Strategic Foresight in Higher Education

Sponsored by IBN
March 22-23, 2011
JW Marriott Kuala Lumpur

James L. Morrison, Facilitator

Colleges and universities are being bombarded by tumultuous forces for change in the political, technological, social, economic, and environmental sectors, locally and globally. In order to plan effectively in this environment, institutional leaders must be able to anticipate the direction and implications of these forces in order to plan more effectively. In short, they must be able to use the tools of strategic foresight.

Objectives

The objective of this workshop was to assist leaders in colleges and universities and in higher education ministries enhance their competency to systematically factor the external environment into their planning activities. Participants gained experience in:

• identifying critical trends that define the context within which higher education will function in the coming decade;
• identifying potential events that could affect higher education;
• using strategic foresight tools to analyze and interpret potential events that could affect higher education;
• exploring environmental scanning models and how they could be implemented and used by leaders in colleges and universities and in ministries of higher education to enhance strategic planning.

Preparation 

Participants were requested to review the following publications prior to this workshop:

Approaches to anticipating the future:

Suggested

1. Universiti Sains Malaysia (2007). Constructing Future Higher Education Scenarios.
2. Morrison, J. L. (1996). "Anticipating the Future." On the Horizon, 4(3), 2-3.
3. Morrison, J. L. (1997). "Transforming Educational Organizations" On the Horizon, 5(1), 2-3.
4. Munck, R., and McConnel, G. (2010). University Strategic Planning and the Foresight/Futures Approach.
5. The Lauder Global Business Insight Report 2011. On the Move: Adapting to a New Global Economy. PDF download.
6. The Horizon Report (2011). The New Media Consortium and the Educause Learning Initiative. PDF download.
7. The Horizon Report Wiki (2011). The New Media Consortium and the Educause Learning Initiative.
8. Morrison, J. L. (1992). "Environmental Scanning.” In M. A. Whitely, J. D. Porter, and R. H. Fenske (Eds.), A Primer for New Institutional Researchers (pp. 86-99). Tallahassee, Florida: The Association for Institutional Research.
9. Simpson, E. G., McGinty, D. L., and Morrison, J. L. Environmental Scanning at the Georgia Center for Continuing Education: A Progress Report. Continuing Higher Education Review, 1-20.

Additional

1. Mack, T. "An Interview with a Futurist." Futures Research Quarterly, 2003, 19 (1), 61-69
2. Morrison, J. L. US Higher Education in Transition. On the Horizon, 2003, 11(1), 6-10.
3. Morrison, J. L. (2011). Higher Education in Transition. Tan Sri Jeffrey Cheah Distinguished Speakers Series Lecture, Sunway University, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia.
4. Morrison, J. L. & Wilson, I (1997). "Analyzing Environments and Developing Scenarios for Uncertain Times.” in M. W. Peterson, D. D. Dill, L. A. Mets, and Associates (eds.), Planning and Management for a Changing Environment. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers.
5. Ashley, W. L. & Morrison, J. L. (1996). "Anticipatory Management Tools for the 21st Century.” Futures Research Quarterly, 12 (2), 35-49.
6. Ashley, W. L. & Morrison, J. L. (1997). "Anticipatory Management Tools for Better Decision Making.” The Futurist, 31(5), 47-50.
7. Morrison, J. L., Renfro, W. L., and Boucher, W. (1984). Futures Research and the Strategic Planning Process. (1984). ASHE-ERIC Higher Education Research Report.
8. Morrison, J. L. (2005). "Experiencing the Online Revolution." In G. Kearsley (ed.),Online learning: Personal Reflections on the Transformation of Education. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Educational Technology Publications.
9. Morrison, J. L., Sargison, A., and Francis, D. (1997). Using the Futures Program as a Tool for Transformation. In D. M. Norris and J. L. Morrison (eds.) Mobilizing for transformation: How campuses are preparing for the knowledge age. New Directions in Institutional Research Number 94 (pp. 19-30). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers.
10. Ruth, S. R. (2010). "Can ICT Do More to Reduce Higher Ed Costs? A Return on Investment Perspective." International Journal of Technology in Teaching and Learning, 6(2), 103-115.
11. Carter, D. (2011, March). Does Online Education Put Traditional Universities at 'Grave Risk'?eCampus News (PDF File).

Mailing List, Slides, and Snapshot Video of Workshop

All participants were enrolled on the workshop mailing list (kualalumpur@listserv.unc.edu). The mailing list allows participants to continue the discussion after the workshop.

Presentation slides are now available as is a snapshot video of the workshop as it was being conducted.

Agenda