Higher education is no longer preparing students for a predictable future — it is preparing them for jobs that are still emerging. For institutions, this changes everything.
As artificial intelligence and cyber threats reshape industries worldwide, higher education faces growing pressure to prepare graduates for a rapidly changing digital economy. We spoke with Dr. Irena Guszak, President and Dean of RIT Croatia, about the future of higher education, and why the institution has introduced a new Cybersecurity BS program as part of its response.
Artificial intelligence is transforming how people work, communicate, create, and solve problems. New professions are appearing faster than educational systems can adapt, while existing roles are being fundamentally redefined. Against this backdrop, higher education faces a defining question: how do you prepare students for a future that is still taking shape? At RIT Croatia, a global campus of a prestigious US university, Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) that has been operating in Croatia since 1997, this shift is not theoretical. It is actively shaping how programs are designed, taught, and continuously updated. Today, around 900 students study at its campuses in Zagreb and Dubrovnik, joining a network of over 3,600 alumni working in more than 50 countries worldwide. The institution’s approach combines the structure of American higher education with interdisciplinary learning and a strong emphasis on practical, real-world experience, including mandatory work placements that integrate students directly into professional environments during their studies.
LEARNING IN AN AGE OF CONTINUOUS DISRUPTION
As artificial intelligence and cyber threats reshape industries worldwide, higher education faces growing pressure to prepare graduates for a rapidly changing digital economy. We spoke with Dr. Irena Guszak, President and Dean of RIT Croatia, about the future of higher education, and why the institution has introduced a new Cybersecurity BS program as part of its response.
- Many would argue that higher education institutions are not moving fast enough when it comes to technological change. What is your opinion on this?
To some extent, yes. In higher education, change is often deliberate, carefully evaluated, and implemented over time. However, technology is now advancing at a pace where we are no longer observing change and then deciding how to respond to it. We are learning about the change as it is happening, as we are experiencing it. Artificial intelligence is perhaps the clearest example. Within just a few years, it has moved from being a specialized topic to something that affects virtually every profession and industry. The same can be said for cybersecurity, automation, and the broader digital transformation of society. The challenge is not simply updating curricula. It is understanding how entire professions are changing and ensuring students develop capabilities that remain valuable regardless of how technology evolves. At RIT Croatia, experiential learning and close collaboration with industry are central to our educational model. Students must have opportunities to apply knowledge in real-world environments while they are still studying, not only after graduation. Critical thinking, adaptability, resourcefulness, communication, collaboration, and the ability to learn continuously are becoming just as important as technical expertise. These are precisely the skills we aim to develop through interdisciplinary learning, cooperative education, and strong engagement with industry partners.
- Artificial intelligence has sparked significant debate in education. How does RIT Croatia approach AI?
We believe AI is a reality that higher education must engage with thoughtfully. Attempting to ignore it or prohibit it entirely would not prepare students for the environments they will enter after graduation. The important question is how students should use these tools. AI can support research, analysis, creativity, and productivity, but students must also understand its limitations, evaluate information critically, and develop independent thinking . Our responsibility is not simply to teach students how to use AI. It is to teach them when to use it, why to use it, and how to use it responsibly.
BUILDING CYBERSECURITY TALENT FOR A SAFER DIGITAL WORLD
The impact of technological change extends beyond the classroom. Across industries, organizations are searching for talent capable of navigating increasingly complex digital environments. One of the clearest examples of this shift is cybersecurity — a field where demand, complexity, and risk are growing faster than traditional curricula can adapt. That is why institutions are rethinking not only how they teach, but what they teach. At RIT Croatia, this has led to the launch of a new undergraduate program in Cybersecurity, aligned with emerging labour market needs and the evolving demands of the digital economy.
- RIT Croatia recently launched an undergraduate program in Cybersecurity. Why now?
Because cybersecurity is growing globally in its importance. Every society today depends on digital systems, data, and interconnected technologies. Protecting those systems has become a strategic issue affecting businesses, governments, healthcare providers, financial institutions, and critical infrastructure. At the same time, the demand for cybersecurity professionals continues to grow. According to the ISC2 Cybersecurity Workforce Study, the global cybersecurity workforce gap is measured in 4.8 million of professionals. As digital systems become more sophisticated and AI becomes increasingly integrated into everyday operations, organizations need professionals who understand not only technology, but also risk, ethics, regulation, and the broader context in which cybersecurity operates. Our goal was to develop a program that combines strong technical foundations with practical experience and a multidisciplinary understanding of the challenges organizations face today.“
The introduction of Cybersecurity BS reflects a broader institutional strategy focused on preparing students for emerging fields while maintaining strong connections with industry and real-world practice. Built on the foundations of RIT’s internationally recognized Cybersecurity program in the United States, the curriculum is aligned with the European Cybersecurity Skills Framework (ECSF) and developed with input from Croatian cybersecurity professionals and industry partners. The program combines computing, software development, networks, and cybersecurity with legal, regulatory, and ethical perspectives. Students gain practical experience through mandatory cooperative education and work on real-world and simulated security scenarios. Graduates are prepared to assess risk, understand complex digital environments, and make informed security decisions in a world shaped by continuous technological change.
PREPARING STUDENTS FOR A WORLD STILL BEING CREATED
Looking ahead, the question that higher education is facing extends far beyond any individual technology. The real challenge is building institutions capable of continuous evolution. For Dr. Guszak, this means maintaining strong connections with industry, embracing innovation, and fostering capabilities that remain essential regardless of technological change.
“The future belongs to people who can learn, adapt, collaborate, and think critically,” she concludes. “Technology will continue to evolve. Our role is to help students develop the mindset and capabilities needed to evolve with it.”
Previous generations studied for the world as it existed. Today’s students must prepare for a world that is still being created.