Future Readiness: Gen Next Education’s Girish Ballolla Brings New Tech to Higher Ed

International education isn’t just made up of universities and administrators; business partners are an essential component of global outreach and the internationalization process. Gen Next Education is an international education company providing strategic expertise and tactical coordination to hundreds of universities, connecting students in more than 170 countries to learning opportunities abroad. Gen Next Education CEO Girish Ballolla has big ideas for what’s next in the world of higher education, including how AI might be education’s biggest connection opportunity. Key Insights & Timestamps: [00:00] Podcast begins [01:41] Finding a Legacy: 15 years of Gen Next Education opportunities [04:31] Leveraging Tech to Scale: Virtual meetings & AI-powered career counseling [12:46] Professional Development: Balancing fast-moving tech with person-to-person connection [17:45] Rapid Fire Questions: Girish talks global communication & changing education systems Guest Spotlight Girish Ballolla: As the CEO of Gen Next Education, Girish is responsible for envisioning the strategic direction for Gen Next and spends most of his time nurturing relationships across the globe to further Gen Next’s mission of bridging Global Education. Girish was born and raised in Bengaluru where he completed high school before moving to the U.S. in 1992 to pursue a college education. He received a B.S. in Genetics and Cell Biology and a M.S. in Higher Education Administration from the University of Kansas. Prior to founding Gen Next Education, he spent over 13 years in Human Resources, Sales and Marketing, Operations, and Supply Chain Management in a variety of industries in the U.S. ranging from chemicals to home improvement, from educational institutions to non-profits, from start-ups to Fortune 500 companies. Key Takeaways: Education Industry Meets AI: “How do you engage with people all around the world at the same time, especially in their native language?” Gen Next Education is embracing technology as much as they possibly can, and Girish says that includes taking full advantage of AI integrations. With chat bots and other algorithmic tools available, Girish hopes to engage students around the world, regardless of his staff’s capacity, in their native language and at their convenience. Balancing Tech & Connectivity: “For practitioners in our industry, I think being at these gatherings to interact with people and spend that time is so meaningful.” Although Gen Next is embracing tech and virtual opportunities wholeheartedly, Girish still advocates for the importance of in-person learning, especially when it comes to professional development. Being able to connect with industry practitioners at events held by AIEA, for example, offers Girish such a transformative opportunity to learn that he wants to share this with others. Dreaming Bigger About Ed: “We’re putting students in an educational system that’s limiting their opportunities while the world is changing rapidly.” Girish sees the future of education beyond the current higher ed system, hoping that universities, professors and private partners grow to understand the diverse needs of ever-evolving global industries. If given the opportunity to make mass change on his own, Girish would focus on creating an accessible education system that expands student opportunities, instead of limiting them to location or practice. Resources Mentioned: Gen Next Education, Inc. | gennexteducation.com, Destiny Benders Podcast | destinybenders.com Connect with Girish: LinkedIn For More Information: Learn more about the Association of International Education Administrators at AIEAworld.org. Visit ViaTRM.com to learn more about Via TRM and access to additional resources. Stay Connected: Connect with Host Brooke Roberts on LinkedIn