In this episode of The Signals, host Laura Glaab sits down with Anzar Khaliq, Chief Learning Officer at San Francisco Bay University, to explore a bold and necessary question: What if we rebuilt higher education from the ground up?

Anzar shares how SFBU is doing just that—challenging every norm, from the credit hour to the concept of the traditional lecture. You’ll hear how the university is designing deeply personalized, experiential, and relationship-centered learning experiences that empower students not only to succeed in their careers but to grow as humans. From AI-powered teaching assistants to frameworks rooted in empathy, equity, and real-world application, this is higher ed reimagined for the 21st century.

Together, Laura and Anzar dive into what it means to serve underserved learners, how education must evolve to keep pace with industry, and why traits like tenacity, optimism, and global awareness are the new essential skills.

Key Moments

03:27 Barriers to University Success

07:12 Learner-Centric Teaching Approaches

13:13 Defining Success in Silicon Valley

14:34 "Tenacity Through Competency Metrics"

18:42 Misconceptions About Elite Institutions

22:48 "From Thought to Action"

25:12 "Challenges in Personalized Learning Evolution"

31:23 "The Netflix of AP Courses"

32:21 AI Transforms Personalized Education

36:30 Personalized Learning Challenges

39:59 Rethinking Teaching for Neurodiversity

43:03 "Commitment Beyond Spotlight"

45:15 Embrace Probabilities, Not Certainties

Why You’ll Love This Episode:

You’ll love this episode if you’ve ever questioned whether the traditional model of college still works—or ever really did. Anzar Khaliq offers a radical yet deeply thoughtful blueprint for a system that prioritizes people over prestige, outcomes over optics, and action over academic inertia. Whether you’re a student, educator, innovator, or just curious about the future of learning, this episode delivers equal parts insight, inspiration, and practical disruption.

Connect with Anzar Khaliq

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anzarkhaliq

Follow Us On

Host LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-glaab

Company LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/kyronlearning/

Company Website: https://www.kyronlearning.com/

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