Unprecedented changes in the means of generating, aggregating, presenting, delivering, and accessing information and knowledge are profoundly affecting higher education worldwide. The academic status quo ante is not feasible in most places. New, entrepreneurial academic and business models are emerging, bringing an intensified rhythm for strategic decision-making. As a result, strategic and implementation planning disciplines take on a continuous nature. Transformation is the agenda, and each institution has its own template for addressing challenges and capitalizing on opportunities. Our senior professionals have the talent, temperament, experience, and good will to join with institutional leaders in mastering this agenda.
Effective Listening. Focused Analysis.
Our ability to provide sound advice starts with effective listening. Being an outsider with varied experiences has real value in objectively learning an institution. However, the information leading to useful insights often comes from those inside the institution who possess a deeper knowledge and understanding of the people, culture, and environment. Effective listening means being able to use and connect the information we receive to produce focused analyses that reveal probing questions intended to challenge basic institutional premises and assumptions and examine existing strategies, resource commitments, structures, and practices. Being able to ask—and help figure out answers to—tough questions is one reason why we have been trusted strategic advisors with college and university executives and governing boards for the past 35 years.
Academic Perspective. Business Expertise.
As former university officers, staff, and faculty, our senior professionals bring a breadth of institutional experiences and perspectives, a respect for the mission of the academy, and an understanding of the business aspects of higher education. We’ve been on the front lines…in the classroom…the faculty meeting…the budget hearing…the alumni mixer…the board room. We are well-versed in institutional economics and have a firm grasp of current and emerging higher education business drivers. Our expertise in strategy development; academic planning and analysis; new technologies; financial planning and strategy; strategic partnerships; and resource development and allocation provides tools to improve and sustain an institution’s academic prospects.
Organic Thinking. Strategic Solutions.
We take special pride in the ability of our diverse team to creatively expand conceptual boundaries when identifying possibilities for our clients, to look at things through an inquisitive, investigative lens that challenges existing norms. But we’re not blue-sky idealists; we integrate the demographic, social, political, economic, technological, and competitive realities of higher education today and the changes projected for tomorrow when developing alternative solutions. With our clients, we consider the institution’s culture and current human, financial, physical, and technological capacities in evaluating those alternatives to select the most strategic solutions. And our solutions always carry with them an analysis of the resources required to implement them successfully.