In a world where almost everything can be accessed online at a very low cost—or even for free—one might feel tempted to second-guess the value of educational institutions. After all, can’t I learn this on my own?

That’s a tricky question with a flawed argument that undervalues the knowledge and experience of our institutions’ members and the structured pathways to the information you seek. Formal institutions offer not only a proven track record but also a structured framework that facilitates access to programs, tools, and qualified professionals.

Don’t get me wrong—the value of alternative educational sources like YouTube is immense, both in terms of breadth and the sheer amount of content available. However, their purpose is not to train professionals, regardless of how many fascinating facts they provide.

Basically, schools of all sorts have a systematized process which focuses on the efforts, which means that even your conducted study is being channeled forth into a usable result on a particular expertise area. While there will be differences in how much individuals learn based on preferences and inclinations, quality assurance systems are in place to guarantee even the lowest of the results produced by the institution. 

This is not the case for informal educational paths, where the broad expansion of knowledge turns uniformity into a “game of chance.” In such cases, it’s possible that “two people might reach the same conclusion by chance,” making the popularity of an idea more influential than its actual value. 

I am by no means dismissing the importance of what we call in Norwegian real competence, but it is difficult to overlook the fact that formal education is always present in our societies, even if only at a foundational level.

Knowledge itself is for sure not confined to institutions, but few would suggest learning medicine by experimenting with herbs in a druid-like practice, as was done centuries ago. The same applies to any field of expertise deemed important enough by society to require regulation. While alternative pathways should exist to recognize and channel untapped potential, this should not come at the expense of formal institutions and their structured approaches to knowledge and competence.

Additionally, in a guided setting, teachers and personnel are committed to answering your doubts and guiding your learning. No one in any online social circle is obligated to entertain your questions or direct you to resources (at least not correct ones). If any area of knowledge were so simple that it could be mastered entirely on your own without support, then why teach it in the first place?

In the future, as knowledge continues to expand and core areas of expertise become too vast for a single instructor to manage, teachers and professors will increasingly serve as curators or indexers of references. They will be the ones who pre-select and guide learners through an ever-growing pool of content. While one might argue that an AI model could perform a similar function, no agent currently possesses the interpretative capacity that remains the unique domain of specialized education professionals (or its networking capacity).

The value then that schools bring to students can be measured in many ways, often not fully appreciated until after you’ve left the institution. In the case of universities, one enduring benefit for example is the opportunity to connect with a broad network of professionals across various fields. 

Other higher education institutions will add value by leveraging digital resources to bridge skill gaps on the market, providing students with measurable benefits. These include for instance access to diverse learning platforms that support their education and reinforce specific skills on demand, ensuring they remain relevant.

Ultimately, no one truly “teaches” anything—it is up to the individual to take full advantage of the resources at their disposal. Good tutoring ensures that content is presented in a more digestible form and that the referenced material is both useful and relevant, especially in fast-paced settings. However, the success of tomorrow’s qualified professionals will depend on their ability to utilize these diverse resources quickly and efficiently. In essence, it’s about mastering the proper way to learn.