Digging Out Higher Education Strategies

Higher education needs strategy in the same way as business, government and non-profit organizations need a strategy. Strategy helps ensure that universities will maintain their relevancy long into the future.  The strategy but will rest in a number of common factors that impact all higher education institutions. Government funds may support a university but don't not necessarily determine its viability.

Quality of Curriculum: Curriculum and the quality of the information it contains is important for developing student minds. Quality includes the faculty members and their ability to develop solid educational plans, incorporate their personal and professional knowledge, and relay that information in ways to leads to higher levels of growth.

Core Student Demographics: Each university has its own core demographics much like each business has its own customers. These students create a profile of what the "target market" looks like that is used in designing courses, services, messages, and facilities. Some schools will focus on the elite, some on the middle class and others on lower income.

Marketing/Public Relations: Marketing  and other public information leaves impressions in people's minds that help formulate public image. Public image is also influenced by all positive and negative information available.  The total impression creates the perception of value in consumers minds.

Stakeholder and End User Needs: Society has needs and will seek to make those needs known through a variety of channels. Sustainable universities will understand those need and adjust their processes to ensure they are meeting these needs. Stakeholder and end user needs often include quality of education, return on investment, employer needs, research for societal enhancement, etc.

Government Regulation: Government regulations will determine how schools are expected to operate and the potential consequences for not operating in that manner. There will be laws that restrict the use of funds, have operating requirements, political maneuvering, etc. that will impact the form and nature of education within the country.

Emerging and Long-term Trends and Strategies: All entities are subject to the changes and needs of market trends. Schools should do their best to capitalize on emerging information and trends. This can include the form of school such as the original rejection and then acceptance of online coursework.