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3 Important Trends Every Campus CIO Needs to Know
Educational institutions are facing a rapid onset of new and complicated challenges. Many of these issues are interrelated, complex in nature, and require innovative technological solutions to fundamentally solve them.
Because of these challenges, campus CIOs are playing a central role in strategic planning for their institution, according to eCampus News. To do so, however, they should be well versed in the key trends and developments influencing higher education.
There is no doubt that COVID-19 remains a critical concern in 2020 and beyond for campuses across the country. Projecting beyond pandemic challenges, here are three trends that CIOs need to know:
1. Enrollment Was Already Declining
“Prior to the pandemic, the research shows a slowing in the decline of enrollments nationally, and reversing declines in states like Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia,” stated Doug Shapiro, Executive Director of the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center in a press release. “However, some states like Massachusetts, Missouri, New York, Ohio, and Pennsylvania saw an acceleration of declines.”
Undergraduate enrollment is down 4.4% while graduate enrollment is up 2.9% compared to the same time last year, according to the latest data by the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center. Overall, postsecondary enrollment this fall is 3.3% lower.
2. Student Technology Demands Are Evolving
The students entering college directly from high school this year were around five years old when the iPhone was introduced. They can’t remember a world without touch screens and mobile apps — and their formal schooling has most likely involved tablets, Chromebooks, and Google Docs, according to eCampus Reporter Dennis Pierce. Students demand smooth and consistent wireless connections anytime and everywhere on campus and expect their educational institutions to match their modern expectations.
3. Workforce Retraining Is Crucial
In the eCampus article, the consulting firm McKinsey expects up to 9 percent of the 2030 workforce will fill occupations that do not yet exist. Colleges and universities need to be prepared to meet these demands and help adult students rejoin the workforce with the proper training and skills they need to provide new career opportunities. This may become a recurring requirement as it is predicted that people will need to learn new skills multiple times in their careers as the workforce continues to evolve.
Addressing Challenges and Opportunities
Student recruitment and retention will take on even greater urgency as institutions continue to face declining enrollment — and improving the student experience on campus is an essential strategy for attracting and retaining more students.
Because of these challenges and others, the Clearinghouse serves as a trusted agent to institutions with services to help them meet their growing compliance, administrative, student access, accountability, and analytical needs. Our services are designed to facilitate compliance with FERPA, The Higher Education Act, and other applicable laws.
Contact the Clearinghouse to learn how we can help address your challenges and opportunities!
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