By Karen Burkett, WLRN/Miami Herald News
Florida International University President Mark B. Rosenberg says every FIU graduate will eventually be required to complete coursework in entrepreneurship. Every. single. one. It's not uncommon for business majors to take these classes, but it is unusual for say, a French major to have to study entrepreneurship. I asked the University President what this shift says about the job market for college graduates and the modern economy. Here's some of our conversation, which first aired on the WLRN/Miami Herald News radio.
President Rosenberg: I think that the 21st century economy is one in which the great jobs are going to be created through innovation and entrepreneurship and I want FIU to do right by our students. Not just training them to take good jobs but making sure our students have the skillsets to create good jobs.
Karen Burkett: Are students asking to study entrepreneurship?
MR: What they're asking for is quality and relevance. Recognize that one of our largest majors right now is business. We have 9,000 students in our College of Business. But we also see that increasingly regardless of the discipline that people are doing much better in the job market when they have business related skills.
KB: What's the responsibility of a college or university to help students get jobs?
MR: I think that the first responsibility is to provide a quality education. But coming closely on the heels of that in a 21st century context, a quality education means that students are prepared for the rough and tumble job market. We're a lot more accountable these days.
President Rosenberg says this curriculum change will go into effect in the 2013-2014 academic year. He also said the university has already put a mandatory global learning curriculum initiative in place. Students are required to take courses that focus on global issues.
I could not end our conversation without a question about tuition and student debt. On average, a student borrows almost $27,000 to pay for a college education. President Rosenberg did say he believes tuition will eventually be capped.
Hear the WLRN/Miami Herald News Friday Business Report here.