Author Description

<p>This open access Springer Brief provides a systematic analysis of current trends and requirements in the areas of knowledge and competence in the context of the project “(A) Higher Education Digital (AHEAD)—International Horizon Scanning / Trend Analysis on Digital Higher Education.” It examines the latest developments in learning theory, didactics, and digital-education technology in connection with an increasingly digitized higher education landscape. In turn, this analysis forms the basis for envisioning higher education in 2030.</p>Here, four learning pathways are developed to provide a glimpse of higher education in 2030: <i>Tamagotchi</i>, a closed ecosystem that is built around individual students who enter the university soon after secondary education; <i>Jenga</i>, in which universities offer a solid foundation of knowledge to build on in later phases; <i>Lego</i>, where the course of study is not a monolithic unit, but consists of individually combined modules of different sizes; and <i>Transformer</i>, where students have already acquired their own professional identities and life experiences, which they integrate into their studies. In addition, innovative practice cases are presented to illustrate each learning path.<p></p><br>