ERIC Number: EJ1089587
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2013
Pages: 9
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0893-0384
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Your Customer's Voice: An Innovation Roadmap for Professional Education
Gallagher, Sean; Mishra, Seema
Continuing Higher Education Review, v77 p77-85 Fall 2013
In this article, Gallagher and Mishra state that "innovation" is in vogue in the increasingly competitive and globalized higher education landscape, particularly in the world of serving working professionals in continuing higher education. Too often, however, colleges and universities do not consider the voice of the consuming public--in particular, that of prospective students--in creating a roadmap for innovation and growth. Listening to customers' voices can help sort through the noise of interesting and nascent ideas in order to prioritize and focus on initiatives that will meet the needs of students and the public. In the spirit of continuous innovation and maintaining alignment with evolving market needs, Northeastern University places considerable emphasis on regularly surveying prospective professional students and other parties. Gallagher and Mishra use this article to build on the results of a number of Northeastern's marketplace surveys and opinion polls over the last year and make a case for fundamental innovations that professional students and others are demanding. The authors' conclude that, in order to keep pace with market trends, and indeed, to stay ahead of them, higher education institutions and their professional and continuing education units must continually evaluate the needs and interests of their customers. In addition, innovation and new investments should be grounded in evidence and reflect customer demands rather than reacting to the direction of peer institutions.
Descriptors: Higher Education, Online Courses, Professional Continuing Education, Innovation, Blended Learning, Acceleration (Education), Global Approach, Experiential Learning, Cooperative Education
University Professional & Continuing Education Association. 1 Dupont Circle NW Suite 615, Washington, DC 20036. Tel: 202-659-3130; Fax: 202-785-0374; Web site: http://www.upcea.edu
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education; Adult Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Massachusetts
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A