Learn, Unlearn and Re-Learn: Sam Grogan on the Future of Student Experience
Professor Sam Grogan, Pro Vice-Chancellor of Education and Student Experience at Loughborough University, argues that universities must rethink the skills they develop and the speed at which they deliver them. His career across the creative industries and higher education informs a conversation about adaptability, AI and the future of student experience.
The episode at a glance
- Preparing students for a long career requires learning, unlearning and relearning—not a fixed set of facts.
- Grogan argues for short, responsive learning offers that meet employers’ needs instead of slow curriculum cycles.
- AI literacy and human capabilities such as collaboration and judgement need to develop together.
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Four insights from Professor Sam Grogan’s episode
A 40-year career needs a different curriculum
Grogan challenges the assumption that a single qualification can prepare someone for decades of rapid technological and social change. He emphasises transferable capabilities: adaptability, critical thinking, communication and the confidence to keep learning as the demands of work evolve.
Point-of-need learning challenges university timetables
One concrete example is the gap between a business requesting urgent workforce skills and a university taking years to validate a traditional course. Grogan discusses professional education, continuous professional development and micro-credentials that could be designed and delivered in weeks, not years.
Innovation is constrained by familiar rooms and questions
The interview explores why institutions struggle to innovate when the same people repeatedly ask the same questions in the same settings. Meaningful change requires cross-disciplinary collaboration, the willingness to test alternatives and a focus on the real needs of students and employers.
AI belongs inside a responsible learning culture
Rather than treating generative AI as an intruder that can be excluded, Grogan sees value in helping students use it appropriately. The challenge is to protect independent thought and assessment integrity while teaching people to work skilfully with emerging tools.
A practical takeaway
Map the moments when students seek help, from enrolment to careers advice, alongside the capabilities they need to build. Test a short, interdisciplinary learning offer around one proven skills gap and measure participation and outcomes.
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