ABSTRACT
Leadership focused on adult-oriented higher education faces many challenges, as well as varied and sometimes conflicting transforming opportunities. To engage in these leadership challenges, three foundational principles of egalitarianism, individualism, and pluralism are suggested in shepherding innovative changes to better serve adults and their communities. As part of these efforts to better serve adult students, this chapter identifies three contemporary strategic initiatives:1) career pathways, 2) data analytics, and 3) personalized technology services. Beyond these initiatives targeted to the adult student, leadership also should consider lifelong learning systems as advanced perspectives of adult higher education futures. Innovative leaders need to engage in a broader agenda of learning options, to include noncredit and credit certificates/microcredentials, competency-oriented learning modules, as well as validated systems of learning outcomes. These learning options can be redefined degree components of stackable credit programs connected to labor market opportunities and college degree completion.
