Unlearning as a Path to Renewal in Higher Education

by Claire Brady, EdD

“Unlearning doesn’t mean erasing knowledge or forgetting our hard-earned expertise. It means loosening our grip on assumptions, habits, and practices that no longer serve our students or our institutions.”

In higher education, leadership is often framed around what we need to add to our toolkit: new strategies, new technologies (like AI!), new ways to motivate and retain our teams. Yet one of the most transformative skills we can cultivate isn’t about learning more. It’s about unlearning.

Unlearning doesn’t mean erasing knowledge or forgetting our hard-earned expertise. It means loosening our grip on assumptions, habits, and practices that no longer serve our students or our institutions. Old patterns will almost always bring old results. And in a world where the landscape of higher education is shifting beneath our feet, relying solely on yesterday’s playbook can prevent us from seeing tomorrow’s opportunities.

Why Higher Ed Leaders Must Unlearn

Higher education is facing disruptions at every level: declining enrollment, workforce demands that value skills as much as degrees, and the integration of AI into nearly every aspect of teaching and learning. A leadership style that once inspired loyalty may now feel hierarchical and out of touch. A process that once ensured quality may now slow innovation.

If we cling too tightly to what has always worked, we risk becoming rigid. Leaders who practice unlearning, however, build organizations that are agile, forward-thinking, and resilient. They free their campuses from the weight of “we’ve always done it this way” and open the door to creativity, adaptability, and reinvention.

What We May Need to Unlearn

Narrow measures of student success. For decades, completion and retention rates were the primary markers of achievement. Today, student well-being, career readiness, and a sense of belonging are equally critical. Leaders who unlearn outdated metrics and embrace more holistic measures position their institutions for sustainable impact.

Control over collaboration. Many of us were trained in top-down models of decision-making. Yet our teams thrive when we trust them, step back, and create space for collaboration. Unlearning the instinct to control every outcome allows innovation to bubble up from every corner of campus.

Bias toward tradition. Higher ed prides itself on legacy and continuity. But tradition can also blind us to new possibilities. Believing that “what worked before will work again” keeps us from seeing emerging opportunities. By unlearning this bias, we remain open to experimentation and fresh perspectives—often where the breakthroughs happen.

How Leaders Can Practice Unlearning

Audit your assumptions. Just as we audit budgets or accreditation standards, leaders can regularly reflect on which practices or beliefs no longer serve students.

Ask, “What if we didn’t?” Challenge long-standing processes. Sometimes our rituals are just habits, not real value drivers.

Seek reverse mentorship. Insights often come from newer professionals or colleagues in other sectors. Unlearning the idea that wisdom flows only from senior leaders helps us stay attuned to new realities.

The Payoff

Unlearning takes humility and courage. But leaders who embrace it create campuses that are more innovative, more resilient, and more attractive to students and employees alike. By questioning the old and making space for the new, we avoid stagnation and discover opportunities others miss.

As Alvin Toffler famously said: “The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn.”

The world has shifted. Our students’ needs have shifted. Our leadership lens must shift too. The future of higher education will belong not to those who know the most, but to those willing to unlearn what no longer serves and reimagine what comes next.