Dr. Marie Ghanbari took part in a panel discussion on the topic ‘Are Universities Becoming Irrelevant?’ at the World Schools Summit organised by T4 Education. The international debate brought together academics, educational innovators and decision-makers to discuss the future of higher education in times of technological and social change.

Ghanbari emphasised that universities will only remain relevant if they continue to develop, integrate new forms of learning and focus on people. Knowledge is available everywhere today; empathy, responsibility, critical thinking and social impact are what matter.

As a practical example, she presented the Sportpatenprojekt at the University of Münster: since 2012, students have been accompanying one child per week for a year through sporting activities. Over 1,000 students and just as many children have already participated. The programme combines research, theory and practice and is considered a model of higher education in action. OECD Director Andreas Schleicher called Sportpaten ‘the best investment in one's own future.’
Universities also remain relevant when they prepare students for a future in which human skills such as resilience, teamwork and communication skills, intercultural competence, adaptability, ethics and a sense of responsibility count – skills that digital systems cannot replace.
Ghanbari also emphasised that research should have a social impact by translating knowledge into innovations that address societal challenges.
The summit concluded that universities remain relevant when they combine knowledge with empathy, research with responsibility and theory with practical experience, as demonstrated by the Sportpatenprojekt.