Tag: Digital

  • 5 of the biggest education trends for 2025

    5 of the biggest education trends for 2025

    Key points:

    As we welcome a new year, educators and industry leaders are excited to discover the biggest education trends for 2025. The past few years have been characterized by fresh and innovative solutions for learning, as well as transformative, technology-forward approaches to education.  

    Each year, we like to look ahead and anticipate the biggest upcoming education trends. There are many topics education professionals can expect to be at the center of the conversation in 2025–from new perspectives on artificial intelligence for education to the emergence of nontraditional school models amid an increasingly competitive enrollment environment. 

    For 2025, schools and districts are focused on making learning more engaging for students, creating a more positive environment for educators, and transforming school culture to meet the diverse needs of the school community. As schools work to accomplish these goals, we expect to see an expansion of AI and other emerging technologies in the classroom, enhanced professional development and support for teachers, and more individualized learning opportunities for students. 

    Here are five of the biggest education trends for 2025: 

    1. Nontraditional school models 

      Everything from career opportunities, technology, and the world around us has changed significantly over the past decade, yet the traditional model of public schools in the U.S. has remained largely unchanged for generations. As this industrial-age school model persists, many students feel bored and disengaged with their learning.  

      When the COVID-19 pandemic caused school interruptions in 2020, many families decided it was time to pivot to new and nontraditional learning opportunities for their children. Since 2019, over 1 million students–the equivalent of one student from every class in the country–have left the conventional classroom to seek out different educational approaches and more innovative learning environments. The National Center for Education Statistics projects that public schools, including public charter schools, will lose an additional 2.4 million students by 2031.  

      Today’s students desire more individualized learning approaches, which empower them to use their creativity, explore their passions, and engage with their peers in more collaborative ways. In 2025, we will see a greater emergence of nontraditional school models that center student engagement, collaboration, and creativity, and prepare learners to graduate into a continually-evolving workforce.  

      Some of these emerging nontraditional education models include microschools, online and hybrid learning programs, and project-based or student-led schools, as well as long-established nontraditional school programs such as homeschooling, Montessori, and career and technical education schools. In 2025, we also anticipate that public schools will step up to meet the diverse needs of students through innovative approaches, mirroring some of the elements of these nontraditional school models in order to maintain enrollment, enhance engagement, and equip students with applicable career-ready skills. 

      2. Expanded use of AI in education 

        As we predicted last year, artificial intelligence (AI) has become prevalent in the educational space, and this emerging technology shows no sign of stopping its rapid growth as we make our way into 2025. This year, we expect the conversation around AI to shift, reflecting a more widespread acceptance of the technology as a beneficial tool to enhance education and productivity. 

        In 2025, schools will continue to integrate more AI into the curriculum, guiding students to use it appropriately to enhance their learning. Many schools and districts have already developed formal AI school policies and modified student codes of conduct to ensure safe, effective, and ethical use of AI tools in the classroom.  

        Furthermore, many educators are now taking the initiative to incorporate AI tools into their lesson plans to help students build familiarity with the technology. Introducing students to AI in a safe and controlled environment enables them to learn how to use it effectively and ethically. Equipping students with foundational skills in AI is already regarded as an essential skill set for college and many careers. 

        Because AI is a fairly new technology for everyone, including educators, we anticipate that more schools will implement AI professional development opportunities this year, enabling teachers to deliver more effective AI instruction. Some schools are also beginning to employ AI tools for administrative productivity, which will require training and guidance to ensure educators and staff can successfully integrate these tools into their work. 

        3. Targeted support for educators  

          Over the past five years, many districts have been focused on allocating Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funding to implement new educational programs and tools, support student wellbeing, and overcome learning loss. Now that the final ESSER deadline has passed, 2025 will see schools and districts shift their attention to providing targeted support directly to educators.  

          With all of the new technology, refreshed learning spaces, and updated curriculum districts have recently introduced, professional development is essential to ensure effective implementation of these enhancements. In 2025, schools will incorporate new professional development programs that empower educators to foster engaged learners. By providing the tools and resources teachers need to be successful, schools can help educators improve their productivity and attain professional goals, while still keeping teacher wellbeing as a top priority. 

          Teachers are the primary influencers of the K-12 educational experience, so supporting educators is a holistic approach that benefits the entire school community. To address rising workloads, schools will implement new tools and strategies to support teacher efficacy and wellbeing. Some schools are even piloting automated and AI-powered technologies to take repetitive and administrative tasks off teachers’ plates, freeing up invaluable time for them to connect with students and focus on teaching.  

          Additionally, districts have begun to recognize the importance of a healthy work-life balance, as many teachers have left the profession over the past several years. In 2025, districts will continue to explore ways to cultivate a more positive job experience for teachers. Teachers want solutions for student behavioral issues, more attentive leadership teams, and more manageable workloads. Schools will work to improve these matters, while maintaining aspects of the job teachers value most, including school culture, opportunities for professional learning and certifications, and STEM and arts programs. 

          4. A focus on school and district culture 

            With a growing list of education options, students and their families are seeking out learning environments that not only provide high-quality curriculum and resources, but also align with their values and prioritize school-home communication. In this increasingly competitive enrollment environment, cultivating a positive culture and connected school community are the qualities that make schools stand out.  

            Funding and resources are directly related to the number of students at each school, so cultivating an inviting school culture is key. In 2025, schools and districts will take time to refine their school brand in order to attract and maintain students. School leaders will focus on creating more opportunities to engage with students and families, implementing new communications tools, initiatives, and events that bring the school community together. 

            In the past few years, some K-12 administrators have piloted mobile teaching stations to increase their visibility and daily impact throughout their school. We anticipate more school leaders will embrace this approach in 2025, enabling them to build stronger relationships with students and teachers. By working from mobile workstations, administrators can directly engage with students and staff, making face-to-face connections on a daily basis. Frequent positive interactions with school leadership help students, teachers, and families stay engaged with the school community, promoting a culture of connection and support. 

            5. Universal design for learning 

              Today’s students are making more choices about how and where they want to learn than ever before. Universal design for learning (UDL) promotes achievement among diverse student bodies by giving each student access to resources and environments that help them learn. Accessibility goes far beyond ADA compliance, and schools are recognizing this through the application of UDL across the learning experience. Understanding the diverse needs of students is crucial for creating learning experiences that are inclusive and supportive. 

              In 2025, UDL will be at the center of creating comfortable and engaging learning environments that accommodate all students’ needs. For instance, more schools are implementing sensory spaces, ensuring neurodiverse learners have a safe and comfortable space to self-regulate throughout the school day. These spaces don’t just serve neurodivergent students–all students benefit from having areas at school that are dedicated to supporting wellbeing. 

              As in previous years, accessibility and equity will continue to be prominent topics in 2025, but the conversation will pivot to focus on ways UDL can positively impact curriculum. UDL emphasizes providing students with multiple, flexible types of engagement, different ways of presenting information, and multiple ways to demonstrate their understanding in the classroom. This practice supports students who are neurodivergent and/or experience learning challenges, but also improves the learning experience for neurotypical students. 

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  • MackinVIA Earns Prestigious Platinum Modern Library AwardFrom LibraryWorks For Its 10th Consecutive Yea

    MackinVIA Earns Prestigious Platinum Modern Library AwardFrom LibraryWorks For Its 10th Consecutive Yea

    Burnsville, MN – January 16, 2025 – Mackin, a leader in providing print and digital
    educational resources for PK-12, is proud to announce that its free digital content management platform, MackinVIA, has earned the Platinum Award in LibraryWorks’ 10th annual Modern Library Awards (MLAs). This prestigious accolade marks MackinVIA’s 10th consecutive win, solidifying its position as a top choice for digital content management in schools worldwide.

    The MLAs, which celebrate the best products and services in the library industry, are awarded based on an unbiased voting process involving over 80,000 librarians from public, K-12, academic, and special libraries. Judges evaluated submissions on a range of criteria, including functionality, value, and customer service. MackinVIA received an outstanding score of 9.25, a testament to its continued excellence and innovation.

    “We’re honored to receive the Platinum Award for the 10th year in a row,” said Troy Mikell, Director of Marketing and Communications at Mackin. “Since launching MackinVIA over a decade ago, we’ve continually focused on creating a powerful, user-friendly platform for educators and students. Our relentless drive for improvement and exceptional customer service has fueled MackinVIA’s success, and it’s thrilling to see that effort recognized once again.”

    MackinVIA is accessible by more than 9 million students worldwide, providing access to over 4 million eBooks, audiobooks, read-alongs, databases, and video resources. Its digital platform offers a dynamic and comprehensive solution for PK-12 schools looking to streamline content management and improve student engagement.

    Jenny Newman, Publisher and MLA Program Manager, noted, “MackinVIA’s consistent excellence in functionality and service is what has kept them at the forefront of the industry for over 40 years. Their innovative approach continues to break barriers and set new standards.”

    About Mackin
    For over 40 years, Mackin has provided PK-12 grade libraries and classrooms with access to nearly 4 million printed and digital titles. The 24-time, multi-award-winning, digital content management system, MackinVIA, along with divisions Mackin Classroom, MackinMaker, Mackin Learning, and the brand-new, whole school resource management system, MackinVision, help to create a truly unique and robust educational resource company that schools and educators have relied on, year after year. For more information, visit www.mackin.com or call 800-245-9540.

    About LibraryWorks
    LibraryWorks helps library administrators make informed decisions regarding technology, automation, collection management, staffing, and other key areas that support efficient library operations. Their resources empower libraries to implement best practices, monitor trends, evaluate products and services, and more.

    About the Modern Library Awards (MLAs)
    The MLAs recognize outstanding products and services that enhance library operations and improve the user experience. Entries are judged by library professionals based on their relevance, functionality, and impact on the library sector.

    eSchool News Staff
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  • Resilience, flexibility and inclusion: digital transformation at The University of Manchester

    Resilience, flexibility and inclusion: digital transformation at The University of Manchester

    As Chief Information Officer, PJ Hemmaway is driving innovation at Manchester to future-proof the university and deliver the best possible day-to-day experience. In this recent interview with Melissa Bowden, Content Writer at Kortext, he shared insights on creating a sector-leading learning environment where everyone can thrive. PJ Hemmaway will be speaking at Kortext LIVE in Manchester on 6 February 2025: you can register here.

    Building resilient and flexible systems

    The University of Manchester has a bold ambition: to ‘be recognised globally as Europe’s most innovative university’. Since 2022, Hemmaway has been tasked with realising this vision, leading the institution’s digital transformation as Chief Information Officer.

    ‘As CIO, I have two core aims,’ he says. The first is ‘keeping the operational lights on’ so the university functions effectively now. The second is ensuring ‘we’re future ready – not just for one, three or five years, but for the next fifteen to twenty years’. For Hemmaway, this means making decisions that deliver long-term value, not just quick wins, and taking calculated risks.  

    Over the last two years, Hemmaway has been implementing several high-level technology strategies, all of which are underpinned by a focus on resilience and flexibility. One project has enhanced digital capabilities by laying ‘foundational building blocks’, such as a new enterprise service management system and a new integration platform, that ‘allow us to streamline workflows and improve access to services that align to our one university theme,’ he says.

    Hemmaway’s philosophy of ‘buy, don’t build’ is central to achieving his aims. ‘In the university sector, we’ve got very intelligent people who love to build things,’ he says, ‘but that creates technical debt, skills debt and data debt.’ Instead, he prefers a modular, scalable approach. ‘One of the reasons Manchester’s technology transformation has been so successful is that we’ve been modular and had small pilots – we’ve built on those and we’ve delivered’.

    Enhancing institutional intelligence

    The next stage of Hemmaway’s digital transformation strategy involves modernising Manchester’s existing data infrastructure. This means replacing older systems, which he prefers to describe as ‘heritage’ rather than ‘legacy’ technology. ‘I’ve got a lot of colleagues who implemented this technology,’ he explains, ‘and it’s part of our heritage as an institution’.

    Data is ubiquitous in higher education, yet many universities are still not leveraging it effectively. ‘As a sector, we’re not capitalising on the data we’ve got,’ says Hemmaway, ‘whether it’s research outputs or data from teaching, learning, and professional services ecosystems’.

    In response, Hemmaway is keen to foster a culture of data sharing. ‘Gone are the days where we want people to be holding their silos of data,’ says Hemmaway. Instead, by integrating data from multiple sources across the institution and then leveraging analytics tools, the university can benefit from powerful insights into areas like student retention, outcomes and wellbeing.

    Bridging the digital divide

    People are ‘at the heart’ of Manchester’s strategic plan, with its vision of students and colleagues working together ‘as one connected community’. For Hemmaway, a personal focus on equity and inclusion informs his stewardship of the university’s digital transformation too.

    He shares, ‘I come from a humble background but, thanks to my dad, I was very fortunate to have a computer in the late 80s’. When Hemmaway started his career in a bank, this early access gave him an advantage over colleagues who were still unfamiliar with the Internet.

    ‘It created an imbalance in terms of those that ‘could’ – a digital divide,’ he says. A similar gap is emerging now, with the rapid proliferation of generative AI tools. ‘It is critical to provide equitable access,’ Hemmaway states, ‘otherwise we’re going to see that digital divide again’. But access alone is not sufficient; institutions must help users develop digital confidence too.

    As part of this, Hemmaway encourages a risk-based culture of experimentation. ‘Most organisations are risk averse and they lose opportunities,’ he says. Instead, he has been selecting new products – including AI tools – and inviting colleagues to try them out in a trusted and supported environment. Feedback from these trials informs further product development.

    Successfully implementing new technology

    When asked for advice on technology adoption, Hemmaway emphasises collaboration. ‘My biggest piece of advice is to work with partners’, he says. For him, that means having a network of go-to peers and finding trusted vendors who understand the higher education sector.

    Hemmaway is now keen to explore partnering with Kortext, after seeing a demonstration of Kortext fusion – a unified strategic platform developed in collaboration with Microsoft. Following a conference, he was motivated to find a solution built on Microsoft Fabric and ‘I nearly broke my number one principle,’ he jokes. ‘I thought we were going to have to build it, not buy it’.

    However, the introduction to Kortext fusion was ‘serendipity’. Going forward, Hemmaway will be working closely with Kortext and Microsoft to explore how the platform can help Manchester to enhance data-driven decision-making and enhance the student experience. He adds, ‘this technology could also help me accelerate my digital-first strategy’, seeing it as a foundation to support flexible and inclusive education with equitable access for all.

    The benefits of a unified platform align with Hemmaway’s final thoughts. ‘The world is a complex place,’ he says, ‘and we need to simplify it’. For him, ‘simplification is a number one priority’ for successful digital transformation. Without this, he says, ‘we won’t be efficient, we won’t be flexible, and we won’t have inclusive education in a digital-first environment’.

    Join PJ, HEPI Director Nick Hillman and other education and technology expert speakers at a series of three events for HE leaders hosted at Microsoft’s offices in London, Edinburgh and Manchester during late January and early February. Find out more and register your free place here.

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  • Understanding Digital Marketing Strategy and Costs to Effectively Budget for Growth

    Understanding Digital Marketing Strategy and Costs to Effectively Budget for Growth

    In today’s digital-first world, higher education institutions are increasingly turning to digital marketing to educate, engage, enroll, and retain students. However, one of the key challenges that the campus decision-makers face is understanding the potential costs associated with digital marketing and how to effectively budget for growth.

    As someone deeply immersed in the world of digital strategy, I often find myself having the same conversation with campus leaders: how do we set realistic expectations about what it really costs to do effective digital marketing? And more importantly, how do we directly link those costs with your institution’s growth objectives? In this blog, I will highlight the key data-driven strategies for assessing ROI and how these strategies inform a strategic budget plan that strengthens your institution’s overall portfolio and drives sustainable growth.

    The importance of setting realistic expectations

    Success in higher education landscape, particularly when managing a large portfolio, is driven by a disciplined, metrics-oriented approach. From my experience, the institutions that excel are those that rely on crisp numbers, rigorously evaluate their plans ahead of time, and understand the value of projections and estimations. By leveraging detailed forecasts and aligning resources accordingly, we can navigate the complexities of enrollment growth with precision and confidence, always mindful that incremental progress, evaluated at every stage, is key to achieving long-term goals.

    Setting expectations means recognizing that significant results take time and careful planning. This translates to setting realistic growth expectations based on an understanding that reaching your enrollment goals will take multiple academic terms. When I am collaborating with our partners, we adopt a structured five year growth trajectory where Year 1 serves as the “foundational” phase, establishing the core infrastructure and strategic alignment. Year 2 is focused on “scaling,” optimizing initial investments to drive measurable growth. Years 3 and beyond are dedicated to “sustained value creation,” with a continuous focus on refining processes and maximizing returns through ongoing optimization and strategic enhancements. This phased approach allows for calculated risk-taking and ensures a clear path to long-term, scalable success.

    Chart showing 5-year projected growth for digital leads with 20%YoY growth

    Once we’ve set realistic expectations for our digital strategy, it’s crucial to ensure that every tactic -whether paid digital marketing, SEO, or creative content, all work together seamlessly to achieve your goals. These elements don’t function in isolation; rather, they complement each other to drive greater visibility, engagement, and, ultimately, enrollments. A well-rounded strategy that integrates SEO to boost discoverability, paid digital marketing for targeted reach, and compelling content to engage prospective students will create a strong foundation for success. By understanding how these components interrelate, you’ll be better equipped to assess their effectiveness and make data-driven adjustments as needed.

    From here, let’s dive into how digital strategy translates into budget planning and ROI. Understanding the interconnectedness of these key elements will help you allocate resources more efficiently and set a clear path for measuring the success of your investments.

    Connecting strategy to ROI and crafting a strategic budget plan for growth

    The connection between strategy and ROI is grounded in the ability to align your digital marketing efforts with measurable outcomes, and it all starts with the establishment of clear and precise enrollment goals. Prioritizing top programs ensures that marketing resources are directed toward the areas with the highest demand or growth potential, improving overall program performance. The right channel mix is crucial to reaching the right audience, maximizing visibility, and efficiently converting interest into applications. Monitoring data and optimizing it in real-time ensures that marketing efforts are continuously adjusted for maximum effectiveness, enhancing the likelihood of meeting targets and improving ROI. Finally, effective allocation based on application timing, seasonality projections, and market revisions allows for strategic adjustments in campaigns to account for fluctuating demands, ensuring marketing spend is optimized throughout the enrollment cycle. Collectively, these elements create a robust framework for maximizing ROI, ensuring that marketing investments lead to increased applications, conversions, and, ultimately, student enrollment.

    Graphic of connecting digital marketing strategy to ROI: Enrollment Goal Mapping, Program Prioritization, Channel Mix Strategy, Monitor&Optimize, App Deadlines and Scaling UpGraphic of connecting digital marketing strategy to ROI: Enrollment Goal Mapping, Program Prioritization, Channel Mix Strategy, Monitor&Optimize, App Deadlines and Scaling Up

    How do you craft a budget that supports your growth goals? Whether you are the decision-making authority or a decision influencer, here are the essential steps to craft a budget plan that aligns with your institution’s growth objectives and maximizes your enrollments:

    1. Define your enrollment goals in detail

    When you think of marketing costs, what comes to mind first? How much will it cost to meet your enrollment goals, right? So, your first step in planning a budget is to have your overall Enrollment goal (and, for graduate or online programs, a goal for every program) in front of you. With the goal (or program-level goals) in hand, determine what that means in terms of percentage growth from the current state. You may also have subsidiary goals like enhancing brand awareness, building more brand equity, or engaging alumni. If these are going to be part of your plan, they should also have tangible goals for what you are trying to do. Defining your enrollment goals helps you allocate your budget accordingly and measure ROI effectively.

    STRATEGY TIP

    Develop a “Goal Mapping” Scenario or you can say a Reverse Funnel (for each program). After you set enrollment goals (for the year or the term) you then need to understand the lead to enroll ratio. This will help you work backwards to determine how many accepted apps/admits will be needed, how many completed apps, how many submitted apps, and finally how many qualified leads will be needed. Based on the program category, dig deeper into what the Cost per Leads (CPL’s) are, based on industry benchmarks. That will help you calculate the estimated ad spend needed to generate those qualified leads.
    Goal Mapping for digital marketing: 1. Qualified Inquiry 2. Submitted Application 3. Completed Application 4. Admitted StudentGoal Mapping for digital marketing: 1. Qualified Inquiry 2. Submitted Application 3. Completed Application 4. Admitted Student

    A note on program-level goals: If you don’t have program-level enrollment goals for your online and graduate programs, finalize those as soon as possible. Until then, focus marketing on building brand awareness. It is likely that people in your own backyard could be less familiar with your program than you may think they are. Brand advertising will ensure that awareness rises so that when you have your program goals, you can build your campaigns on a higher level of familiarity with your institution. However, given that Google reports that 75 percent of graduate and online program searches don’t include an institution name, remember that branding alone will not be enough to fill your classes.

    Institutional example: When we began work with one of our partners nearly two years ago, they had not established program-level goals. So, in year one, we focused the largest portion of the budget on institutional awareness, with mini-campaigns focused on specific programs of importance to the institution. By the beginning of the second year, the institution had set program-level goals based on a greater understanding of market conditions. At that point, we began transitioning our campaigns to focus (ultimately 80 percent of the budget) on the programs with the “mini campaign” focused on continuing the brand equity efforts.

    2. Prioritize your programs

    It is highly unlikely that most institutions can spend marketing dollars on every program they offer. This means that in order to maximize the ROI of your marketing budget, you must prioritize your programs. But how? Take a data-driven approach, prioritizing programs for which you a) know there is market demand both among students and employers, and b) understand the competitor environment. These are the “cash cows” that will demonstrate the best ROI on your marketing spend and support the programs that, while not demonstrating significant market demand, are critical to the institutional mission.

    STRATEGY TIP

    Spreading a $100K marketing budget across 15 -20 programs will only dilute the ad spend, by spreading it too thin. Instead, identify the top 5-7 programs that have the greatest market demand and focus on them. Note that sometimes, the programs that seem most in need of a “marketing boost”, really aren’t. They are struggling because their market demand situation is not what it once was.

    Institutional example: A partner institution recently commissioned RNL to conduct a Program Prioritization and Positioning study focused on their current program mix. The goal was to take a data-driven deep dive into 12 programs vying for marketing dollars, with a focus on understanding student demand and employer needs in the region. The results indicated that while one of the programs they had planned to prioritize came out on top, two others that they hadn’t been planning to focus on also demonstrated strong demand, and one of the programs that they had questioned was confirmed as having weak local market demand.

    3. Determine your channel strategy

    Once you have prioritized your programs for marketing ROI, setting your channel strategy is pivotal. Personas (at the graduate and online levels developed for each program) dictate the channels on which you should focus. You don’t want (or need) to be present on every single channel just for the sake of “eyeballs.” Be mindful of the budget and how best to use it in order to maximize return, which can only be accomplished if you apply the personas that will inform you where your target student spend their “digital time.” So, for example, not every program may benefit from marketing on LinkedIn. Since it is expensive with a $10 minimum ad spend, a persona-based approach may indicate that other platforms are a much better match. But you can only do this if you know the characteristics of your audience, and that comes from the program personas.

    STRATEGY TIP

    The critical element in increasing marketing ROI is to engage the right students at the right time on the right channel, without spreading your budget too thin. In contrast, being too invested in any single channel exclusively or too long is also almost always the wrong strategy. There is always a point of diminishing returns as students cycle to different platforms, and you want to be sure to know where to go next before you approach that point by being able to tap into the next new thing.
    Chart of program and channel performance for different degrees and channels.Chart of program and channel performance for different degrees and channels.

    Institutional example: One of our prestigious campus partners was struggling with recent market shifts that resulted in an overall decline in applications. We dug into market and performance data to help them prioritize programs that had the highest lead-to-enroll ratios, lowest cost per acquisition, and good search volume with an eye to increasing marketing ROI and overall success. This approach not only helped regain their momentum at the top of the funnel but also generated strong conversion volume that exceeded goals and sustainably reduced cost per conversion. These changes benefited not only the marketing operation but were also felt by the call center, and further down the funnel where we saw an increase in applications.

    Talk with our digital and enrollment experts

    We’re to help you find the right digital marketing and recruitment strategies. Let’s set up a time to talk.

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    4. Analyze data regularly and optimize with agility

    If (quality) content is king, data is queen! Sustained growth can only occur when data and insights are continuously incorporated into strategy. Analyzing performance data is crucial to understanding which programs and channels are yielding the largest numbers of applications and enrollments and, hence, generating the best return on ad spend (ROAS). This type of analysis allows for a data-driven approach to strategic pivots on how the marketing budget is allocated to ensure the highest ROI (or ROAS) across channels and the program portfolio. As the cost of marketing has risen, so has the need for marketers to make an effective case to senior leadership for additional marketing dollars. You can only do this if you can demonstrate that you are the best possible stewards of current resources.

    STRATEGY TIP

    As you continue to increase your campaign efficiency and success with the focus on ROI, your cost per lead will gradually start to go down – on average by 5 – 10 percent in year 2 and beyond. So, campaigns can generate more qualified leads efficiently over the years (for the same cost), thereby maximizing the return on your ad spend (ROAS). This helps you not just grow but also helps in building forecasts and projections for growth compounded over several years – and it also provides a strong ROI-driven basis for any requests you may need to make for additional funds elsewhere.
    Cost-per-lead trends over one year, showing how current CPL has been greatly reduced from the previous year.Cost-per-lead trends over one year, showing how current CPL has been greatly reduced from the previous year.

    A note on analytics platforms: The fact that resources have become increasingly scarce at the same time as marketing costs have skyrocketed has resulted, out of necessity, in more sophisticated tracking of ROI. If your internal systems are set up in the correct manner (or if you are working with a strategic partner like RNL) every lead can be tracked to its source, thereby allowing for the assessment of just how effectively each marketing dollar has been used.

    Institutional example: A prestigious campus partner was having challenges with converting leads to applications and enrollments. We reviewed their full-funnel data (compete with attribution percentages) and realized something wasn’t working. The top of the funnel was healthy, with good lead volume. However, down the funnel we saw that a disproportionate number of leads were not converting to apps and enrollments. As a result of the review and data analysis, we made a bold strategic pivot to shift significant budget allocations to the channel (Google search) that we could see was producing the greatest numbers of applications and enrollments. Without the data, solving the challenge would have been impossible. With the data, it was easy. Since we made this change, applications, and enrollments have consistently increased each academic period.

    Graphic showing two circle charts and the reallocation of channel spend from Facebook as the largest channel to Google Search as the largest channelGraphic showing two circle charts and the reallocation of channel spend from Facebook as the largest channel to Google Search as the largest channel

    Making sure that the top of the funnel strategy is guided by down funnel numbers is the KEY! Effective strategy must evolve through ongoing optimizations with thoughtful placements across diverse media platforms that are informed by performance data. Remember that the path to enrollment is rarely linear and an integrated media strategy allows you to provide a personalized message in the right place at the right time.

    5. Understand and account for seasonality/application timings/expansion

    Another aspect of the dynamic nature of the marketing process relates to the seasonality of lead flow – and subsequent enrollment. This requires flexibility to adjust your strategies based on real-time performance data collected throughout the year. For any program or institution, there are times of the year during which more or fewer leads are generated. Fully understanding these trends takes time; you can make preliminary judgments on when the lead volume is highest and lowest within one year, but multiple years will allow for greater certainty. As you build your capacity to track lead generation – and conversion throughout the funnel – by program and source – you can create visualizations that map these factors by month. They can be used to build monthly budget allocations like those presented below.

    Bar chart showing budget allocation over the year for search, social, display, retargetingBar chart showing budget allocation over the year for search, social, display, retargeting

    Institutional example: For one campus partner we used the annual performance data in an innovative way. Our data insights indicated that there was more market share to capture, by having the program leverage low cost per conversion at the top of the funnel at certain points in the year, and low cost per acquisition at the bottom at other points of the year. There was time to scale up both applications and enrollments. We developed a forecast plan to address the potential areas of opportunity, calculated the cost, and pitched it to the partner. Once approved, we moved with agility, and implemented additional ad spend on the top champion programs and frontloaded the budgets for the academic periods yielding the highest number of applicants and enrollments. With this, we were not only able to meet the qualified lead goal but also exceeded the enrollments by 19% for the following academic period.

    The lifetime value of the student

    As you budget for growth, it’s crucial to consider the lifetime value (LTV) of a student. LTV refers to the total revenue a student generates throughout their academic journey and beyond. This value encompasses tuition fees, ancillary revenues (like housing and meal plans), alumni donations, and increasingly in our era lifelong learning opportunities.

    Talk with our digital and enrollment experts

    We’re to help you find the right digital marketing and recruitment strategies. Let’s set up a time to talk.

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  • Despite being global leader, UK cannot afford to rest on its laurels in digital, AI and green skills

    Despite being global leader, UK cannot afford to rest on its laurels in digital, AI and green skills

    By Matteo Quacquarelli, Vice President of Strategy and Analytics at QS Quacquarelli Symonds.

    Across the globe, economies are grappling with skills and talent challenges. From talent saturation to workforce reskilling, each country is facing its own unique issues as it prepares for the evolution of the digital age.

    The QS World Future Skills Index, just launched, offers a detailed breakdown of the globe’s higher education systems, their links with industries and how countries are preparing for the next industrial evolution. Using exclusive QS data, it identifies where economies and countries need to align their higher education outcomes with the needs of industry in three key areas – green, AI and digital.

    The analysis delves into 81 economies and finds that UK higher education is currently one of the world’s best for cultivating students with the future skills business and industry are calling out for.

    It measures four indicators linked to skills like AI proficiency, digital literacy and environmental sustainability that will form the bedrock of the industries of tomorrow.

    Skills Fit measures how well countries are equipping graduates with the skills employers desire. In this, no country is currently better than the UK. Using data from both our own largest-of-its-kind QS Global Employer Survey and the World Bank Group, we identified that UK employers have the highest satisfaction rates with the skills graduates bring with them, anywhere in the world – but perhaps only for the time being.

    Additionally, the UK received top marks in the Academic Readiness dimension, measuring the preparedness of a country in regard to the future of work. The UK’s success in the QS World University Rankings by Subject allowed it to flourish here.

    However, the UK must not rest on its laurels. Higher education in other markets globally is innovating at a far more rapid rate than in the UK. The reputational strength of the UK – built on its history and tradition of delivering excellent teaching and learning – is unlikely to be the key driver of satisfaction going forward.

    The UK was slightly less successful than its closest rivals in the areas of Future of Work and Economic Transformation.

    Future of Work measures how well the job market is prepared to meet the growing demand for digital, AI and green skills, using 1Mentor data of over 280m job postings worldwide.

    Economic Transformation analyzes whether a country has the infrastructure, investment power, and talent available to transition to industries driven by AI, digital transformation, green technologies and high-skilled work. This indicator used data from the World Bank Group, UNESCO Institute for Statistics and the Education Policy Institute.

    This lower score is reflective of the slow-to-no economic growth seen in the UK over the past decade and the tightening of the public purse strings strangling investment in R&D and new business innovation (evidenced by decline not only in public but also private sector funding in the UK).

    The latest economic forecasts signal a further period of stagnation for the UK economy might be on the horizon.

    Just as the importance of investment in future skills cannot be understated, nor can the importance of higher education in AI breakthroughs and innovation.

    Funnelling research innovation down the value chain into industry has been the bedrock of economic innovation worldwide. Without Stanford University, there would be no Silicon Valley. In Germany, the universities of Stuttgart and Tübingen are key in the country’s Cyber Valley initiative. If Melbourne didn’t have its outstanding higher education institutions, the city would not hold the crown of tech capital of Australia.

    The QS Future World Skills Index highlights the example of South Korea, where there is a correlation between increasing numbers of young adults attaining tertiary education and GDP growth.

    The UK government’s new AI Opportunities Action Plan, announced earlier this week sets out a clear ambition strategy to maintain Britain’s position as one of the world’s AI superpowers and has been widely welcomed by industry.

    The prime minister says his government will make it easier for experts to come to the UK via its talent visas and for future leaders to learn here. Tens of thousands of additional AI professionals will be needed by 2030, he has said.

    The Government also wants to ‘increase its share of the world’s top 1,000 AI researchers’ and will launch an AI scholarship scheme to support 100 students to study in the UK.

    While the UK was also top in Europe for talent creation, with 46,000 students graduating from an AI-relevant higher education program ahead of Germany in terms of absolute numbers with 32,000, the UK is still behind Finland on a per capita basis. Without specific policy and commitment, the UK risks losing its leading position.

    The UK is missing ‘frontier conceptual, cutting-edge companies‘. DeepMind, the AI research laboratory, was one such company that was founded in the UK before being acquired by Google in 2014. But where was it established? The three co-founders meet while studying at University College London.

    The new AI Growth Zones the government has announced, with the first starting in Culham, will need to engage universities up and down the country. Higher education must also be closely involved in the Digital and Technology Sector Plan, which is set to be published in the coming months.

    The government has also previously pledged to become a green energy superpower. The QS Future World Skills Index suggests that both the UK’s job market and its higher education system is well set up to capitalise on that opportunity.

    To succeed, government policy, the needs of industry and higher education curricula must all align to create an environment where the country can succeed and be future-ready.

    Economies and higher education systems that invest in high-quality academic programmes in AI, digital and sustainability are setting themselves up for long-term success.

    For the full QS World Future Skills Index: https://www.qs.com/reports-whitepapers/world-future-skills-index

    The UK Spotlight is available here: https://www.qs.com/reports-whitepapers/uk-spotlight-qs-world-future-skills-index

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  • Call for Submissions for Special Edition – “Trends in the Use of Generative Artificial Intelligence for Digital Learning.” (Anthony Picciano)

    Call for Submissions for Special Edition – “Trends in the Use of Generative Artificial Intelligence for Digital Learning.” (Anthony Picciano)

     

    Dear Commons Community,

    Patsy Moskal and I have decided to be guest editors for Education Sciences for a special edition entitled,

    “Trends in the Use of Generative Artificial Intelligence for Digital Learning.” (See below for a longer description.)

    It is a most timely topic of deep interest to many in the academy. We would love to have you contribute an article for it. Your submission can be research, practitioner, or thought-based. It also does not have to be a long article (4,000-word minimum). Final articles will be due no later than July 1, 2025.

    You can find more details at: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/education/special_issues/6UHTBIOT14#info

    Thank you for your consideration!

    Tony

     

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  • Start from where you are: why digital transformation is more than a final destination

    Start from where you are: why digital transformation is more than a final destination

    Nick Gilbert, Chief Information Officer of the London School of Economics and Political Science, shares perspectives on how institutional leaders can work together to deliver strategic change in challenging times.

    We in universities face well-reported challenges that have brought long-standing strategic imperatives into sharper focus. While the sector has always needed to evolve and transform, today’s operational and financial pressures have added fresh urgency.

    For many, this creates a perceived choice between investing in long-term change and delivering immediate improvements. However, this isn’t an either/or proposition. The priority has to be on today and tomorrow. We cannot afford to focus exclusively on building solutions that will only deliver results in five or fifteen years. Planning for both requires careful navigation from institutional leadership, with the entire leadership team aligned on where we’re going and how we’ll get there.

    Leading strategic change together

    At the heart of these considerations lies the fundamental purpose of universities: the advancement of knowledge and its dissemination. We must constantly evolve to remain institutions of quality, delivering value to students, fostering impactful research, and building capabilities for the future. This multifaceted purpose shapes how leadership teams approach transformation.

    We can no longer afford to simply implement new systems or processes. If our investments aren’t vital to the changes that our organisations need to make to survive and thrive now, we really must be questioning why we’re doing them. These aren’t just operational decisions – they’re strategic choices that require alignment across the leadership team.

    Consider student retention, where challenge and opportunity intersect. We need both immediate interventions and long-term solutions. Many of the 6.4% of students who withdrew last year had not changed their goals. But, rather, they were struggling with a particular issue at a particular time. Identifying these crucial moments in a consistent and systematic manner requires sophisticated infrastructure and processes that many institutions are still considering how to build. Supporting our students with the maturity and capability they deserve demands that our academic and professional services leaders work in concert – and shows up in the right conversation at the right time with the right person.

    Data as a foundation for change

    Data is the cornerstone of the modern university. The development of institutional data capabilities illustrates how organisations can balance immediate value with longer-term transformation. Most universities recognise that they need sophisticated ways to understand and act upon their data – from student engagement patterns to research impact measures. However, achieving this requires careful consideration.

    Building comprehensive data capabilities is an undertaking that every institution needs to consider, and the challenge lies in structuring this work to deliver tangible benefits throughout the journey. Success requires the entire leadership team to understand that while the full vision may take years to realise, we can and must deliver meaningful improvements at regular intervals.

    “Planning digital transformation is like planning a long car journey. You need to know your destination but also need to plan your stops carefully.”

    This approach reflects proven change management principles: begin with well-defined challenges, demonstrate value quickly, and build incrementally with clear institutional support. The institutions making real progress in this space share a common approach. They identify specific challenges – perhaps understanding patterns in student engagement or tracking research collaboration opportunities – and address these systematically. Each solution helps their communities immediately while contributing to more comprehensive capabilities.

    At LSE, I work with colleagues across the institution to ensure this balanced approach delivers results. Like many institutions, we’re exploring how emerging capabilities around data and analytics will reshape research and education. The key is ensuring these forward-looking initiatives also address current needs. When we improve our understanding of student engagement patterns, for instance, we’re simultaneously helping today’s students while building the foundation for more sophisticated support in the future.

    Strategic choices in resource-conscious times

    Institutions have always faced decisions about what capabilities to develop internally versus where to collaborate or buy solutions. One question I see leadership teams grappling with every day is what makes us distinct, and therefore where we should focus our innovation efforts. While these considerations aren’t new, they take on added significance when resources require careful stewardship.

    This calibration extends to decisions about technology investment and development. Whether considering research management systems, student engagement platforms, or data analytics capabilities, institutions must weigh up where to invest in distinctive capabilities versus where to adopt sector-standard approaches. Making the wrong choice doesn’t just affect current operations – it can impact an institution’s transformation journey for years and affect trust between different parts of the organisation. Success requires clear strategic alignment on where distinctive capability matters most.

    Aligning the journey with the destination

    We need to identify our goals, our destination, but that is not enough. I like to think of planning digital transformation like planning a long car journey. You need to know your destination but also need to plan your stops carefully. Each stop should serve multiple purposes – refuelling, rest, perhaps some strategic sightseeing. What you want to avoid is driving for eight hours straight only to realise you’re headed in the wrong direction. And we certainly don’t want to have to keep everyone in the car interested and excited in the journey for eight full hours without seeing any progress. We must start from where we are, end at our final destination, and, crucially, lay out our way markers.

    This means being intentional about both immediate improvements and long-term transformation. As universities, we have a responsibility to push boundaries while ensuring we deliver value to our students and society today. This balance between innovation and operational excellence is something every institution must navigate. Going on that journey as connected leadership teams and being collectively clear where we will see value along the way is vital if we are to be successful.

    While the current environment may add complexity to this task, the fundamental approach remains sound: start from where you are, deliver value as you go, and keep your destination clearly in sight. What matters most is taking that first step together, with a shared understanding of both immediate priorities and long-term ambitions.

    Nick Gilbert will be speaking at Kortext LIVE in London on 29January 2025. Join Nick and other education and technology expert speakers at a series of three events for HE leaders hosted at Microsoft’s offices in London, Edinburgh and Manchester during late January and early February. Find out more and register your free place here.

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  • How the university can support student digital learning freedom

    How the university can support student digital learning freedom

    Feelings of belonging have a significant positive impact on academic success and progression, but we know that creating belonging isn’t as simple as putting up a welcome sign.

    Belonging is not something that can be automatically created by an institution, regardless of its commitment to access and inclusion. To make students feel they belong in a higher education environment, having the power to shape and co-create the environments in which they participate is essential.

    For students in higher education, liminal digital spaces (those informal areas of interaction that sit between formal academic environments and students’ broader social contexts) offer unique opportunities for students to lead, collaborate, learn and foster a sense of belonging, and the freedom to shape their learning environment and exercise agency in ways that may not be available within more formal institutional frameworks. They also offer opportunities for institutions to create places that nurture academic success without assuming responsibility for the development and delivery of all support.

    But squaring the ownership, credibility and safeguarding triangle is complex, so how can universities do this while also embracing digital tools?

    Taking ownership for learning

    Focusing on digital spaces allows institutions to expand the space their students feel comfortable inhabiting and learning in, without limiting engagement from those who may not be free to meet at a specific time or be able to meet in person.

    Digital learning resources can help students connect to their peers, further strengthening their sense of place within the institution. These spaces could act as connectors between university resource and student-driven exploration and learning in a way that more formal mechanisms sometimes fail to. At Manchester, resources such as My Learning Essentials (a blended skills support programme) can be used by the students within the spaces (via online resources) and signposted and recommended by peers (for scheduled support sessions).

    Although this model exists elsewhere, at Manchester it is enhanced by the CATE-awarded Library Student Team, a group of current students who appreciate and often inhabit these spaces themselves. The combination of always available online, expert-led sessions and peer-led support means there is a multiplicity of avenues in the support. This allows the University to partner with, for example, its Students’ Union, and work alongside students and the wider institution by hosting these digital spaces, acting as mediators or facilitators, and ensuring the right balance of autonomy and support.

    Keeping learning credible

    Wider institutional support like My Learning Essentials already takes advantage of digital spaces by delivering both asynchronous online support and scheduled online sessions, and it can be easily integrated, signposted and shaped by the students using it.

    These spaces need to be connected to the institution in such a way as to feel relevant and powerful. “Leaving” students to lead in spaces, giving them leadership responsibility without institutional support or backing, sets both them and these spaces up for failure.

    Universities can work alongside students to help them define collective community values and principles, much like the community guidelines found in spaces like MYFest, a community-focused annual development event. Doing so ensures these liminal spaces are inclusive and responsive to the needs of all participants. Such spaces can also help students transition ‘out’ of the university environment and support others to build skills that they have already developed, such as by mentoring a student in a year below.

    Safeguarding in a digital world

    Universities should also allow students to follow the beat of their own drum and embrace digital outside of university spaces to further their learning.

    Kai Prince, a PhD candidate in Maths at The University of Manchester, who runs a popular Discord server for fellow students, notes:

    If the servers are led by a diverse group of students, I find that they’re also perfect for building a sense of belonging as students feel more comfortable in sharing their difficulties pseudo-anonymously and receiving peer-support, either by being informed on solutions or having their experiences, such as impostor syndrome, acknowledged.

    Spaces like Discord allow students to engage in peer-led learning, but universities can enhance the quality of that learning by making available and investing in (as is done with My Learning Essentials) high-quality online materials, clear paths to wider support services and formal connections with societies or other academic groups. These mechanisms also help to keep the space within a student’s university experience, with all the expectations for behaviour and collegiality that entails.

    The higher education sector is a complex and diverse space, welcoming new members to its communities each year. But it is often mired in a struggle to effectively engage and include each individual as a true part of the whole.

    Work to address this needs to incorporate the students in spaces where the balance of power is tilted, by design, in their favour. Recognising the potential for digital spaces, for accessibility, support and familiarity for students as they enter higher education means that universities can put their efforts towards connecting, but not dictating, the direction of students and helping them forge their own learning journeys as part of the wider university community.

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  • Forming a Digital Transformation Committee

    Forming a Digital Transformation Committee

    The Role of a Project Committee in Digital Transformation

    Why do some institutional digital transformations fail while others completely change whole institutions? The hook lies in one critical thing: the project committee. Institutional digital transformation is no longer just a choice for higher education; it’s now essential to the success of modern institutions.

    Without the right team leading the way, even the best plans can fail. The chances of an institution reaching its digital goals are 2.5 times higher if its project groups are well organized, according to research! There’s a bigger picture here than just managing a project. Your committee is shaping the future of your institute.

    Partially deciding who does what is not the only thing that matters. A strong group of thinkers, problem-solvers, and decision-makers can make goals come true. The question is, what makes a dream team, and how can your institution put together one? Now, let’s get into the nitty-gritty.

     

    Why Institutional Digital Transformation Needs Project Committees?

    Embracing new technology implementation in institutions is just one part of institutional digital transformation in higher education; the process also involves changing the culture and practices of institutions. Still, there will be problems along the way, like how hard it is to update systems, get people from different groups to work together, and get people to accept and gain from change.

    In this case, the digital transformation project group must be well organized. Committees create goals and monitor progress to help change efforts succeed. Since they may adjust their plans, they can face issues head-on.

    Maintaining a sense of responsibility is essential. If there is a digital transformation project committee, then everyone on the team will be responsible for their part of the change. Committees bring multiple viewpoints to address the full gamut of challenges: experience from information technology (IT), administration, faculty, and other departments. Together, they create the kind of innovative solutions that pave the way for positive digital transformation.

     

    Key Members to Include in the Digital Transformation Project Committee

    Digital transformation demands clear roles and responsibilities and more than a group. Clear project committee roles improve transformation efficiency. In it, everyone knows their roles, so responses are faster. Here are the essential roles of the higher education digital transformation project committee:

     

     

    Assigning Roles and Responsibilities Within the Committee Members

    Now that you have your essential players, make sure everyone knows their roles. The committee must have clear duties and responsibilities to work well and achieve its goals. Here are typical duties for each role:

    Executive Sponsor

    Executive Sponsors are your project’s top supporters. They acquire funding, top leadership support, and project alignment with the institution’s vision. Their role is to move the project forward and remove obstacles. Without them, the project may lack top-level direction and support.

    A Project Manager

    This individual manages the project daily. They organize, manage, and track deadlines. They oversee project timelines and budgets. Strong project managers pay attention to every detail and finish on time.

    Subject Matter Masters

    SMEs offer digital transformation competence (admissions, student services, tech). They suggest solutions that meet the institution’s needs and offer design and implementation help. SMEs connect tech solutions to institutional needs.

    IT Leads

    The IT Lead ensures smooth technical operations. They integrate new technology, maintain security and compliance, and resolve technical concerns. They must oversee infrastructure and data security.

    Swap Champions

    These people manage grassroots transformation. They handle resistance, promote adoption, and motivate staff and faculty. Unless people are onboarded and trained, even the best technology can fail without Change Champions.

    A Faculty Rep

    Faculty represent teachers’ needs and viewpoints. They ensure institutional digital transformation doesn’t disrupt learning and faculty demands are considered. Faculty input is crucial to campus development and developing a system that works for everyone.

    Students’ Representative

    Improved student experiences depend on their voices. This individual ensures improvements satisfy student learning, communication, and accessibility needs. Many of the systems being altered are used by students, so their feedback is vital.

    Finance Officer

    The Financial Officer manages the budget. They manage spending, finance, and project budget. They ensure project budget and resource efficiency.

    Law and Compliance Advisor

    This person ensures the project respects all laws, policies, and regulations, notably data privacy and security. Avoiding legal issues requires a dedicated person.

    External consultant if needed

    If needed, external experts provide project expertise. They can offer best practices and cover team knowledge gaps. A third party may provide fresh perspectives to help the team avoid surprises.

     

    Steps to Define the Purpose and Objectives of the Committee

     

    steps-to-define-committee-purpose-and-objectives

     

    Step 1: First, figure out what the organization needs.

    Look at the goals and problems of your organization. Find the places where going digital can make the biggest difference.

    Step 2: Align with the institution’s goals

    Make sure that the committee’s goals are in line with the institution’s long-term mission and plan. This will help the transformation program support the institution’s goals.

    Step 3: Find important people

    Find out who will benefit or be affected by the move to digital, such as students, staff, teachers, and administration. This group’s needs should guide the group’s goals.

    Step 4: Make your goals clear

    SMART goals should be used to make changes, like running the business or making the school experience better for students.

    Step 5: Put together a group

    Write down what each person in the group does to help the group reach its goal. This covers everything that’s important and makes sure that everyone is responsible. 

    Step 6: Write down your goals

    Put your goals in order of how important they are and how doable they are. Think about what makes things useful now and in the future. 

    Step 7: Set goals to reach them

    Things can be judged by how involved the students are, how well the business runs, how much money it has, how many people accept it, or how it’s planned.

    Step 8: Get together

    As new information comes in, the committee’s goals should be changed to meet the needs of higher education.

     

    Strategic Contributions of a Project Committee

     

    committee-strategic-impact

     

    Institutional digital transformation project committees supervise daily operations and strategize long-term success in this way: 

    Vision Alignment

    The committee makes sure the digital transformation project fits the institution’s aim. By understanding institutional priorities, the committee steers the initiative in the appropriate direction and ensures it contributes to the institution’s vision.

    Risk Management

    Financial, operational, and reputational risks come with digital transformation. Early risk identification and mitigation by a strong committee reduces setbacks. The committee can foresee and mitigate project issues with different skills.

    Stakeholder Engagement

    Leadership, faculty, staff, and students must communicate well to succeed. Communication is key, and the project committee ensures everyone is informed and engaged. The committee ensures buy-in from all groups by addressing issues and receiving feedback, smoothing the transition.

    Resource Allocation

    The committee prioritizes resources! The committee carefully manages funding, staffing, and technical investments to maximize ROI. Allocation ensures the organization benefits from transformation by implementing the best options.

     

    Setting Up the Campus Digitalization Governance Structure

     

    ways-to-set-up-a-digital-governance-strucutre

     

    Digitization needs a good governance structure! It ensures order and transparent decision-making. Setup:

    Use Decision-Making

    Regulate committee decision-making. Most votes, consensus, or executive sponsor approval? Avoiding misunderstanding and delays with a clear decision-making process helps the committee act quickly.

    Determine Reporting Hierarchies

    Who reports to whom? Early clarification ensures everyone knows their direct channel of communication. The project manager may report to the executive sponsor, while committee members may report to IT or faculty leaders. The organization is maintained by hierarchy.

    Set Objectives

    Determine project milestones and outputs. These project milestones will be monitored. Goals-based timelines keep everyone focused.

    Crisis and Risk Planning

    Campus digitalization governance involves risk management and decision-making. Risk planning is necessary for risk management. After an unforeseen event, the committee can quickly adjust and minimize disruption.

    Honesty and Duty

    Establish transparency and accountability. Progress reporting, decision documentation, and stakeholder communication are required. Unanimity eliminates misunderstandings and missing chances.

    Hold Review Sessions

    Discuss achievements, challenges, and plan modifications with the committee periodically. The meetings coordinate and allow course modifications.

    Communication Setup

    Communicate clearly using email, project management software, or meetings. Communicating with the committee is crucial. 

     

    Challenges in Forming and Managing a Digital Transformation Committee

     

    challenges-in-forming-and-managing-a-digital-transformation

     

    Forming and leading a digital transformation committee is exciting but difficult. These obstacles can make it hard to guide the committee toward the institution’s aims. Examples of frequent challenges and ways to overcome them:

    Misaligned Goals

    One of the major problems is aligning all committee members with digital transformation goals. Committee members may have diverse opinions based on their duties, and without a clear goal, it might be simple to stray. Smooth functioning requires everyone to understand and support the same goals from the start.

    Change Resistance

    Change management in education is common in digital transformation. With new technologies and processes, faculty, staff, and stakeholders may feel intimidated or uncomfortable. Resolving this opposition requires clear communication, stakeholder engagement, and committee change champions who can promote the shift.

    Poor Expertise

    While a project committee can bring together stakeholders, technical or digital tool skills may be lacking. Without the right SMEs, the committee may struggle to make judgments. Include members who understand the institution’s needs and the technologies involved to address this.

    Balanced Goals

    Numerous committee members balance different tasks and priorities. Other roles may tug committee members in different ways, causing time and attention issues. The committee must prioritize its work and give members appropriate time for the assignment. 

    Trouble Communicating

    Diverse teams can have communication issues if duties aren’t clear or updates aren’t communicated. To keep everyone in sync and provide information quickly, effective communication is essential. Without effective communication, the committee may miss opportunities or delay matters.

    Uncertain Decisions

    Decision-making confusion can cause delays and frustration. Members may disagree or be unsure of how to proceed without a clear decision-making framework. Avoid decision deadlock by setting clear guidelines for decision-making and who has the final say.

    Insufficient Budget and Resources

    Technological, training, and support investments are common in digital transformation projects. The committee might stall development if it lacks resources and funds. Leadership support and early funding are crucial to the committee’s success.

    Scope Creep

    It’s tempting to add features or adjust the scope as projects progress. Scope creep can cause delays, higher costs, and less concentration. Keep the group focused on the agreed-upon goals and plan and approve any amendments to avoid scope creep.

     

    Overcoming Challenges in Managing a Digital Transformation Committee

    A digital transformation committee can be difficult to organize and manage, but there are simple solutions. Let’s simplify:

    Communicate clearly. Be clear about expectations from the start. Establish roles, goals, and duties and communicate regularly. It aligns everyone.

    Digital transformation requires teamwork. Encourage open dialogue and collaboration. Higher input is preferable. This guarantees everyone is heard.

    Be flexible. Digital transformation changes quickly. Adjust your plans and strategies as needed. Monitor progress and adjust. Flexibility maintains momentum.

    Keep learning. Not everyone is an expert straight immediately. Give your crew training and resources to stay organized. Knowledge is power and simplifies decision-making.

    You may need outside help. Use transformation-experienced experts. They can identify issues early and suggest novel solutions. 

    Grab smart tools. Track progress and goals with strategic planning tools. It streamlines tasks, deadlines, and KPI management. If plans go awry, you can change them.

     

    Monitoring the Success of the Committee

     

    monitor-the-committee-success

     

    After launching, your digital transformation committee must track its goals and progress. Track the committee’s progress to improve and stay on track. Monitor committee performance:

    Establish KPIs: Define success to track it. Scheduled milestones, budgets, and stakeholder participation are examples. Set KPIs to track progress and ensure the committee meets digital transformation goals.

    Status updates regularly: Communication matters. Monitor committee progress with regular updates. Meet to review progress, handle obstacles, and keep the project on track. You can notice issues before they escalate using updates.

    Reverberations: Important to gather committee and stakeholder input. Feedback reveals issues and growth opportunities. Be transparent and use feedback to improve processes and results.

    Examine Resource Distribution: Track budget, time, and personnel to see if the committee is staying under budget. If resources are abused or underused, project changes may be needed.

    Monitor Stakeholder Satisfaction: Faculty, staff, and students must be satisfied for the digital shift to succeed. Poll these groups often to measure how well the transformation is accepted and how well the committee is addressing their concerns. Dissatisfaction should encourage the committee to improve results.

    Institutional Goal Impact: Assess your institution’s digital transformation project’s success. Does it improve education? Do administrative processes work better? Improves student engagement? The committee prioritizes what matters by aligning progress with institutional goals.

    Enjoy successes, learn from losses: Recognize small achievements. Celebrate wins to foster teamwork. Analyze setbacks and improve future efforts. Successful and unsuccessful people learn and evolve.

     

    Conclusion: The Path Forward

    As digital transformation reshapes higher education, a strong project committee becomes more essential. These committees serve as the backbone of successful initiatives by offering governance, guidance, and collaboration to navigate challenges and meet institutional goals.

    Strategic planning and a clear structure lay the foundation for success. By assembling the right team, assigning clear responsibilities, and monitoring progress, institutions can drive meaningful change, improving operations, and student experiences, and fostering innovation.

    For institutions to thrive during this transition, the right tools and systems are key. By focusing on the right approach, higher education can effectively embrace transformation and build a brighter future for both staff and students.

    Let’s improve higher education together. Get in touch with the right committee for higher education technology projects! Connect with Team Creatrix Campus.

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  • Maximize Digital Advertising For Language Learning Programs

    Maximize Digital Advertising For Language Learning Programs

    Reading Time: 10 minutes

    Language learning institution’s growth is projected to increase in the coming years. From 2024 to 2030, the global language learning market is predicted to expand at a compound annual growth rate of 20%. Due to the globalization of the labor market, language learning is likely to be in high demand. 

    Though language learning is growing in popularity, for lasting success, your school must find effective ways to stand out among other language academies looking to boost their enrollment.  Digital advertising offers a broad spectrum of tools to attract students, but knowing how to maximize the impact of these strategies is key to success. At Higher Education Marketing, we’ve spent years refining approaches that yield measurable results for schools offering language learning programs. The following strategies offer actionable steps to elevate your ads targeting language students and attract the right prospects to your programs. Let’s explore!

    Want to create successful ad campaigns?

    Request a Free paid advertising consultation.

    Understanding the Unique Needs of Language Learners

    Language learners are a distinct group with varied motivations, backgrounds, and learning goals. Some are looking to learn a language for career advancement, while others may seek language acquisition for academic, travel, or personal reasons. Advertising that speaks directly to these needs requires a keen understanding of the diverse audience you aim to reach. One of the first ways to maximize the impact of digital advertising is through careful audience segmentation. Instead of promoting the same message across all channels, consider the specific motivations that drive different groups of learners and tailor your messaging accordingly.

    Segmenting audiences by factors such as age, occupation, location, and even language proficiency allows schools to create highly targeted campaigns. How does language impact advertising for schools? Simply put, it depends heavily on your organizational goals. If you’re looking to target professionals wanting to learn English for business purposes, the language in your ad copy should reflect the vocational value of your programs. On the other hand, copy-targeting students hoping to improve their French skills before an international exchange can be more casual and experience-focused. This approach ensures the content resonates more deeply with potential students, increasing the chances of conversion.

    effective ads for language learningeffective ads for language learning

    Do you need help launching your language school’s latest ad campaign? Reach out to discover how we can support you. 

    Leveraging Social Media Platforms to Build Authentic Engagement

    Social media is a powerful tool for language learning programs, offering an opportunity to create ongoing engagement with potential students. However, simply posting ads isn’t enough. The most successful social media campaigns foster a sense of community and engagement, which encourages followers to take the next step toward enrollment.

    For language schools, showcasing success stories is one way to build trust. Highlighting testimonials from former students, sharing video snippets of language immersion experiences, and offering short, valuable language tips can increase authenticity. Interactive content, such as live Q&A sessions or virtual language exchange events, can draw in potential students who want to see what learning at your institution feels like before they commit.

    Schools can also encourage user-generated content by asking current students to share their experiences online, providing social proof that can be far more persuasive than traditional ads. When students are shown engaging and relevant ad content on their social media feeds and in your school’s stories, they are much more likely to visit your site and perhaps even take the first step in your enrollment process.

    Example: Here, a leading language school, EF Education First uses Instagram to drive their organic traffic. In their post, they share valuable language acquisition tips, providing an English reading list for their students. Try using social media to share actionable language tips with your audience. This will drive engagement, boost your follower count, and broaden your digital reach.

    language learning advertising_strategieslanguage learning advertising_strategies

    Source: Instagram | EF Education First

    Creating Culturally Relevant Ads to Reach Global Audiences

    Language learning programs often attract an international audience, which means your digital ads must resonate across cultures. One way to do this is by crafting culturally relevant ads that speak directly to the experience of international students. The language and imagery used in ads should align with the cultural values of the target audience. For example, an ad targeting language students in the Asian market might highlight the importance of family and education, while an ad aimed at Latin American students might focus on community and connectivity.

    Schools should also consider creating ads in multiple languages to appeal to global audiences. You may be wondering how to go about this. For example, Can you target by language on Google Ads? Yes! Google Ads allows advertisers to create campaigns that specifically target users based on the language settings of their browser or device. You can set up your ads to appear in multiple languages, ensuring that they reach potential students who speak those languages. Additionally, you can create language-specific ad copy and landing pages, enhancing the relevance of your campaigns.

    Optimizing Paid Search Ads for Long-Tail Keywords

    One of the most effective ways to drive qualified traffic to your website is through paid search advertising. Language schools can take advantage of this by focusing on long-tail keywords that are specific to language learning. While broad keywords like “learn English” may have high competition, phrases like “intensive French courses for business professionals in Paris” or “Spanish language classes for travelers” are more targeted and tend to attract a highly motivated audience.

    Long-tail keywords may have lower search volumes, but they often result in higher conversion rates because they target users who already have a clear intent. This approach not only helps you to maximize your ad budgets but also ensures that the clicks you receive are more likely to turn into enrollments.

    ad targeting_language studentsad targeting_language students

    Source: Hutong School

    Example: Here, Hutong School uses the long-tail keyword: Global Chinese language school in their metadata. This targeted keyword is designed to attract students who not only want to learn Chinese but also want to do so at a global institution that welcomes students from all over the world. Specificity in keywords ensures higher quality leads who are specifically looking for you.

    Crafting Compelling Ad Copy That Speaks to Pain Points

    Effective ads for language learning and education go beyond promotion and address the specific challenges that potential students face. Whether it’s the fear of not being left behind in class or the worry about balancing language learning with other responsibilities, successful ads speak directly to these concerns.

    To craft compelling ad copy, start by identifying the pain points that your target audience experiences. Are they professionals concerned about fitting language classes into their busy schedules? Are they international students worried about mastering a new language before moving abroad? Once you’ve identified these challenges, your ads should provide solutions. Highlight the flexibility of your class schedules, emphasize the support systems you have in place for struggling students, or showcase how your programs help learners achieve fluency quickly.

    effective_ads_for language learningeffective_ads_for language learning

    Source: KCP International Japanese Language School

    Example: Here, KCP addresses a very common pain point for language learners in their ad copy. Many fear that it’s ‘too late’ to learn a new language as the experience can be expensive and time-consuming. KCP positions itself as the solution to this barrier, ensuring its audience that as long as they meet four basic criteria, learning Japanese is within reach for them.

    Using Retargeting to Capture Warm Leads

    Retargeting is one of the most powerful tools in digital advertising, particularly for language schools where prospective students may need time before making an enrollment decision. Retargeting campaigns allow schools to stay top-of-mind by showing ads to users who have already visited the school’s website or engaged with its content.

    Retargeting works particularly well for language learning programs because it targets individuals who are already interested in the subject but may not have been ready to commit when they first encountered the program. Your school can use this strategy to provide reminders about upcoming enrollment deadlines, promote special offers, or share new content that highlights the benefits of your courses.

    For instance, if a visitor left your site after viewing the course offerings but didn’t sign up, retargeting ads can remind them of the benefits of joining your program. This approach can be particularly effective when combined with personalized messaging, such as offering tailored suggestions based on the courses they viewed.

    Incorporating Video Content to Showcase Language Learning in Action

    Video ads offer a dynamic and authentic way to showcase your school’s programs. HEM’s tailored video ad services help you stand out, whether promoting a specific course or building brand awareness. From high-energy hype videos to authentic student interviews, we create compelling visuals that maximize visibility and generate results. How does that affect you as a language learning institution? 

    Video content is a particularly effective tool for language schools, offering prospective students a glimpse into the real-life experience of learning a new language. Whether it’s a classroom setting, a student testimonial, or a tutorial on language pronunciation, videos create an emotional connection that static ads often lack.

    To maximize the impact of your video content, ensure that it highlights the immersive, interactive nature of your language programs. Videos should showcase the benefits of learning in a dynamic environment where students can practice speaking in real-life scenarios. This builds excitement and helps prospective students visualize themselves succeeding in your program.

    Additionally, video ads on platforms like YouTube or social media can target specific audience segments. Language schools can use these platforms to create ads tailored to different learner types, such as professionals looking to learn a language for work or students hoping to study abroad.

    language_learning_advertising_strategieslanguage_learning_advertising_strategies

    Source: LSI Worldwide | YouTube

    Example: This promotional video presented by a school director highlights the unique selling points of their online learning system. The unique academic benefits of your programs are an excellent topic for your promotional videos – particularly when presented by a language expert within your faculty.  What makes your instruction style unique?

    Harnessing the Power of Influencer Marketing

    Language schools can also benefit from partnering with influencers, especially those passionate about language learning or travel. Influencers offer access to a built-in audience that already trusts their recommendations. By working with influencers who align with your institution’s values, language schools can reach potential students who may not have been aware of your programs.

    An effective influencer marketing campaign for a language school might include sponsored posts where the influencer shares their language learning journey, highlighting the value of enrolling in formal programs. Schools can also consider offering affiliate programs, allowing influencers to earn commissions for every student who enrolls through their recommendation.

    Utilizing Data Analytics to Refine Advertising Campaigns

    Data-driven decision-making is at the heart of successful digital advertising. Language schools must continually analyze their campaign’s performance to ensure they’re reaching the right audience and achieving optimal results. Tools like Google Analytics and Facebook Insights can provide valuable insights into which ads are performing well and which need to be adjusted.

    For example, schools can track metrics like click-through rates, conversion rates, and the cost per lead to determine the effectiveness of their campaigns. By continuously monitoring these metrics, schools can make data-driven decisions that maximize their return on investment. Adjustments might include refining audience targeting, improving ad copy, or reallocating the budget to the platforms that yield the highest returns.

    Offering Free Trials or Sample Lessons to Convert Prospects

    One of the most effective ways to convince prospective students to enroll in your language learning program is by offering a free trial or sample lesson. Language learning can be an intimidating prospect, and many students may hesitate to commit without knowing what to expect. By offering a no-obligation sample lesson, schools give potential students a taste of the learning experience, which can be enough to convert them into paying students.

    This strategy works particularly well in digital advertising campaigns where schools can drive traffic to a landing page offering the free trial. Ads promoting a “try before you buy” approach can alleviate apprehension about committing to a full program.

    language learning advertising strategieslanguage learning advertising strategies

    Source: WuKong Education Online | YouTube

    Example: WuKong Education Online offers a trial class to attract their prospects. Trials are an excellent way to convert leads and are particularly effective for online academies. 

    By implementing these language learning advertising strategies, your school can significantly enhance the effectiveness of your digital advertising campaigns. At Higher Education Marketing, we believe that understanding the unique needs of language learners, leveraging innovative tools, and continuously refining your approach is key to driving enrollment and building lasting connections with students.

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    Frequently Asked Questions

    Question: Can you target by language on Google Ads?

    Answer: Yes! Google Ads allows advertisers to create campaigns that specifically target users based on the language settings of their browser or device. You can set up your ads to appear in multiple languages, ensuring that they reach potential students who speak those languages. Additionally, you can create language-specific ad copy and landing pages, enhancing the relevance of your campaigns.

    Question: How does language impact advertising?

    Answer: Simply put, An ad aimed at professionals wanting to learn English for business purposes should be crafted differently from one targeting students hoping to improve their French skills before an international exchange. This approach ensures the content resonates more deeply with potential students, increasing the chances of conversion.

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