Future of Work Events for Faculty​

Education Vanguard Conference 2023

University Faculty Prepare the Leaders of Tomorrow! 

We are in the middle of a transformational age where the risks and rewards of rising technological innovations constantly challenges us with new and exciting opportunities, even as they may disrupt our lives and work. Our students are graduating and entering a world in which technology will be continually changing their jobs, roles and futures. As educators, we need to prepare the leaders of tomorrow for that world. The Future of Work Faculty Academy of SWPA was formed to provide college and university-level faculty with the opportunity to learn about new and emerging technologies and explore how they impact disciplines, pedagogies and the nature of higher education. More importantly, academy participants explore questions about what students need to know to thrive in a world of ongoing technological transformation.

Now, as part of Southwestern PA's Build Back Better Regional Challenge grant award initiative from the U.S. Economic Development Administration, the Future of Work Faculty Academy of SWPA will expand to become a center of innovation and technology learning for higher education faculty from across twenty-nine post-secondary institutions in the region. Faculty are invited to come together to learn about new technologies, while exploring how their disciplines will impact and be impacted by these innovations. Academy participants will work together to design the future of their respective disciplines, while also envisioning how best to prepare Southwestern Pennsylvania's students for their futures.

Teacher presenting in front of digital screen

Winter 2025 Future of Work Faculty Academy of SWPA Workshop

Join post-secondary faculty members from across the region for a one-day workshop on February 14, 2025.

Photo of an EMET student with faculty member

Future of Work Faculty Academy of SWPA Spring Forum 2025

In May of 2025, faculty of cross-disciplines from universities and colleges across Southwestern PA will participate in a Future of Work Faculty Academy forum to dive deeply into research projects selected for 2025. 

Interested faculty from Southwestern Pennsylvania colleges and universities are invited to register for the 2025 event.

Photo of a conference at the Digital Foundry

Education Vanguard Conference

Educators, academics and industry leaders from across the region will be invited to a conference in fall of 2024 that will feature presentations by leading technologists, innovators and faculty experts discussing the latest in technology and the expected impact on workplace, workforce and academia. Breakout sessions will also feature area faculty from the Future Readiness Academy cohort presenting on best practices.

Woman using VR headset

2024 Report: Industry 4.0 Technologies Used Among Faculty at Southwestern PA Colleges and Universities

In spring 2024, higher education faculty from across the Southwestern PA region participated in a survey related to the awareness and usage of Industry 4.0 technologies among full-time faculty at colleges and universities. The purpose of the survey and results was to help the region gain valuable insights into the technologies, ultimately enhancing the understanding of how they are being taught and used in courses.