Innovation in Higher Education

3 Credits · Level: Graduate

This course examines innovation in higher education. You'll consider key innovation theories like disruptive innovation, diffusion of innovations, and design thinking, understanding their specific application to colleges and universities. We'll critically examine how innovation impacts higher education, covering ethical, structural, cultural, equity, and policy considerations. You'll learn to assess institutional readiness for innovation using strategic frameworks such as SWOT and PESTEL. A core focus is on designing strategies to foster a culture of innovation within diverse higher education settings. You'll also learn to evaluate innovation initiatives, including stakeholder analysis and implementation planning. Finally, we'll look at future trends in learning, technology, workforce demands, and credentialing, and you'll assess their implications for higher education. The course culminates in a Final Project Assignment. For this project, you'll act as a strategic consultant to a higher education institution, tasked with designing an innovation strategy to increase student degree completion rates.