A public hearing will be held in St. Joseph by the Missouri Department of Higher Education for the development of a new plan for higher education in the state.

The hearing will be held Friday, April 9 from 1:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at the Heartland Foundation’s emPowerU building located at 518 S 6th St.

MDHE said the meeting is the sixth in a series of nine hearing being held throughout the state to gather information for a new blueprint for higher education in Missouri.

A panel of education leaders will discuss the changing ways higher education is being delivered across the state. According to MDHE online degree programs, competency-based education that allows students to learn at their own pace, and innovation campuses that enable students to earn college credit and work experience while still in high school, are providing more options for higher education than ever before.

“To move forward, higher education must evolve to meet the needs of students and the workplace,” said David Russell, Missouri Commissioner of Higher Education. “Developing new ways to provide postsecondary education will give more Missourians an opportunity to achieve their higher education goals.”

The hearing also will include a panel discussion about the technology infrastructure necessary to support the educational needs of students and the ability of colleges and universities to deliver quality programs to every community in Missouri. A third panel will look at the changes occurring in career and technical education to prepare students for the jobs of the future.

The Coordinating Board for Higher Education has appointed a steering committee of 36 leaders in business and industry, education and government to assist the department in identifying issues and developing recommendations for the state’s higher education system.

MDHE said Missouri’s last higher education plan was adopted in 2008.