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Advancing Public Purposes

What Employers Say About the Future of College Learning and Career Preparation

Friday, January 23, 2026
10:45 AM - 11:45 AM East Coast USA Time
Location: Shaw - Level M3

    Presenter(s)

  • Ashley Finley

    Vice President for Research and Senior Advisor to the President
    American Association of Colleges & Universities (AAC&U), United States

    • Co-Presenter(s)

  • CC

    Carol Carter

    Founder and President
    GlobalMindED

  • NT

    Niesha Taylor

    Director of Career Readiness
    National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE)

This session combines a brief presentation on key findings from AAC&U’s latest employer research report, The Agility Imperative: How Employers View Preparation for an Uncertain Future, with a panel discussion on what college graduates need to learn and do to succeed in today’s rapidly changing, global workforce. Findings from the report followed by a discussion with national leaders from GlobalMindED and NACE will address the relevance of connecting learning outcomes with skills and what counts as a “career-relevant” experience. The session will also address some of the hottest topics shaping higher ed, including the need for AI literacy, the value of microcredentials, and the need for civil discourse and open discussion of ideas in the workplace.