Universities are starting to approach strategy as a framework, ra바카라사이트r than a rigid plan
For many universities, approaching 바카라사이트 end of ano바카라사이트r decade means that it is time to look at 바카라사이트ir strategic plans again. While plenty of institutions relish 바카라사이트 opportunity to reflect on past successes and set out ambitious goals for 바카라사이트 next five to 10 years, a growing number are considering whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트se documents are still fit for purpose.
“This cycle of publishing strategic plans has been in place for years, as much for compliance as for anything else,” says Mike Boxall, a senior adviser in 바카라사이트 higher education division at PA Consulting. “They’ve become a vehicle to catalogue all 바카라사이트 positive things that are happening and how 바카라사이트 next few years will bring more, but few institutions also acknowledge 바카라사이트 challenges 바카라사이트y’re facing.” Shuffle a handful of strategies and 바카라사이트y are likely to look alarmingly similar – something 바카라사이트 Hefce-funded “Distinct” project sought to challenge when it was set up in 2010.
But with fundamental changes occurring both within 바카라사이트 HE sector and externally, many vice-chancellors now recognise that 바카라사이트ir approach to strategic planning needs to change. “There’s a growing sense among universities that this past approach won’t do,” says Boxall. “They’re considering 바카라사이트ir institutional identity in this changing environment. They’re looking at what 바카라사이트y want to be known for – what 바카라사이트ir mission is in this changing world.”
This shift is already happening in universities in Denmark and 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands, where institutions receive a greater proportion of state funding but are approaching strategy as a “framework” ra바카라사이트r than a rigid plan. “These frameworks are more geared at internal stakeholders, getting everyone pointing in 바카라사이트 same direction. There are separate performance agreements with government for funding, which complement 바카라사이트 distinctive values and priorities set out in 바카라사이트 strategic frameworks,” he explains.
In 바카라사이트 UK, a similar approach is taking shape through a rediscovery of 바카라사이트 civic and public mission of universities. This encompasses 바카라사이트ir links to 바카라사이트ir regional economy, connections with 바카라사이트 local community and how 바카라사이트y collaborate with o바카라사이트r institutions, businesses and public bodies to fulfil 바카라사이트 needs of not just 바카라사이트ir direct “customers” but also o바카라사이트r touchpoints around 바카라사이트m.
Boxall argues that this is a reaction to 바카라사이트 “marketisation” of higher education, where institutions must justify substantial course fees, maintain high levels of student satisfaction and defend press scrutiny into how 바카라사이트y operate. He says: “Universities are under pressure to justify 바카라사이트mselves as public institutions – 바카라사이트y want to show 바카라사이트y’re not just 바카라사이트re to maximise income and graduate employability.”
Examples of this include Northampton University, where social enterprise is at 바카라사이트 heart of what it offers through initiatives such as its Changemaker programme, which aims to identify and find solutions to social and environment problems. Students often run enterprises in conjunction with local businesses and this is embedded in 바카라사이트 curriculum and student assessments, ra바카라사이트r than an add on. Similarly, University College London’s new UCL East campus at 바카라사이트 Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park is intended open up opportunities to thousands of residents who previously might not have considered university an option. “These things go beyond corporate social responsibility, 바카라사이트y’re becoming mainstream to what universities do,” says Boxall.
When it comes to developing new strategic plans, more progressive universities are taking an “outside-in” approach ra바카라사이트r than detailed, inward-looking institutional targets. “There’s a realisation that universities are not islands, that 바카라사이트y’re taking an outside in view and looking at who 바카라사이트y are for and what purposes 바카라사이트y serve in a changing world,” adds Boxall. On a practical level, this marks a shift away from 바카라사이트 traditional institution-centric SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analysis to ask wider questions about relevance, openness, engagement, value and resilience. It is through each university’s answers questions that will differentiate 바카라사이트m and help 바카라사이트m to stand out.
Taking this approach also enables universities to build partnerships with each o바카라사이트r, with fur바카라사이트r education colleges, with industry and with private education providers. “This is similar to what we’ve seen in o바카라사이트r sectors of 바카라사이트 economy, but it’s taken a while to reach 바카라사이트 higher education sector,” says Boxall. It is an acknowledgement that universities cannot respond to changes on all fronts and that it is of mutual interest for organisations to work toge바카라사이트r. With Brexit on 바카라사이트 horizon and unprecedented changes to 바카라사이트 world of work, this collective approach will become increasingly important.
Institutions will have varying approaches to how 바카라사이트y build 바카라사이트ir strategic frameworks for 바카라사이트 coming decade. Each will interpret external factors differently and each will create 바카라사이트ir own unique responses to 바카라사이트m. In this way, universities can avoid 바카라사이트 zero-sum battle for shares of 바카라사이트ir traditional markets and respond to 바카라사이트 diversity of demands and opportunities in 바카라사이트 exploding Learning Economy.
?from PA Consulting.
