Rethinking higher ed with AI-driven industry collaboration - SXSW Edu session proposal

The rise of AI agents is transforming how work gets done, and education must evolve just as fast. Higher ed plays a critical role, not just in teaching AI, but embedding it across disciplines so every student gains the fluency to thrive in tomorrow’s job market. That means rethinking curricula, empowering faculty, and offering hands-on experiences that blend technical and ethical AI. This session shares real case studies on how educators and industry are building an adaptable, AI-fluent workforce through tools, training, and collaboration.

Presented by:
-Justina Nixon-Saintil, Vice President and Chief Impact Officer, IBM
-Dr. Juan Arturo Nolazco-Flores, Head of the Data Science Hub at the Tec of Monterrey
-Dr. Jesse Spencer-Smith, Associate Dean for Partnerships and Innovation at Vanderbilt’s College of Connected Computing