Welcome to this edition of the Co-Lab Brief. In this issue of The Co-Lab Brief, we ask:
What does it mean to lead by design in the age of AI?
Artificial intelligence has quickly become one of the defining conversations in higher education. Yet the most important questions facing universities are not simply about adopting new technologies. They are about how institutions continue to fulfill their mission, support learning, and create public value in a world where change is accelerating.
At the University Design Institute, we view this moment through the lens of institutional design. Rather than just asking how universities should respond to AI, we ask how leaders can intentionally design institutions that are prepared to learn, adapt, and evolve as new technologies reshape higher education. The challenge is not to predict a single future, but to build the capacity to navigate many possible futures with purpose and care.
This edition brings together a set of complementary perspectives that explore this challenge from different vantage points. Minu Ipe considers what it means to design future-ready universities in an AI-shaped world. Ann Kirschner reflects on how AI is changing the practice of writing and what those changes reveal about learning, judgment, and education. Andrew Maynard responds to Kirschner's essay by extending the conversation, arguing that the future depends less on whether we use AI than on how we cultivate discernment, care, and humility in its use.
Together, these contributions reinforce a shared perspective. The future of higher education will not be defined by technology alone. It will be shaped by the design choices leaders make, the values they uphold, and their ability to build institutions that remain adaptive, mission-driven, and responsive to the communities they serve.
Designing The Future-Ready University in the AI Era
UDI Vice Chair and Managing Director Minu Ipe examines what it means to design future-ready universities in an AI-shaped world. Rather than treating AI as a technology initiative, she argues that it presents a leadership challenge: one that calls on institutions to strengthen their capacity for adaptation, align innovation with mission, and intentionally design for lasting value for learners, communities, and society.
