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Strategic planning in higher education 101: planning in times of consistent change. As colleges and universities step into a sense of “new normal,” it is becoming increasingly important for higher education leaders and boards to recommit to the strategic planning process. Times are far from normal as institutions face the enrollment cliff, find ways to continue to integrate online learning, and reconsider other changes that came in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

These combined issues are making it a perfect time for leaders to adjust their approach to strategic planning in higher education and decide whether to extend the work on their current strategic plan—or to make an abrupt departure from the previous playbook and recreate a strategic plan from scratch. While the latter may be the right option, it is important to consider what strategic planning is and is not—and what it offers an institution. Based on this primer, leaders can make a well-informed decision about which avenue is the best to follow for their institution.

5 Strategic Planning Questions

The process for strategic planning in higher education requires institutional leaders and boards to answer five strategic questions:

1. Where do we want the institution to be? This involves projecting the future of the institution and then determining how to align the institution’s vision, goals, purpose, and outcomes with this ideal state.
2. What will determine when we get there? Institutional leaders and stakeholders need to create a quantifiable feedback system that measures the institution’s progress toward achieving its ideal future state.
3. Where are we now? Determining the current status involves assessing the institution’s situation based on the institution’s strengths and weaknesses, and the external opportunities and threats that presently are being faced.
4. How do we get there? Institutional leaders and stakeholders need to identify how to close the gap between the current and the ideal situation in a holistic and ongoing way.
5. What environmental factors will or may change in our future? This question involves analyzing the factors that potentially will impact the institution’s operating environment and potential risk/disruption factors (both good and bad), and then building a strategic plan that considers these factors. This also can form the basis for an enterprise risk management system that will mitigate these potential challenges.

Departmental Planning and Implementation Planning

The eighth step entails developing departmental plans that form the basis of the implementation plan. Since departments are responsible for implementation, it is important to create departmental plans that are aligned with the strategic plan.

In the past, many strategic plans did not go deeper than organizational strategies and tactics that are required to realize a 10-year vision and business plans covering 1- and 3-years. Additionally, these strategic plans did not require departments to be accountable. However, it is important for departments to clearly commit publicly to their part in realizing organizational goals. Ultimately, by doing this deeper effort, institutions can help ensure the successful implementation of the institutional strategic plan.

Approval and Accountability

The ninth step involves gaining approval, first from the institution’s core team. These stakeholders need to agree to the plan, including embracing the responsibility of being accountable for its implementation.  This step happens at the last planning meeting before the complete plan is shared with the Board of Trustees for their approval.