5 Ways Innovation is Inspiring Higher Ed

It’s no wonder institutions are keenly focused on innovation.

As students demand more from their schools, institutions must be ready to meet those expectations with new mentalities and a willingness to think and act outside the box.

Some schools are rethinking the way they use technologies and are looking to students for inspiration, while others are turning the idea of the traditional campus on its head and are aiming for a complete conceptual redesign.

Here are five examples of institutional innovation from eCampus News, which offers daily insights and resources for forward-looking higher ed leaders.

1. Ninety-one percent of all administrators say innovation is a top strategic or academic priority, but just 40 percent say their institution has a dedicated university innovation budget, according to The State of Innovation in Higher Education: A Survey of Academic Administrators.

2. Many community colleges recognize the importance of mobile devices and mobile connectivity for their students, and they’re working to meet these expectations and ensure campuses and faculty are ready to support the technology.

3. Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) is re-imagining the traditional conception of college as the middle ground between high school and the workplace and is working with cities and employers to develop innovative learning and workforce solutions.

4. Disruption in higher education needs to happen everywhere. Missouri’s Maryville University is examining every aspect of what’s “traditional” in higher education, right down to the core of the culture.

5. Leaders at Elon University in North Carolina have been able to harness the power of big data to increase collaboration across departments and enhance the college experience with a true focus on student success.

Read these and more stories about innovation on eCampus News, a division of eSchool Media, which has been a proud partner of SXSW EDU for several years. Meet eSchool Media’s Editorial Director, Ellen Ullman, when she moderates Going Digital: The Future of the K12 Library at SXSW EDU.

Sponsored content provided by eSchool Media. Photo courtesy of Pixabay.