5 Things you Need to Know

Whether you are new to the industry or just new to our website, this page will give you an overview of the conversations dominating non-traditional higher education today. The EvoLLLution^®started in an effort to provide a centralized forum for postsecondary students, university presidents, corporate executives and everyone in-between to discuss the industry and share ideas that provoke innovation and change.

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Here is a sampling of what our contributors are talking about:

1. The Changing Postsecondary Environment

The higher education marketplace is in a state of significant transformation. Characterized by closures, plummeting budgets and a lack of connection to the labor market, colleges and university leaders are searching for ways to adapt to the changes and prepare their institutions for sustainable, long-term success.

For insight into the importance of changing the mindset of postsecondary leaders, check out:

• Business-Mindedness Central to Success for Postsecondary Institutions(Wayne Smutz | Dean of Continuing Education and Extension, UC Los Angeles)

For insight into the challenges facing traditional higher education institutions, check out:

• Musing on the Future of Higher Ed: The Worst of Times(Andrew Roth | President Emeritus, Notre Dame College)

For insights into how market conditions change management expectations, check out:

• Commoditization Forces Business Model Transformation(Michael Horn | Co-Founder and Distinguished Fellow, Clayton Christensen Institute for Disruptive Innovation)

2. The Role of Customer Service in Higher Education

Students are demanding more than ever before from their institutions, and in order to meet their needs, universities and colleges are starting to think more like businesses. Academic integrity is still paramount, but institutions are now also considering what programs students want to take and how students want to communicate. Colleges and universities are rethinking the ways they engage with students.

For insight into the importance of customer service, regardless of institutional brand, check out:

• Big Names Don’t Trump Good Service When it Comes to Student Satisfaction(Diana Wu | Dean of Extension, UC Berkeley)

For insight into the importance of bringing a non-traditional mindset into the traditional institution, check out:

• CE Focus on Customer Experience Would Benefit Main Campus(Carolyn Young | Director of Continuing Studies, Western University)

For insight into the changes institutions must make to meet students’ expectations, check out:

• Higher Ed Must Enhance Administrative Self-Service Options to Meet Student Expectations(Marie Cini | Provost, University of Maryland University College)

3. Succeeding in a Competitive Marketplace

With the rise of online learning and the introduction of new types of credentials, higher education has become an incredibly competitive market. In order to succeed, institutions must focus on their stakeholders and differentiate themselves with innovative approaches to teaching, administration and marketing.

For insights into what it takes for institutions to succeed in today’s higher education environment, check out:

• Seven Steps to Finding Your Sweet Spot in the New Era of Higher Education(Margaret Andrews | Vice Provost, Hult International Business School)

For insight into how commoditization truly impacts postsecondary offerings, check out:

• Commoditization Reduces Uniqueness But Increases Affordability(Paul LeBlanc | President, Southern New Hampshire University)

For insight into the importance of effective management for today’s colleges and universities, check out:

• Effectiveness Over Efficiency: How to Succeed in Today’s Higher Ed Market(Hunt Lambert | Dean of Continuing Education and Extension, Harvard University)

4. Managing Complex Postsecondary Institutions

Colleges and universities are immensely complex organizations with innumerable stakeholders, varying levels of oversight requirements and a wide and diverse range of offerings. Managing these organizations require similarly complex systems that help leaders make sense of everything and steer the institution toward success.

For insight into the role of IT in managing and meeting student expectations, check out:

• Taking the Lead: How IT Delivers the Experience Students Expect(Joanna Young | Vice President of IT and Chief Information Officer, Michigan State University)

For insight into how management systems could transform student success, check out:

• Next-Generation Management Systems: Cloud-Based and User-Centered(Tracy Schroeder | Vice President of Information Services and Technology, Boston University)

For insight into the value vendors bring to the table when it comes to meeting student expectations, check out:

• Service Partnerships Key to Creating Value for Students(Lesley Nichols | Executive Director of Professional Studies, Emerson College)

5. The Changing Face of Credentials

Many institutions are offering innovative programs and alternate forms of credentials in response to rapidly advancing technology and changing student needs and expectations. While it is dangerous to adopt new programs simply as a response to bandwagon impulses, market-leading institutions are carefully considering their goals and using innovative approaches to get there.

For insight into the role certificates are playing in the corporate and customized training space, check out:

• Certificate Programs: The “New Black” in Professional Development(Susan Aldridge | President of Drexel University Online, Drexel University)

For insight into the true potential of competency-based approaches to education, check out:

• Three Myths of Competency-Based Education: Separating Fact from Fiction(Melanie Ho | Managing Director, Education Advisory Board)

For insight into the range of credentials needed to serve the diverse postsecondary audience, check out:

• Honing a Spectrum of Learner Access(Dave King | Associate Provost of Outreach and Engagement, Oregon State University)