Tag: guide

  • Navigators Guide

    Navigators Guide

    Navigators Guide

    The focus of the Navigator program is to increase connection for CHROs with experienced higher ed HR leaders in hopes of increasing success and decreasing burn-out for CHROs.

    Expected Outcomes

    1. CHROs feel connected to other HR leaders in higher ed (within the group).
    2. CHROs increase their access to helpful resources, supports and recommendations.
    3. CHROs feel comfortable opening up about their challenges and successes with both the Navigator and other CHROs.
    4. Seasoned HR leaders are re-energized in their roles by supporting CHROs in higher ed.
    5. Seasoned HR leaders increase efficacy with individual and group coaching and facilitation.
    6. Higher ed HR leaders expand their national networks of support and connection (outside of the group).
    7. Engagement of higher ed CHROs at multiple levels
    8. Increase in CHRO confidence of CUPA-HR to support development for higher ed HR professionals

    Representing CUPA-HR as a Navigator

    • In a CUPA-HR volunteer leadership role, your responsibility is to all the elements of the association including our strategic priorities and values. We see you as a leader in our association.
    • In a Navigator capacity, if you are reaching out to CUPA-HR members, sponsors or others outside of the CUPA-HR community, please identify your leadership role in this program to be transparent about the connection to CUPA-HR.
    • We encourage you to use CUPA-HR resources. Guide participants to our website.  Share valuable resources that have helped you or your HR team be successful in the past.
    • Communicating the value of the CUPA-HR community — “keeping the world small and inclusive”

     

    Contents

    How to Prepare

    Building the Relationship

    • First meeting tips – TO COME (Check out Team Building Capacity in the Learning Framework)
    • Discuss goals and mutual expectations in the first group meeting and individual meeting. Explore what people envision for the Navigator-Participant relationship (group and individual).
    • Lead an icebreaker for people to get to know one another and build rapport in the group.
    • Outline how communication will work for the group and individual (i.e. future meetings, staying in touch). Be proactive about how conflict and difficult conversations will be facilitated and how people can engage in that space.
    • Review tools and resources with the group.
    • Set expectations around confidentiality. Discuss how both you and participants can feel safe to share challenges or sensitive information while maintaining professional ethics. If someone asks you to sign a confidentiality agreement, take a step back and ask if there’s another way to discuss the issue without breaching protocol on their part.

    Questions for the First Meeting

    Getting to Know You

    • Tell me a bit about yourself and your background.
    • What are some experiences that have shaped who you are today?
    • What are your core values or principles that guide your decisions?
    • What are you most passionate about — professionally or personally?

    Understanding Goals and Aspirations

    • What are your short-term and long-term career goals?
    • Where do you see yourself in one year? In five years?
    • What skills or knowledge do you want to develop most right now?
    • Are there any specific challenges you’re currently facing in your role or career?
    • What does success look like for you in this Navigator relationship and program?

    Setting Expectations in the Relationship

    • How often would you like us to meet, and what format works best for you (Zoom/Teams, phone, in-person, etc.)?
    • How do you like to communicate (email, IM, text)?
    • Have you been in a relationship similar to this one before? What worked well or didn’t work in that relationship?
    • How do you prefer to receive feedback — direct, gentle, written, verbal?
    • Are there any boundaries or preferences I should be aware of to support you better?

    Exploring Growth and Development

    • What’s one area you feel confident in, and one where you’d like to grow?
    • What’s a recent accomplishment you’re proud of?
    • What’s something you’ve always wanted to try or learn but haven’t yet?
    • How do you like to celebrate progress or milestones?

    Deepening the Relationship

    • Review goals, track progress, and identify roadblocks
    • Discuss areas for growth and suggest resources
    • When appropriate, share personal experiences (i.e. ask yourself — how would this personal experience contribute to the learning of others?). Both successes and mistakes or failures are helpful for others to hear to encourage a growth mindset. The vulnerability of sharing mistakes/ or failures also shows your humanity as a leader and works to build trust with others.
    • Ask first, then offer guidance and connections as needed.
    • Explore long-term aspirations and connection opportunities.
    • Acknowledge achievements, big and small, to motivate others.
    • Provide mechanisms for feedback to the Navigator and to CUPA-HR.

    Group Meetings

    • Ask the group what would be helpful in terms of a format (i.e. bring a specific topic?  Keep it free form? A little of both?).
    • Ensure all voices are heard — calling on those who are quieter than others while also encouraging a “challenge by choice” environment.
    • Use the wisdom of the group when questions arise. Before jumping in with a response, ask if anyone in the group has ideas. Then fill in the gaps after others share.
    • Follow up with recommended books, articles, podcasts and online courses that align with emerging topics — this can be from the Navigator and others in the group.

    Individual Meetings

    • Ask the individual what would be helpful in terms of a format (i.e. bring a specific topic?  Keep it free form? A little of both?). This can also be determined at the beginning of a meeting.
    • Check in about something personal that the participant might have shared in a previous meeting (i.e. How’s your child’s big art project coming along? How was your vacation last month?).
    • Check in about personal goals — celebrate BOTH successes and failures, what detours occurred, what happened unexpectedly that led to a good outcome, etc.
    • Potential topics to explore during regular meetings or integrated with other topics: https://www.cfachicago.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/mentor_suggested_topics.pdf. (These topics might be focused on goal setting/review, problem-solving, knowledge sharing, skill building, or a combination of all https://www.wudpecker.io/blog/mentor-meeting-tips-for-mentors-and-mentees-with-agenda-template.)
      • Professional Growth – 5- to 10-year goals; ongoing professional development; what success/successful looks like
      • Work/Life Balance – Challenges and/or successes with balance; what does balance look like/mean (i.e. not always a 50-50 balance at all times); plan for balance
      • Leadership – What this means to you as a CHRO; leadership philosophy; personal values; challenges and strengths; areas for development
      • Upcoming Professional Challenges – What’s on the horizon; lessons learned from leadership; other emerging topics

    Navigator Presence

    Create a Supportive and Nonjudgmental Environment That Promotes Listening, Learning and Connection

    Guidelines for Creating and Maintaining Trust and Discretion

    • Following the lead of the program participants will ensure that their needs are being met. Navigators were recruited because of their expertise and connections in CUPA-HR and higher ed HR. It is exciting to have a forum to share that valuable expertise — and it’s helpful to start from a place of listening and acknowledging people’s experiences.
    • Navigators can initiate outreach and conversations based on current events, key CUPA-HR communications, upcoming webinar topics, and other conversations with sitting CHROs.
    • To best meet the needs of the participants, Navigators can create a list of questions to help dig into what is really going on. When a Navigator asks probing questions, the participant will sometimes find that what they need support for is actually a symptom of a deeper issue (or a completely different topic altogether). For example:
      • What’s important to you about “x”?
      • How does this impact you and your team?
      • What do you think the root of the issue is?

    Encourage Follow-Through and Accountability

    When appropriate, ask participants what they plan to do with their learning from your time together.  Ask for details such as when they will begin, what might get in the way and how they will overcome barriers, how motivated are they to follow through, what additional supports they need to be successful, etc.

    Be Perceptive of Productive v. Non-Productive Dialogue

    • Create a “safe space” for candor and concern regarding their role, key leader relationships, and current team capabilities. We all like to vent sometimes, and it’s helpful to know that you are not alone in certain situations. However, when venting is all that is happening, it can become a barrier to solutions. If individuals or the group needs space to vent, set a specific time for it to happen and then create a boundary to move on towards productive dialogue. For example: If the group needs to vent, set a time limit for each individual (i.e. 30-60 seconds each). Each person will have the set amount of time to dump whatever they need to on the table. Others in the group (including the Navigator) will be compassionate and be “on the side” of the person venting. Once the time is up, the next person goes (as needed). After everyone who wants to go has gone, move into the rest of your time together.
    • Be aware of the presence of bias and microaggressions in comments. Assist with reframing and understanding the impact of these perspectives on their role as CHRO and as a higher ed HR professional.
    • If unconscious bias or microaggressions surface, acknowledge them in a way that fosters learning. Encourage participants to reflect on intent versus impact and consider how their words or assumptions may affect others.

    Suspend Judgment While Engaging

    Be Prepared and Present

    • As HR leaders, you are juggling a lot. When you are facilitating the individual and group meetings, be present (phone away, not checking emails, door closed, etc.).
    • For group meetings, check what was covered last time. Remember people’s names and universities (or have a cheat sheet). If there is a specific topic of interest for the group, be prepared with some resources (i.e. from the CUPA-HR website) and reflect in advance how to navigate the topic.
    • For individual meetings, review the person’s goals. Remind the participant what they committed to during your last meeting and be prepared to ask questions and celebrate successes and failures. 

    Potential Challenges

    How will the initial communications to potential participants work and how can I frame these communications to encourage the participant to respond to a conversation?

    CUPA-HR will be providing materials to support your outreach to participants. COMING SOON

    One of the participants I’m working with is not showing up. What should I do?

    If one of the CHROs you’re working with did not show up for a monthly meeting or group meeting, please reach out to them individually to ensure they are OK. When building relationships, it’s helpful to set norms for communicating with one another if a meeting can’t happen (i.e. 24-hour advance notice). Of course, emergencies do come up, so please provide grace to participants.

    If a CHRO is consistently not participating or if you do not hear back from them at all, please reach out to CUPA-HR for support.

    One of the CHRO’s I’m working with is always rescheduling our 1:1 meetings. It’s challenging for my schedule. How can I manage this?

    We appreciate your time and commitment to this program and would like participants to value your time as well. When building the relationship, set expectations about your schedule, what works best, and how to manage rescheduling. Also articulate how it might impact you if the participant frequently reschedules. Revisit these expectations if need be. Please reach out to CUPA-HR for additional support if the issue persists.

    Tensions are coming up during difficult group conversations. What are skills to navigate these situations?

    First, it’s helpful to acknowledge that this might happen with the group and to articulate expectations for how everyone can be in a respectful community with one another.

    Although tension can be uncomfortable, if everyone is respectful, it can be an opportunity to work through difficult issues or divergent points of view. Encourage participants to be open to listening to others and asking questions (even if they disagree). 

    If someone in the group is becoming disrespectful, take time for a break and check in with the individual 1:1 during the break to understand their perspective, remind them of the group’s expectations, and encourage a more constructive approach to the discussion. If needed, help them reframe their concerns in a way that fosters healthy dialogue

    I feel like I’m not on the same page as one of the CHRO participants. How can I increase my communication effectiveness?

    Sometimes we have different communication styles than those we work with. To begin with, it might be helpful to be transparent about your concerns and see if the participant feels the same way (i.e. “I feel like I’m not always meeting your communication needs. Can you share with me what is and isn’t working in terms of how I’m communicating with you?”). This approach not only models humility as a leader, but will help to surface any assumptions you may have about the relationship and how it’s going. 

    If misalignment persists, clarify goals and priorities to ensure that differences in communication don’t hinder the experience.

    If the Navigator-Participant match is simply not a good fit, please reach out to CUPA-HR to discuss next steps. We will transition the participant to a new Navigator.

    My role and/or workload with the university has changed, and I’m not sure I can continue with the program. What should I do?

    If your role or workload is going to shift or has shifted, please reach out to CUPA-HR to discuss next steps.

    How can I be responsive in meeting participant expectations?

    The best place to start in meeting participant expectations is to ask questions and check for understanding. As a Navigator, you can also ask for feedback from the participants you are working with to see if you are meeting expectations and, if not, discuss how to shift your approach or the information being shared.

    I have contacts within higher ed HR, but I’d like to expand my circle and knowledge base in order to support my cohort. What are some first steps for this?

    Some first steps for this include understanding what HR function areas you want to meet or expand into as a Navigator. What content areas or types of connections are you missing? This will help to narrow your focus. Then review CUPA-HR offerings to see if there are ways you can grow your circle — for example, through CUPA-HR Connect channels, attending or presenting at interactive workshops, or asking Mark Coldren, because he knows everyone. 

    What is not part of my role as Navigator, and how can I create boundaries around this?

    The primary expectation of the Navigator role is to connect with individuals in your cohort one time per month and facilitate group cohort meetings quarterly. As participants get to know and trust you, they may start reaching out more for resources or support. To establish healthy boundaries, communicate your role clearly from the start. Frame the conversation around supporting the participant’s growth while maintaining balance with your own higher ed HR workload. If a participant is reaching out more than you can manage, you can revisit expectations by saying “I really value our connection, and to keep it effective, I need to set some limits around my availability.”

    The post Navigators Guide appeared first on CUPA-HR.

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  • From Intuition to Intelligence: Leveraging Data to Guide Academic Portfolio Strategy

    From Intuition to Intelligence: Leveraging Data to Guide Academic Portfolio Strategy

    In today’s competitive higher education landscape, institutions can no longer afford to rely on instinct alone when it comes to academic program planning. The stakes are too high and the margin for error too slim. 

    Leaders are facing increasing pressure to align their portfolios with market demand, institutional mission, and student expectations — all while navigating constrained resources and shifting demographics. 

    The good news? You don’t have to guess. Market intelligence offers a smarter, more strategic foundation for building and refining your academic program mix. 

    Why program optimization matters now more than ever 

    Most institutions have at least one program that’s no longer pulling its weight — whether due to declining enrollment, outdated relevance, or oversaturated competition. At the same time, there are often untapped opportunities for growth in emerging or underserved fields. 

    But how do you decide which programs to scale, sustain, or sunset? 

    Optimizing your portfolio requires more than internal performance metrics. It calls for an external lens — one that brings into view national and regional trends, labor market signals, and consumer behavior. When done effectively, academic portfolio strategy becomes less about trial and error, and more about clarity and confidence. 

    The first step: Start with the market 

    The strongest portfolio strategies begin with robust external data. At Collegis Education, we draw from sources like the National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS), Lightcast labor market analytics, and Google search trends to assess program performance, student demand, and employment outlooks. 

    National trends give us the big picture and a foundation to start from. But for our partners, we prioritize regional analysis — because institutions ultimately compete and serve in specific geographic contexts, even with fully online programs. Understanding what’s growing in your state or region is often more actionable than knowing what’s growing nationwide. 

    Our proprietary methodology filters for: 

    • Five-year conferral growth with positive year-over-year trends 
    • Programs offered by a sufficient number of institutions (to avoid anomalies) 
    • Competitive dynamics and saturation thresholds 
    • Job postings and projected employment growth 

    This data-driven process helps institutions avoid chasing short-term trends and instead focus on sustainable growth areas. 

    Ready for a Smarter Way Forward?

    Higher ed is hard — but you don’t have to figure it out alone. We can help you transform challenges into opportunities.

    Data in action: Insights from today’s growth programs 

    Collegis’ latest program growth analyses — drawing from 2023 conferral data — surface a diverse mix of high-opportunity programs. While we won’t detail every entry here, a few trends stand out: 

    • Technology and healthcare programs remain strong at the undergraduate level, with degrees like Computer Science and Health Sciences showing continued growth. 
    • Graduate credentials in education and nursing reflect both workforce need and strong student interest. 
    • Laddering potential is especially evident in fields like psychology and health sciences, where institutions can design seamless transitions from associate to bachelor’s. In fields such as education, options to ladder from certificate to master’s programs are growing in demand. 

    What’s most important isn’t the specific programs, it’s what they reveal: external data can confirm intuition, challenge assumptions, and unlock new strategic direction. And when paired with regional insights, these findings become even more powerful. 

    How to turn insight into strategy 

    Having market data is just the beginning. The true value lies in how institutions use it. At Collegis, we help our partners translate insight into action through a structured portfolio development process that includes the following: 

    1. Market analysis: Analyzing external data to identify growth areas, saturation risks, and demand signals — regionally and nationally. 
    1. Gap analysis: Identifying misalignments between current offerings and market opportunity. 
    1. Institutional alignment: Layering in internal metrics — enrollment, outcomes, mission fit, modality, and margin. 
    1. Strategic decisions: Prioritizing programs to expand, launch, refine, or sunset. 
    1. Implementation support: Developing go-to-market plans, supporting change management, and measuring results. 

    By grounding these decisions in both internal and external intelligence, institutions can future-proof their portfolios — driving enrollment, meeting workforce needs, and staying mission-aligned. 

    Put data to work for your portfolio 

    Program portfolio strategy doesn’t have to be a guessing game. With the right data and a trusted partner, institutions can make bold, confident moves that fuel growth and student success. 

    Whether you’re validating your instincts or exploring new academic directions, Collegis can help. Our market research and portfolio development services are built to support institutions at every step of the process — with national insights and regional specificity to guide your next move. 

    Innovation Starts Here

    Higher ed is evolving — don’t get left behind. Explore how Collegis can help your institution thrive.

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  • Supporting Student Mental Health in the Classroom: A Faculty Guide to Compassionate Engagement – Faculty Focus

    Supporting Student Mental Health in the Classroom: A Faculty Guide to Compassionate Engagement – Faculty Focus

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  • Next Steps: A Practical Guide for Ensuring Access and Opportunity for All Employees

    Next Steps: A Practical Guide for Ensuring Access and Opportunity for All Employees

    by Julie Burrell | February 19, 2025

    The wave of new executive orders on DEI, immigration and gender identity has already significantly impacted the higher ed workplace. While the pace of change may feel overwhelming, HR departments are taking a leading role — just as they did during the COVID-19 pandemic — in navigating change and making sure all employees feel valued and supported at work.

    As CUPA-HR President and CEO Andy Brantley affirmed in his message about the recent executive orders, higher ed workplaces can still:

    • Promote equitable work and career pathing opportunities and pay for all employees.
    • Cultivate inclusive learning and working communities.
    • Create a workplace culture that embraces respect and civil discourse.
    • Level the playing field for everyone by working to remove bias, reviewing outdated policies, and creating transparency.
    • Reinforce institutional values by ensuring that all employees feel connected and supported.

    As you strategize your response to changes taking place on your campus, here are some considerations for ensuring that you are providing equal access and opportunity for all.

    Conduct an Audit of Your Institution’s DEI Efforts

    If you haven’t started already, conducting an audit of programs, policies and procedures can help identify areas of concern. Design a simple spreadsheet to help you organize and track your findings in areas such as training and development, hiring, performance management, communications and website content. For each item, indicate where it falls on the legal spectrum. Does it violate the law? Is it in compliance but in need of adjustments? Is it in compliance and effective as it stands?

    When reviewing your programs and processes, the central question to ask is, do they provide equal access and opportunity to all employees without giving special advantages to any one person or group?

    Here’s one example. The language of the recent DEI-focused executive orders emphasizes merit. Merit has always been critical to hiring, reviewing performance and making promotion decisions. Do your policies around hiring and promotion reflect that focus on merit? Are hiring and promotion processes fair and transparent? Are hiring and promotion decisions documented, and do they reflect those policies and processes?

    Connect with Campus Partners

    Your institution’s general counsel can help ensure any changes made to policies and procedures are in compliance with the new executive orders and mitigate risk for your institution.

    If you’re undertaking a website audit, consult your chief information officer. Is there AI-enabled software that might help identify noncompliant wording or outdated programs?

    Is your institution a federal contractor or subcontractor? If so, you may face additional oversight, including new contract terms certifying that your institution is following federal antidiscrimination laws. If your status is unclear, first check with the office of research.

    Consider creating a neutral body of campus stakeholders to help suggest, implement and communicate changes in response to the executive orders, but also expect that employees and administrators will have strong opinions and feelings about these changes.

    Reframe Inclusion

    As you review policies and communications to ensure compliance, take the opportunity to make your workplace even more welcoming and accessible.

    Align with your institution’s values. What are your institution’s core values and mission? It’s likely they involve respecting diversity of thought and perspective, creating a welcoming environment, and providing equal access and opportunity to all regardless of identity. Affirming and communicating these values can be an important way to stay focused on what matters during times of change.

    Consider accessibility. When revising programs and processes to be more inclusive, envision accessibility for all. For example, if your goal is to make career development programs accessible to all employees, look for gaps in access across your employee population. Just as holding trainings in non-ADA compliant buildings may limit the ability of some people to participate in career development, so might neglecting the needs of groups like non-exempt employees and working parents and caregivers. Are there more flexible options? Can you support supervisors to make it easier for an employee to take time away from regular duties?

    Ensure clarity and transparency. Equity in compensation, hiring and promotion is an effective way to bolster recruitment and retention. For example, hiring and promotion practices that are not transparent, written down, and consistently followed can negatively affect the workforce. Women are less likely than men to be promoted if clear, fair criteria aren’t used. Neurodivergent candidates are disadvantaged when job interviews rely on indirect measures like succeeding at small talk rather than a skills-based assessment. In both of these instances, vague criteria such as “culture” and “fit” may prevent qualified, highly skilled employees from being hired and from moving up the ladder. Finally, be sure that your institution’s job descriptions and job requirements are up to date and are being used as the basis for decisions related to hiring and pay.

    Focus on purpose. To avoid misinterpretation, your efforts at creating an inclusive workplace should be characterized in ways that are purpose driven. For example:

    • Communities of people with varied backgrounds and life experiences create opportunities for community members to grow personally and professionally. When employees thrive, institutions thrive.
    • Parity and equity, in opportunity and pay, support job satisfaction, recruitment and retention.
    • A safe and welcoming work environment fosters community and collaboration.

    Emphasize outcomes. Lily Zheng, author of the book DEI Deconstructed, encourages those invested in fair and healthy workplaces to strengthen outcomes. Zheng recommends an outcomes-based approach “focusing on measurable results like pay equity, physical and psychological safety, wellness, and promotion rates, rather than … a one-time training, posting on social media, or other behaviors that signal commitment without demonstrating results.”

    Take Steps to Educate Employees

    Review the ways managers and senior leadership are implementing the policies and processes that are in place. Is additional training required? If you have made changes to policies and processes, how will you communicate those to supervisors and other campus leaders?

    Be sure to evaluate anti-harassment and antidiscrimination trainings you have in place. These trainings should continue, although they may need to be adjusted to emphasize even more strongly the importance of opportunity and respect for all.

    Know That You’re Not Alone

    The higher ed HR community has been through challenging times before, most recently as the pandemic reshaped the workplace. If you have resources or ideas to share with other CUPA-HR members regarding ways that you and your HR colleagues are creating and sustaining an inclusive campus community, please email them to [email protected]. Your submission will be treated as confidential and, if shared, will be described in terms that will not identify your institution.

    Related CUPA-HR Resources

    Recent DEI-Focused Executive Orders: Next Steps for Higher Ed HR — This CUPA-HR webinar, recorded on February 13, offers excellent insights into steps institutions can take to ensure they are in compliance.

    Recent Executive Orders and Higher Ed HR’s Role in Creating and Sustaining an Inclusive Campus Community — A message from CUPA-HR President and CEO Andy Brantley.

    CUPA-HR Data — CUPA-HR is the premier source of higher ed workforce and workplace data.

    Compensation Toolkit — This HR toolkit includes resources to help ensure that compensation plans are fair and transparent.

    Recruitment Toolkit and Interviewing Toolkit — These HR toolkits include resources to help ensure that hiring practices are fair and transparent.

    Performance Management Toolkit — This HR toolkit includes resources to help ensure that performance management practices are fair and transparent.

    Layoffs/RIF/Furloughs Toolkit — This HR toolkit includes valuable resources for managing workforce reductions.

    Resilience in the Workplace — This CUPA-HR webinar, recorded in 2021, was designed to serve as resilience training for attendees, as well as a model that could easily be replicated at your institution for HR teams and other employees.

     



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  • Getting Started: A Basic 10 Point Guide to Launching an Academic Career – Faculty Focus

    Getting Started: A Basic 10 Point Guide to Launching an Academic Career – Faculty Focus

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  • A Guide to Video Marketing for Schools

    A Guide to Video Marketing for Schools

    Reading Time: 11 minutes

    With video consumption accounting for nearly 83% of global internet traffic and popular platforms like Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, and Facebook prioritizing video content, video marketing has become indispensable for educational institutions aiming to boost visibility and enrollment. 

    To stay competitive in today’s market, you’ll need to harness the potential of video advertising effectively. This comprehensive guide explores the power of video marketing for schools, the types of video content that work best for student recruitment, strategies for success, and solutions to common challenges.

    Struggling to stand out in a crowded market?

    Boost Enrollment with Engaging Short Videos

    The Power of Video Ads

    Video ads have revolutionized student recruitment strategies. With the average attention span of viewers shrinking to just eight seconds, video offers a uniquely engaging way to capture attention and convey key messages. 

    Prospective students, especially from Generation Z, respond favorably to videos that are authentic, visually appealing, and emotionally resonant. Institutions that embrace this medium can benefit in several ways.

    HEM Image 2HEM Image 2

    Source: HEM

    Are you ready to start seeing the benefits of video marketing for schools in your strategy? Reach out to learn about our short-form video services

    The Rise of Video Content

    The prevalence of mobile devices has played a crucial role in video’s dominance. Roughly 75% of video consumption now takes place on smartphones, which means that optimizing video content for mobile viewing is no longer optional. 

    How can you ensure that your videos perform well on mobile devices? Optimize videos for vertical viewing on social media stories, reels, and TikTok where many of your prospects spend time each day. 

    Videos resonate because they combine auditory and visual stimuli, making it easier to communicate complex ideas quickly. From showcasing campus life to highlighting academic achievements, videos allow your institution to tell compelling stories that resonate with viewers on an emotional level.

    Video is also uniquely positioned to address the challenge of dwindling attention spans. Short, visually rich content quickly captures the viewer’s interest and sustains it by combining engaging visuals with concise messaging. 

    Platforms such as TikTok, with its bite-sized, highly engaging format, demonstrate the power of video to connect with younger audiences effectively. On platforms like YouTube, longer-form videos offer opportunities to dive deeper into campus life, academic programs, or institutional values.

    Engagement metrics further underscore the importance of video. Social media algorithms prioritize video content, leading to higher visibility and better engagement rates. 

    Studies consistently show that video posts receive significantly more likes, shares, and comments than static posts. This increased interaction enhances the institution’s online presence and builds a stronger connection with potential students by inviting them to engage directly with the content.

    Finally, video content creates a multisensory experience that helps prospective students visualize themselves at the institution. When students see themselves participating in activities, walking the campus, or enjoying the community, they are more likely to form an emotional connection that influences their decision-making process. 

    Example: Here, UC Berkeley shares a short, interesting interview-styled video, optimized for vertical video apps. When choosing a video format and editing your video, be sure to keep your viewer’s short attention span in mind.

    @ucberkeley What do students from around the world know about UC Berkeley? 🐻🌎 #berkeley #ucberkeley #studyabroad #bayarea #publicinterview ♬ original sound – UC Berkeley

    Source: UC Berkeley | TikTok

    Types of Video Ads for Student Recruitment

    To fully leverage video advertising, it’s important to understand the different types of videos that resonate with your audience. Each type serves a unique purpose, allowing schools to communicate effectively across various platforms.  

    Hype Promo Videos

    Hype promo videos are ideal for generating excitement around major announcements, such as launching a new program or an upcoming campus event. These high-energy videos grab attention with dynamic visuals and captivating music, making them perfect for social media platforms where scrolling speeds are fast. 

    While shorter clips work well for platforms like Instagram and TikTok, longer versions can be hosted on the institution’s website or YouTube channel to provide a more comprehensive overview.

    Example: Randolph-Macon Academy uses high-quality footage, eye-catching editing, and epic music to tell a compelling story about the student life experience they offer. Hype promo videos are an excellent avenue for visual storytelling.

    HEM Image 4HEM Image 4

    Source: Randolph – Macon Academy | YouTube

    User-Generated Content

    User-generated content (UGC) is a game-changer for student recruitment. Content created by current students, alumni, or ambassadors exudes authenticity, which prospective students highly value. 

    Whether it’s a student documenting their day on campus or an alumnus sharing their career journey, UGC builds trust and fosters a sense of relatability. Institutions can encourage student participation by offering incentives like branded merchandise or featuring contributors prominently on official channels.

    Example: This UGC video from Cumberland College is authentic and appeals to the desires of a specific Gen-Z audience particularly as the popularity of online careers grows. Throughout your UGC campaign, be sure to focus on highlighting genuine experiences to differentiate the content from a traditional ad.

    @cumberlandcollegebc ✨ Want to give your career a boost? ✨ Our Digital Marketing diploma program will give you the chance to develop the digital skills you need to thrive in today’s business world! 👉👉 $12,000 in financial aid with the new Valued Skills Bursary available when you study online or at our Surrey campus! #DigitalMarketing #Surrey #BC #OnlineLearning #CumberlandCollege ♬ original sound – Cumberland College

    Source: Cumberland College

    DIY Video Tips

    Limited budgets should never deter institutions from producing impactful video content. If you’re wondering how to create video ads on a limited budget, look no further than a modern smartphone. Capable of capturing high-quality footage, you can create professional-looking videos without expensive equipment.

    Simple strategies like natural lighting, stabilizing the camera, and adding subtitles can elevate production quality. Starting small with test videos allows for refinement over time, paving the way for a more robust video marketing strategy.

    Example: Video marketing for schools doesn’t always have to involve highly produced footage. As long as the quality isn’t compromised, and the results are just as engaging, all you really need to get started is a modern smartphone with a decent camera and some creative ideas. Video marketing is heavily trend-driven, particularly on platforms where short-form videos are popular. For your DIY videos, do preliminary research, taking note of the trends that viewers are responding to.

    YouTube videoYouTube video

    Source: Cambridge University | YouTube

    Strategies for Effective Video Content

    Creating effective video ads requires more than just compelling visuals. Institutions must adopt a strategic approach to ensure their content aligns with their goals and resonates with their target audience.

    Focus on Quality Over Quantity

    Every video should reflect the institution’s values, strengths, and mission. To ensure consistently high-quality video content, schools can implement several strategies. 

    First, create clear production guidelines that include lighting, sound, and framing recommendations. These guidelines can help amateur creators, such as students contributing user-generated content, maintain a professional standard.

    When relying on user-generated content (UGC), provide participants basic training or tip sheets on capturing footage. Encourage contributors to use stable tripods, proper lighting, and minimal background noise to enhance video clarity. Offering editing support or simple tools to enhance UGC—such as branded filters or overlays—ensures that the final product aligns with the institution’s brand identity.

    Consistency in quality also comes from pre-production planning. For example, institutions can create storyboards or scripts for key content themes, ensuring each video maintains a cohesive narrative. Review processes are equally critical; assigning a designated team or individual to review and approve content before publication allows schools to catch inconsistencies and errors early.

    Investing in scalable tools, such as video editing software or mobile apps, allows schools to polish videos before posting. Paired with these efforts, periodic feedback sessions with creators can help refine content over time. A single high-quality video can generate more engagement and drive more conversions than a series of poorly produced clips.

    Segment Videos by Topic

    Educational institutions cater to diverse audiences, each with unique interests and priorities. By creating topic-specific videos, schools can address these varying needs effectively. For instance, one video might highlight academic programs, while another focuses on student life or campus facilities. 

    This segmentation ensures prospective students receive information tailored to their interests, enhancing engagement and encouraging further exploration.

    Example: Organize your videos into playlists to make it easier for viewers to find what they’re looking for as the University of Toronto did on their YouTube page in the image below.

    HEM Image 7HEM Image 7

    Source: University of Toronto

    Showcase Real Success Stories

    Nothing resonates more deeply than genuine success stories. Featuring interviews with current students, alumni, or faculty members allows institutions to highlight real-world outcomes and the impact of their programs. 

    These narratives provide relatable insights that prospective students can envision for themselves, making the institution’s offerings more tangible and aspirational.

    To create compelling success story videos, schools should start by identifying standout students or alumni whose journeys reflect the institution’s values and strengths. 

    Conduct interviews in visually appealing settings, such as iconic campus locations, to give viewers a sense of place. Incorporate diverse voices and experiences to ensure the stories resonate with a wide audience.

    Actionable strategies include integrating authentic visuals, such as clips of the featured individual participating in classes, engaging in extracurricular activities, or achieving milestones in their careers. Pair these visuals with concise, heartfelt narratives that emphasize personal growth and accomplishments.

    For consistency and quality, schools can create a structured framework for storytelling. This might include opening with a brief introduction, highlighting the challenges or goals the individual faced, and concluding with their achievements and future aspirations. Encourage participants to speak naturally, as unscripted moments often feel more genuine and relatable.

    Additionally, amplify the impact of these stories by embedding them into broader marketing campaigns. Share snippets on social media, include them in email outreach, or feature them prominently on the institution’s website. This multi-channel approach ensures that success stories reach prospective students at various touchpoints, enhancing their overall effectiveness.

    Boost Engagement with CTAs

    Every video should include a clear and compelling Call-To-Action (CTA). CTAs are the bridge between engagement and action, guiding viewers to take the next step in their journey with the institution. To craft effective CTAs, schools should focus on clarity and relevance. For instance, a video showcasing campus life might end with an invitation to “Book a Campus Tour,” while a testimonial video could encourage viewers to “Apply Today and Start Your Journey.”

    The placement and timing of CTAs are equally important. CTAs placed at the end of a video often drive action most effectively, as viewers are already immersed in the content. However, mid-video CTAs can also be used strategically in longer videos to re-engage audiences who may drop off before the end. Interactive elements like clickable links or embedded forms can make CTAs even more effective by reducing friction for viewers.

    Customization of CTAs based on the platform is another key strategy. On YouTube, a CTA might take the form of a video overlay or end screen, while Instagram could use stickers or swipe-up features. These platform-specific approaches ensure that the CTA feels natural and intuitive to the viewer.

    Finally, measuring the success of CTAs is critical. Schools can track metrics such as click-through rates, conversions, and engagement to refine their approach over time. A/B testing different CTA phrasing or formats can also provide valuable insights into what resonates most with prospective students. With these strategies in place, CTAs can transform passive viewership into active interest and tangible results.

    Overcoming Challenges in Video Marketing

    Despite its benefits, video marketing comes with its own set of challenges. Educational institutions must address these hurdles to maximize the impact of their campaigns.

    Privacy and Legal Compliance

    Privacy concerns are paramount when creating promotional content involving students. Institutions should implement consent forms and adhere to relevant regulations to ensure that all video materials comply with legal requirements. Transparency in this process not only safeguards the institution but also builds trust with stakeholders.

    Maintaining Brand Cohesion

    Consistency is key to building a strong brand identity. To achieve this, schools should develop a brand style guide that outlines visual and messaging standards for all video content. This ensures that every video aligns with the institution’s overall branding, reinforcing recognition and credibility.

    Generating Fresh Content

    Keeping content fresh and engaging can be a challenge, especially for institutions with limited resources. One solution is to develop themes or “content buckets,” such as academic achievements, campus events, or faculty highlights. This approach provides a structured framework for content creation, making it easier to maintain a steady flow of new material.

    Leveraging Stock Footage

    For institutions with constrained budgets, stock footage offers a cost-effective alternative to original video production. By customizing stock footage with branded elements like logos or text overlays, schools can create visually appealing content that feels authentic and aligned with their messaging.

    Enhancing Impact with Professional Elements

    While authenticity is critical, incorporating professional touches can elevate video quality and make content more impactful. Techniques like using green screens, investing in studio settings, and optimizing videos for mobile viewing can significantly enhance production value. 

    Additionally, tailoring content for specific platforms—such as LinkedIn for professional audiences or Instagram for visual storytelling—ensures maximum reach and engagement.

    Building Trust Through Authenticity

    Authenticity is the cornerstone of effective video marketing. Overly polished advertisements can sometimes feel impersonal, while genuine, unscripted content fosters emotional connections. 

    Videos that highlight real student experiences, showcase unfiltered moments, or provide behind-the-scenes glimpses into campus life resonate deeply with prospective students, making them more likely to consider the institution.

    Cost-Effectiveness and ROI

    Video marketing doesn’t have to break the bank. User-generated content, in particular, offers a highly cost-effective way to create engaging videos. Encouraging students and alumni to contribute content not only reduces production costs but also enhances relatability. 

    When paired with strong CTAs, video ads often outperform other formats in generating conversions, making them a high-ROI investment for student recruitment campaigns.

    Example: Pictured below are the average conversion rates of various traffic sources. Second only to organic traffic (referring to visitors that complete a desired action after finding your institution through unpaid search results), video marketing boasts a high 4.8% conversion rate making it a worthy investment.

    HEM Image 8HEM Image 8

    Source: Business Dasher

    In review, what are the best video marketing strategies for schools? Creating effective video ads requires you to go beyond compelling visuals. Schools need to adopt a strategic approach to ensure their content aligns with their goals and resonates with their target audience. 

    This includes focusing on quality over quantity by creating visually appealing and professional videos that reflect the institution’s values. Schools should also segment their video content by topic to cater to the diverse interests of their prospective students, ensuring each video delivers targeted and relevant information.

    Leveraging real success stories is another impactful strategy, as these narratives provide relatable and aspirational insights. Institutions should also craft clear and engaging calls-to-action (CTAs) that guide viewers toward the desired next steps, such as applying or signing up for a campus tour. 

    Ensuring consistency in quality, brand cohesion, and authenticity while addressing privacy concerns and optimizing for platform-specific formats will further enhance the effectiveness of video ads. By combining these strategies, you can create videos that capture attention and drive meaningful engagement and conversions.

    Video ads are transforming digital marketing strategies for schools. Embracing this powerful medium can significantly amplify your reach, foster emotional connections, and drive enrollment. From leveraging user-generated content to creating high-quality promotional videos, the strategies outlined in this guide provide a roadmap for success. 

    Don’t get left behind as marketing trends evolve. Institutions that prioritize video marketing will be better positioned to connect with the next generation of students and thrive in an increasingly competitive landscape. The time to invest in video ads is now and we can help you get started.

    Struggling to stand out in a crowded market?

    Boost Enrollment with Engaging Short Videos

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Question: How to create video ads on a limited budget?

    Answer: Look no further than a modern smartphone. Capable of capturing high-quality footage, you can create professional-looking videos without expensive equipment. Simple strategies like using natural lighting, stabilizing the camera, and adding subtitles can elevate production quality.

    Question: What are the best video marketing strategies for schools?

    Answer: Creating effective video ads requires you to go beyond compelling visuals. Schools need to adopt a strategic approach to ensure their content aligns with their goals and resonates with their target audience.



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  • College Students Guide to Mental Health (ABC News)

    College Students Guide to Mental Health (ABC News)

    According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, nearly one in three young adults 18 to 25 have experienced a mental illness. Psychologist Mia Nosanow joins “GMA” for more.

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  • The Tragic Optimist’s Guide to Surviving Capitalistic Nihilism (Dasia Sade)

    The Tragic Optimist’s Guide to Surviving Capitalistic Nihilism (Dasia Sade)







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  • It’s the higher education Christmas movie and TV guide

    It’s the higher education Christmas movie and TV guide

    There’s nothing on the telly this Christmas.

    There never is. Unless you’re searching for some hidden nuance in repeats of The Chase.

    But if, like me, you have trouble switching off from work but also enjoy being slumped in front of the box with a tub of Quality Street, I have good news.

    I’ve picked out ten films and TV shows released this year that either have something to say about higher education, are set on campus and/or depict contemporary student life.

    You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll shell out for a VPN, you’ll get frustrated by torrent ratios, and you’ll almost certainly switch off, which is what the break is for – eventually.

    It really was slim pickings this year from a UK perspective. Everyone talks a lot about how universities are portrayed “in the media”, but I think they mean on Newsnight or in the Telegraph. The sector will probably win more hearts and minds on Netflix, if anyone knows anyone that might be able to help.

    Before you take to the comments, I’ve not put in books or podcasts. I do enough reading in this job, and I edit ours, so my appetite for either is fairly thin – but do pop suggestions below if there are any.

    You’re welcome – and apologies in advance if you’re at work over the next couple of weeks.

    If having worked in or around the sector you’ve not quite had your fill of toxic and manipulative relationships this year, the second season of Tell Me Lies is a good bet. Filmed largely on the picturesque campus of Agnes Scott College in Georgia, we’re whisked into a world of 2008 fashions, messy frat parties, tense dorm room interactions and academics’ office hours – all used to illustrate how central character Lucy Albright’s university experiences shaped her later life. It’s all a bit soapy, but the deep discomfort at having to hang out with your exes that campus life can require is very well played.

    There are more depictions of dorm life in Sweethearts, a romantic comedy whose set-up centres on two friends breaking up with their girlfriends from home over a holiday weekend. It’s all a bit loaded lads retro – flying urine and a flaccid full-frontal give you a sense of the tone here – but treat it like gazing out of the window on a train, and you’ll take in some lovely interior scenes from Ramapo College in Mahwah, and some lush exterior shots from the Vermont College of Fine Arts.

    This is a low-budget “feminist horror thriller” that follows a fraternity pledge who, during a brutal hazing ritual, is pressured to lose his virginity by leading a drugged girl upstairs at a party – something that has unexpected and increasingly disturbing consequences. It’s cleverly filmed, there’s a cracking soundtrack and it’s comically gruesome – until you remember that without the blood and gore of act three, it’s depicting an unsettlingly common scenario.

    Yôji Minamimaru, the central character of Land of Tanabata, navigates all the typical challenges of being a student – academic life, social relationships, self-discovery, and a supernatural ability to create small holes in objects, something he shows off as the President of the New Skills Development Research Society. It’s an unlikely hook for a series, and the murder (of a professor) mystery that ensues is a struggle to stick with in this manga adaptation.

    Two old friends enroll in an adult university, looking for adventure, love and fun. What could go wrong? Quite a lot, it seems, in this Dominican go at mature student life that drags up some particularly dated caricatures of women and LGBT+ people. I got about 15 minutes in before I was tired of the buffering.

    What do you fancy watching. A drama? A rom-com? A thriller? An overdone Indonesian horror film based on a viral Twitter thread from 2016? On the assumption that it’s the latter, Dosen Ghaib: Sudah Malam atau Sudah Tahu (The Ghost Lecturer: Is It Night Already or Do You Already Know) follows four university students who fail the year and are required to enrol onto a catch-up module over the holiday, who pitch up only to get a message that the lecturer can’t make it – so who is the person already in the room? For clarity, it’s a murdery ghost man, not one of his PhD students.

    You might remember a story from 2023 that involved an academic specialising in the social impacts of climate change avoiding air travel to minimise his carbon footprint – only to get sacked for doing so. The Researcher chronicles Gianluca Grimalda’s 40-day journey via trains, buses, and ships to reach his research site in Papua New Guinea. Maybe he was sacked for not using Key Travel to book it all.

    Decades on from the end of apartheid, Afrikaans media is only just starting to break away from its historically conservative roots. Wyfie – opening up conversations about rape, sexuality and politics – caused quite a stir when it appeared in 2023, and this year’s second season of the show, about four mismatched university roommates at a womens’ residence at the fictional Eike University, takes things up a notch. It’s especially fascinating for the insights into university life – first-year initiation ceremonies, cheating on a test to maintain academic standing and a mother-and-daughter tea event all make it in, as does a whole bunch of drama over an annual photo of those in the halls. It’s especially good on both portraying and dramatising that “you befriend people that aren’t like you” cliche.

    If all of these sensitive and revealing portrayals of student life are a bit woke for your liking, and you’ve never got around to reading The Coddling of the American Mind, you’ll be pleased to learn that you watch it now instead. The central conceit of the Lukianoff and Haidt viral article-cum-bestseller gains some visuals, voxpops and dramatic music here – but decent evidence for their claims, which to these eyes and ears is age-old generational indignation dressed up as science – is still in short supply. That said, the idea that pervasive racism, sexism, homophobia and transphobia are merely bad ideas that a good debate will solve is at least in the solid tradition of Christmas TV escapism.

    This is set in Kota, Rajasthan – a city known as a hothousing hub for coaching centers that prepare students for India’s highly competitive IIT-JEE entrance exams. Back for a darker yet compelling third season this year, there’s plenty to learn here about the coaching system’s human impact as the focus shifts a little to draw in the coaches themselves and the choices made between the gifted students and everyone else. If there’s a fault with it, it’s the season ending – a crowbarred bit of plotting presumably designed to hang out the prospect of a fourth run.

    Admissions were quite a big story in the US in 2023 – the supreme court banned the use of affirmative action policies that had been in place for decades – and Bad Genius plays into the slipstream by overlaying some higher education race politics to a remake of a Thai blockbuster from 2017. The plot centres around a clever student who helps her friends cheat on their entrance exams to reflect the struggles of first-generation Americans pressured to support their immigrant families. If you’re a fan of the original you’ll be wondering why they bothered – but given you’ve not seen the original, this is a fun way to while away an afternoon if you’re into watching the underdog poor outmaneuvering the rich.

    Finally, (and no I’m not including One Day), I won’t have a word said against Big Boys, which had a criminally under-celebrated season 2 this year. The search for student housing, mental health, student sex work and plenty of students’ union activity all feature at Brent University, where Jack and Danny’s decidedly uncool struggles with the second year manage to be both laugh-out loud funny, heart-wrenching and revealing often all in the same scene. Set somewhere near Watford (and filmed largely on the Harrow campus of the University of Westminster), it’s the polar opposite of glamorous, and all the better for it.

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  • Best Project Guide for uttaranchal university projects

    Best Project Guide for uttaranchal university projects

    MBA Project Guide provides complete project guidance and MBA Project Reports for Logistics & Supply Chain Management, Business Analytics, Digital Marketing, Banking, and Finance. This includes assistance with the project synopsis, internship reports, viva support, and guidance until the project is accepted in accordance with the university guidelines.

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