“Navigating the Open Horizon: Strategic Foresight, AI, and Systemic Transformation in Higher Education”

Call for Papers – Special Issue: “Navigating the Open Horizon: Strategic Foresight, AI, and Systemic Transformation in Higher Education”

Journal: Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education
Publisher: Emerald Publishing
Submission deadline: 06 August 2026

Overview

This special issue—published by Emerald Publishing—addresses the "triple pressure" facing Higher Education today: the demand for micro-credentials, the need for financial sustainability, and the ethical mandate to democratize knowledge through Open Education. It moves beyond the discourse of simple "digital adoption" to explore systemic resilience, framing the "Open Horizon" as a space where post-digital architectures and AI-driven leadership converge to dismantle traditional academic boundaries.

Key Research Themes

• Post-Digital Pedagogical Architectures: Creating flexible, hybrid learning ecosystems that leverage AI and open education to respond to social and cultural complexity.

• AI-Driven Strategic Leadership: Investigating agile governance models and organizational cultures that prioritize ethical AI integration and digital literacy in Higher Education.

• Micro-Credentials & Labor Alignment: Analyzing how AI-assisted skills mapping and technology-enhanced micro-credentials bridge the gap between academic curricula and the evolving demands of global labor ecosystems.

• Financial Innovations for Access: Exploring sustainable economic models, such as micro-financing and the use of Open Educational Resources (OER), to ensure equitable access and democratic lifelong learning.

• Future-Ready Literacies: Defining essential competencies for the next decade, with a focus on AI-augmented complex problem-solving, socio-emotional skills, and international collaboration.

Submission Details

• Submission window: 06 April 2026 – 06 August 2026.

• Submission portal: https://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/jarhe

• Special Instructions: During the submission process, ensure you select the special issue title from the "Please select the issue you are submitting to" drop-down menu.

Guest Editors

• María Soledad Ramírez-Montoya, Tecnológico de Monterrey (solramirez2009@gmail.com)

• Ahmed Farouk Radwan, University of Sharjah (aradwan@sharjah.ac.ae)

• Bárbara Castillo-Abdul, UDIT - Universidad de Diseño, Innovación y Tecnología (barbara.castillo@udit.es)

• Khalid Berrada, Mohammed V University of Rabat (K.berrada@um5r.ac.ma)

Why This Issue Matters

Higher Education is currently facing a "post-digital" reality where legacy structures often struggle to keep pace with rapid technological change. This special issue—published by Emerald Publishing—seeks to provide a transdisciplinary roadmap for transforming Higher Education from rigid silos into fluid lifelong learning ecosystems, ensuring that institutions remain socially mobile, professional, and globally relevant.

ServiceSetu Academics — Premier Platform for Academic Opportunities & Research Collaboration

Visit official website of the publisher