s innovation legacy — from Franklin to Jobs — and reveals how colleges and universities can reignite creativity. Caroline Levander offers a compelling blueprint for renewing higher education and sustaining the nation’s innovative edge for generations.”
— Michael M. Crow, president, Arizona State University; co-author of “The Fifth Wave: The Evolution of American Higher Education”
“Levander makes a compelling case for higher education as an active, deeply engaging process that prepares learners for a life of invention, ingenuity and inspiration. This is an essential book for our turbulent times.”
— Jamie Merisotis, president and CEO, Lumina Foundation; author of “Human Work in the Age of Smart Machines” and “America Needs Talent”
“‘Invent Ed’ links historical narrative to an actionable guide for placing creativity at the center of higher education. This is a spirited call for renewing the university — and the nation itself — through the long tradition of American invention.”
— Joseph E. Aoun, president, Northeastern University; author of “Robot-Proof: Higher Education in the Age of Artificial Intelligence”
“Levander issues a compelling call to action to future-proof American higher education and preserve our nation’s distinctive culture of innovation and discovery by cultivating inventiveness in every student, from their first to final semester.”
— Lynn Pasquerella, president, American Association of Colleges and Universities; author of “What We Value: Public Health, Social Justice and Educating for Democracy”
“‘Invent Ed’ is a timely and significant contribution to our current national debates about the future of American higher education and the public good.”
— Neal Lane, senior fellow in science and technology policy, Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy; former assistant to the president for science and technology; former director of the National Science Foundation
“Levander is one of the most creative and innovative leaders in higher education, and ‘Invent Ed’ provides a visionary and achievable road map for transforming universities today.”
— Sanjay Sarma, Flowers Professor of Mechanical Engineering, MIT; former president, CEO and dean of the Asia School of Business; author of “Grasp: The Science Transforming How We Learn”