ASU President Michael Crow speaks in Australia on the many types of intelligence

Last week Dr. Crow spoke at the University of NSW during his visit to Australia.  Arizona State University, Kings College London, and University of NSW recently established the "PLuS" teaching and research alliance.  Dr. Crow outlined his vision for the "complex adaptive university", highlighting the importance of inclusion and limitless scale among his chief concerns.  

“Are we designing a university for everyone to get a degree? No. Are we designing a university where many people can get degrees? Yes. Are we designing a university where anyone who wants to connect in some way can benefit from learning? The answer is yes,” said Crow.

Australia is in the midst of a debate regarding university entry standards.  While Dr. Crow did not get into specifics regarding the debate, he did express disagreement with the assumption that some people just aren't cut out for college.  “I’m not suggesting there aren’t ranges of ability (but we've adopted) too narrow a model. The model is not reflective of humanity, it's reflective of what we think of as academic learning."

Crow also touched on our notion of learning and academic success being too antiquated.  He told the symposium that people learn in different ways.  These ways of learning can be shaped by culture, upbrining, or types--not levels--of intelligence.  “We have found the way to take a broad crosssection of society, using technology as our special friend, and alter the process by which learning is carried out and assessed.