Learning Resources

Trends Outside Higher Education | Fall 2021

From the ongoing COVID–19 pandemic to the impacts of climate change, colleges and universities continue to face an environment that is volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous—VUCA. Learn the key trends and movements that might become our “new normal.” This issue broadly explores trends outside of higher education.

Abstract: We’ve organized Trends using STEEP: Social, Technology, Economic, Environmental, and Political. Each trend includes a brief trend summary, a footnoted source, and discussion questions to help you analyze and act on the trend.

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Blog Post

Published
April 22, 2021

Preparing for the Post-Pandemic World

(or, what to do when VUCA Strikes!)

By: Nicholas R. Santilli, PhD, Senior Director for Learning Strategy, SCUP

Well, that didn’t go as planned. Let’s face it, 2020 was one of the most volatile years in world history. We now find ourselves digging out from the impact of the global pandemic and thinking, “What next?” To be honest, volatility is not new to higher education. In fact, a measure of volatility is commonplace in the higher education environment. Just over a year ago, the sector was obsessively focused on the enrollment cliff, the higher education business model, and free speech. We’ve added to this list a worldwide pandemic, calls for social and racial justice, cancel culture, and waves of natural disasters.

Planning Types: Continuity Planning
Tags: COVID-19, Crisis and Disaster Management, Environmental Scanning, Response Planning, Scenario Planning

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Trends Inside Higher Education | Spring 2021

Within the world of higher education, what are some of today’s key trends—and what are some implications for institutions of higher learning? While the COVID-19 pandemic has drawn much of our focus for a year now, we continue to keep our eyes on other trends and forces. This issue broadly explores trends inside higher education.

Abstract: We’ve organized Trends using STEEP: Social, Technology, Economic, Environmental, and Political. Each trend includes a brief trend summary, a footnoted source, and discussion questions to help you analyze and act on the trend.

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Webinar Recordings

Published
December 2, 2020

5 Questions About the Future of Higher Education

By: James Downey, Pittsburgh Theological Seminary | Nicholas Santilli, Society for College and University Planning

Join Jim Downey, vice president of planning and institutional effectiveness at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, and Nick Santilli, SCUP’s senior director of learning, as they use SCUP’s Fall 2020 Trends for Higher Education report to explore “What If?” questions in a practical format that will allow your team to pinpoint areas for institutional advancement.

Abstract: There are a multitude of internal and external forces that impact higher education, but how can you be intentional about examining and understanding these trends? From demographic shifts to political charges to social movements, the evolving economy and technology, regular environmental scanning will inform decisions around your strategic plan development or plan implementation.

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An Integrated Approach to Scenario Planning

Recovery Planning in a Volatile Environment

By: Nicholas R. Santilli, PhD, SCUP | Sadie Wutka, SCUP

No one can predict the future. That doesn’t mean it needs to be a total surprise. This toolkit will walk you step-by-step through scenario planning with instructions, examples, and worksheets that you can use to start scenario planning at your institution immediately.

Abstract: The pace of change is getting faster, and it’s getting harder to anticipate what the future holds—and how your institution can prepare. Scenario planning can help your institution plan for a volatile and uncertain future. Scenario planning uses today’s forces and trends to imagine probable futures and what they could mean for your institution. It’s a flexible process that can inform your institution’s regular planning processes or be used as part of recovery planning in response to disruptions or catastrophic events.

An Integrated Approach to Scenario Planning is a toolkit that will walk you step-by-step through scenario planning. It includes instructions, examples, and blank worksheets that you can use to start scenario planning at your institution immediately. Don’t let your college or university get blindsided. Download your copy and prepare for the future.

Planning Types: Continuity Planning, Resource Planning, Strategic Planning
Tags: COVID-19, Crisis and Disaster Management, Decision Making, Environmental Scanning, Planning Processes, Recovery Planning, Response Planning, Scenario Planning

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Trends Outside Higher Education | Fall 2020

How is the world outside your institution changing? While the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact every aspect of our lives, other trends and forces are worth watching. This issue broadly explores trends outside higher education.

Abstract: We’ve organized Trends using STEEP: Social, Technology, Economic, Environmental, and Political. Each trend includes a brief trend summary, a footnoted source, and discussion questions to help you analyze and act on the trend.

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Webinar Recordings

Published
July 15, 2020

Coffee Chat: Tracking the External Environment

The SCUP Spring Trends Report

By: Nick Santilli, Senior Director for Learning Strategy, SCUP | James Downey, Vice President for Planning & Institutional Effectiveness, Pittsburgh Theological Seminary

Join Nick Santilli and Jim Downey for a conversation that will highlight the SCUP Spring Trends and SCUP Trends for Canada reports. Scanning the external environment is a key factor in keeping your institution nimble and change-ready—two facets necessary for effective institutional planning. These documents are essential tools for strategic planning, scenario planning, and contingency planning.

Abstract: Join Nick Santilli and Jim Downey for a conversation that will highlight the SCUP Spring Trends and SCUP Trends for Canada reports. Scanning the external environment is a key factor in keeping your institution nimble and change-ready—two facets necessary for effective institutional planning. These documents provide overviews of the important external forces that impact institutional operations. They are also essential tools for strategic planning, scenario planning, and contingency planning.

Planning Types: Continuity Planning, Campus Planning, Academic Planning, Information Technology Planning, Student Affairs Planning, Strategic Planning, Resource Planning
Tags: COVID-19, Environmental Scanning, Scenario Planning, Trends External to Higher Ed

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Webinar Recordings

Published
June 3, 2020

Pivot Complete. Now What?

Planning Through the Pandemic to a Sustainable Future

By: James Downey, Vice President for Planning & Institutional Effectiveness, Pittsburgh Theological Seminary | Nicholas Santilli, Senior Director of Learning Strategy, SCUP, and Former Provost, John Carroll University

Higher education has become accustomed to a volatile environment. Volatile environments create significant degrees of ambiguity, complexity, and uncertainty. How do institutions navigate through this volatile environment? Scenario planning.

Abstract: Scenario planning generates multiple well-crafted contradictory narratives about the future to anticipate possible outcomes of environmental forces with the potential to impact an institution. It is important to note that scenario planning does not seek to predict an uncertain future. Instead, engaging in scenario planning provides an institution with the capacity to plan for potential outcomes that may interrupt institutional progress.

Planning Types: Continuity Planning
Tags: Crisis and Disaster Management, Scenario Planning

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Trends: Canada 2020

This special issue of Trends focuses on the forces and events affecting Canadian higher education. Our guest editors contributed observations, trends, and insights based on their work within Canadian colleges and universities.

Abstract: We’ve organized Trends using STEEP: Social, Technology, Economic, Environmental, and Political. Each trend includes a brief trend summary, a footnoted source, and discussion questions to help you analyze and act on the trend.

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Integrated Planning in a VUCA Environment

Advice You Need in the Age of COVID-19

By: Nicholas Santilli, PhD, SCUP

For many institutions, institutional viability and constituents’ health and wellbeing are the most pressing concerns—strategic plans are no longer top of mind. How to move forward? SCUP suggests that the principles of good planning serve as a blueprint for responding to COVID-19.

Abstract: There is no doubt that the present environment for higher education has become significantly more complex. What makes the current circumstances more difficult is COVID-19 has intensified the impact of the range of forces already pressing on higher education.

For many institutions, institutional viability and constituents’ health and wellbeing are the most pressing concerns—strategic plans are no longer top of mind. How to move forward? SCUP suggests that the principles of good planning serve as a blueprint for responding to COVID-19.

Planning Types: Continuity Planning
Tags: COVID-19, Crisis and Disaster Management, Response Planning

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