Strategic Directions FAQ
- Why does EDUCAUSE have strategic directions?
- How are the strategic directions developed?
- What principles guide the association's efforts?
- 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 are the strategic directions developed?
EDUCAUSE utilizes a broad array of approaches to engage members in the development of its strategic directions. In addition to interviews with community leaders, the association conducts focus groups, and surveys members. EDUCAUSE representatives also reach out to other higher education associations and EDUCAUSE corporate members to learn from their knowledge and experience. In addition, the association conducts a scan of its competitive landscape to identify both threats and opportunities.
EDUCAUSE seeks 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.
- What principles 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.
- What will change as a result of their implementation?
EDUCAUSE aligns its staff and financial resources to support its work on the strategic priorities of the year. This does not mean that EDUCAUSE necessarily stops 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 and this FAQ is a great start! If you have any thoughts or recommendations to share, please email them to EDUCAUSE President and CEO John O'Brien at [email protected].