The Fourth Industrial Revolution -- “characterized by a fusion of technologies that is blurring the lines between the physical, digital, and biological spheres,” according to The World Economic Forum, is having significant impact on jobs, causing many to disappear and others to be created. This is creating a challenge for educators who are trying to prepare students for future careers that will meet as yet undefined future labour market requirements.
“Post-secondary institutions are facing challenges with changing demographics of students, challenges in predicting future labor market requirements, as well as declining enrollments and financial concerns,” said Janet Hyde, President and Principal Consultant at Academic Strategic Directions. “Most colleges aren’t able to move quickly enough to address these challenges.” In the future, Hyde believes, colleges will need to be able to package and repackage courses into programs and credentials much more quickly than has been the case in the past.
Built-in processes may resist change
Often, the internal structure and processes at institutions don’t enable change.
“Post-secondary institutions aren’t typically considered ‘nimble,’” said Hyde. “In fact, a lot of internal processes at institutions can actually create barriers to change -- lengthy approval processes, lengthy curriculum development processes, and endless committees and meetings going on all the time.”
“Most of the time, when an organization decides they need to change, they just start tinkering with what they have -- making small, incremental changes,” Hyde said. “In fact, what’s required is a transformational change.”
For example, Hyde described an institution facing financial challenges, and deciding to close down certain faculties entirely, retraining professors and moving them into areas that were continuing.
“In the end, the institution has done very well as a result of their transformational change,” she said. “Change of that magnitude is quite daunting and can be quite disruptive, but it can succeed and be the foundation for future success.”
According to McKinsey and Company’s research on transformational change, organizations need to take many specific actions in order to support such a change, but those actions can have a major impact on the success of the transformation.
Be a change agent
Change management is a core professional competency for higher education professionals, according to AACRAO’s professional competencies and proficiencies. Hyde’s presentation will present proven processes for successful transformational change in post-secondary institutions.
Hyde will discuss her experience with many different institutions undergoing change, as well as her own research into the subject, during her plenary presentation “Post-Secondary Education in the Fourth Industrial Revolution” at the AACRAO SEM Conference, November 11-14, 2018, in Washington, DC.
“I’ll share some of the things post secondary institutions may want to consider changing, as well as how to go about it to be more successful,” Hyde said. “I hope to help people realize that there really is a need to change and that to be successful everyone in the organization -- leadership, academic staff, and SEM professionals -- needs to collaborate.”
Early bird registration deadline for SEM is October 5. Register now.