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About EDUCAUSE
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EDUCAUSE Strategic Directions Frequently Asked Questions
- Why does EDUCAUSE have strategic directions?
- How were the strategic directions developed?
- What does EDUCAUSE see as the major challenges facing the profession?
- What core activities will EDUCAUSE pursue to address these challenges?
- What principles will guide the association's efforts?
- How will EDUCAUSE implement its strategic directions?
- What will change as a result of their implementation?
- How can I provide feedback and/or participate?
- Why does EDUCAUSE have strategic directions?
The higher education IT profession faces many challenges, but some exceed others in their potential impact on the future of the profession and the institutions it serves. EDUCAUSE must maintain a clear focus on those major challenges to maximize the effectiveness of its service to members. In the process, it also must ensure that members and their needs remain at the center of everything it does.
To facilitate these efforts, EDUCAUSE has established a set of focus areas, core activities, and guiding principles. Collectively, they comprise the EDUCAUSE Strategic Directions. They identify what the profession's major challenges are, what EDUCAUSE must do to address them, and the values it will bring to bear as it strives to do so. - How were the strategic directions developed?
EDUCAUSE utilized a broad array of approaches to engage members in the development of its strategic directions. In addition to interviews with community leaders, the association conducted focus groups at each of the 2008 regional conferences and surveyed over 8,000 members. EDUCAUSE representatives also reached out to other higher education associations and EDUCAUSE corporate members to learn from their knowledge and experience. In addition, the association conducted a scan of its competitive landscape to identify both threats and opportunities.
In each case, EDUCAUSE sought to better understand the challenges facing higher education, the higher education IT profession, and the association itself, as well as how EDUCAUSE might adapt to meet those challenges and better serve its members. It then synthesized that information into the draft strategic directions, which it refined based on board input. The board approved the current strategic directions in May 2008. - What does EDUCAUSE see as the major challenges facing the profession?
Based on the consultations and research it conducted, EDUCAUSE believes the major challenges confronting its members fall under one of 4 major focus areas: - Teaching and Learning—The use of IT to improve access to learning, learning effectiveness, student success, academic productivity, accountability, and learning outcomes.
- Managing the Enterprise—Ensuring that IT supports the efficient and effective management of the institution as well as institutional priorities in general.
- e-Research and e-Scholarship—The use of advanced computers, networks, applications, and support services to facilitate new, more effective forms of research, discovery, and innovation.
- Evolving Role of IT and Leadership—Tracking and understanding major trends in the field and profession, and preparing higher education IT leaders and professionals to meet them.
- What core activities will EDUCAUSE pursue to address these challenges?
EDUCAUSE will address each focus area through some or all of the following activities: - Knowledge creation and dissemination—Clarifying important topics and issues, developing resources members can use to understand and address them, and making those resources easily accessible.
- Collaboration and community—Working with members and other higher education stakeholders to encourage knowledge-sharing and cooperative approaches to common problems and challenges.
- Policy analysis and advocacy—Assessing and explainging the policy environment relative to higher education IT and advancing the profession's interests in that arena.
- Career and leadership development—Providing professional development opportunities that will help members progress in their careers and as leaders in the profession and in their institutions.
- Experimentation—Constantly exploring innovative ways to serve member needs and interests across all EDUCAUSE functions and activities.
- What principles will guide the association's efforts?
As EDUCAUSE strives to address member needs and interests in relation to its strategic focus areas, it will follow these guiding principles to ensure its efforts consistently reflect its core values: - EDUCAUSE will choose activities and areas of focus driven by members’ strategic needs.
- EDUCAUSE will be a proactive, responsive and agile organization.
- EDUCAUSE will foster engagement and dialog, serving members better by working collaboratively rather than alone.
- EDUCAUSE will help members be a positive force for change in higher education.
- EDUCAUSE will be informed, but not bound, by its history.
- EDUCAUSE will be a good steward of resources.
- How will EDUCAUSE implement its strategic directions?
The association has already begun to implement the strategic directions by reviewing its events and resources for alignment with them. Based on its findings, EDUCAUSE will establish programs in each focus area to coordinate their development across EDUCAUSE events, publications, resources, and services. Efforts will center on the core activities identified above (knowledge creation and dissemination, community and collaboration, policy analysis and advocacy, career and leadership development, and experimentation).
Work will initially focus on Teaching and Learning and Security (as part of the Managing the Enterprise focus area). Additional focus area programs will be developed over the next few years until EDUCAUSE has established well-defined programs in each area. - What will change as a result of their implementation?
EDUCAUSE plans to align its staff and financial resources to support its work in the major focus areas. This does not mean that EDUCAUSE will necessarily stop working on all issues or activities outside the strategic directions. Some require continued engagement due to their importance to member needs or interests, and those will be identified in consultation with the board and community leaders.
However, the association will strive to dedicate most of its time, energy, and resources to advancing efforts in its strategic focus areas. This means that EDUCAUSE will redirect resources from low priority or non-strategic activities to activities that support its strategic objectives.
As indicated by the EDUCAUSE guiding principles, EDUCAUSE will also strive to make its events, publications, resources, and services more interactive, engaging, and focused on member needs. Facilitating collaboration within the community and between the community and other higher education constituencies will be a priority, as will spurring innovation in when, where, and how EDUCAUSE serves its members. - How can I provide feedback and/or participate?
Reviewing the strategic directions document and this FAQ is a great start! If you have any thoughts or recommendations to share, please email them to EDUCAUSE President Diana Oblinger at doblinger@educause.edu.
President Oblinger plans to hold online member feedback sessions at different points during the year, so look for notices about specific dates and times and make plans to participate. In the interim, engaging the community on the strategic directions via your own EDUCAUSE Connect blog is a good way to share your knowledge and expertise with your peers, and to gain access to their insights as well.
Finally, look for member feedback opportunities at EDUCAUSE events and take time from your busy conference schedule to participate. EDUCAUSE representatives need to hear from you about whether the strategic directions and related implementation activities are truly serving member needs and interests.
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