Dive Brief:
- Classic polytechnic institutions had their start in the late 1700s, but a resurgence in the modern United States higher education world seems to be continuing.
- University Business reports that some of the most elite schools in the world are polytechnics, which specialize in applied engineering, science, and technology.
- The University of Akron has most recently expanded the polytechnic reach to design, art, and the humanities, stretching the penchant for STEM fields into a focus on art-inclusive STEAM programming.
Dive Insight:
Polytechnic has historically referred to schools offering a variety of mostly technical or vocational fields. University Business highlights a number of the best American polytechnics — California Polytechnic State University, Colorado School of Mines, MIT, and Florida Polytechnic among them. The University of Akron has differentiated itself with its arts and humanities focus within the polytechnic model. Perhaps it has found the sweet spot within a polemic debate over vocational education or liberal arts.