FORCE
New requirements from government
Impact on Governance
Impact on Governance
Environmental Shift
Environmental Shift
The sector has changed over the years and can expect several years of uncertainty and a fundamentally different relationship with provincial governments. In Ontario, for example, the government has introduced Strategic Mandate Agreements (SMAs) with performance measures for the universities it oversees. In Alberta, the government has reduced funding and started to reimagine higher education priorities.
Accountability takes on a new look under SMAs and these raise the stakes for boards and senates. They will need to continue to foresee and interpret government policy changes and provide greater strategic guidance to meet the government’s expectations regarding performance.
Intensifying competition among universities, locally and globally
Impact on Governance
Impact on Governance
Environmental Shift
Environmental Shift
The competition between universities is intensifying. The onus is increasingly on university leaders to be commercially savvy and focused on educational and research standards.
Boards must operate with a stronger focus on performance and with more strategic/commercial knowledge. Education outcomes, quality research and sustainable operations should be prioritized by boards and senates. The right mix of capability (professional experience) and diversity of perspectives (age, gender, background, sector of the community) will be needed – which may require new approaches to board member recruitment.
rANKINGS AND
METRICS
Impact on Governance
Impact on Governance
Environmental Shift
Environmental Shift
The success of universities is increasingly driven by publicly available rankings, measurements and other data, which force universities to make strategic choices about identity, focus and resource investment. New metrics are being added beyond teaching quality and research, in the areas of student experience, internationalization and social impact.
Universities will require strategic guidance on where to optimize, including understanding the trade-offs and implications of decisions. Boards and senates should evaluate lead indicators to avoid being surprised by results that could affect student numbers and funding. Boards need to set and engage the executive to implement coherent strategies, take calculated risks and make targeted investment to provide excellent education outcomes and grow the university’s reputation.
Competition for
students
Impact on Governance
Impact on Governance
Environmental Shift
Environmental Shift
As tuition increases and domestic enrolment growth slows in some jurisdictions, student expectations (particularly international students) of quality and style of education increase. Failure to deliver an excellent experience can have a
lasting impact.
Slowing domestic undergraduate enrolment in some jurisdictions
will intensify competition for domestic and international students. Governance must find ways to hear and evaluate the voice of the student, independent of executive reporting. Boards may be required to lead a mindset shift in university leadership to ensure student needs are understood and met. Governing bodies will be required to engage better with students and demonstrate greater visibility in their institutions.
Opportunities through digital
Impact on Governance
Impact on Governance
Environmental Shift
Environmental Shift
COVID has amplified the need for technology and accelerated investments. Technology offers ways to transform teaching and how services are delivered. Universities should continue to innovate to adapt to the changing expectations of students, support digital experiences and operate more leanly.
Technology offers efficient ways of operating but can also disrupt established ways of working. Boards will need to provide strong leadership and set expectations about the use of technology in institutions. Boards may be required to encourage an entrepreneurial or agile approach to testing and rolling out new tech systems to avoid costly and low benefit systems roll out.
