New Research Showcases Disruptive Innovators in Higher Education

REDWOOD CITY, Calif., Feb. 22, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Leaders in higher education tasked with implementing change may find that the factors that make higher education resilient also create organizational dynamics that reject innovation. New research from the Clayton Christensen Institute helps leaders rise to the challenge by explaining how to focus innovation goals on specific objectives and proactively build on institutional capabilities.

College transformed: Five institutions leading the charge in innovation by Alana Dunagan, pinpoints five traditional institutions innovating to solve systemic higher education challenges, including affordability, access and workforce alignment. By utilizing technological tools, these institutions implemented a mix of sustaining, disruptive and hybrid innovation strategies tailored for their unique needs:

• Arizona State University's Global Freshman Academy: a program designed for students without a high school transcript, creating an on-ramp to college and allowing them to pay for courses after completion
• Northeastern University's Level: a coding and analytics boot camp that measures success by student outcomes in the workforce
• The University of Wisconsin's UW Flex: a competency-based degree that draws resources from the university's system to develop targeted programs for adult learners
• Simmons College's partnership with 2U: which provides high-quality, online graduate programs unbound by geographical constraints
• Southern New Hampshire University's College for America: which partners with employers to create affordable opportunities for adult learners through competency-based programs

These examples provide leaders with insights not only about how to innovate – classifying innovations, identifying organizational resistance and executing strategies – but also why to innovate.

"As higher education leaders continue the discussion around accessibility and affordability for students, many need to embrace the opportunity at hand," says Dunagan. "When institutions successfully harness the tools of innovation, it allows them to not only innovate against today's challenges, but to also embed capacities to remain relevant and competitive in the future."

The full study can be found at http://www.christenseninstitute.org/publications/college-transformed.

The Clayton Christensen Institute for Disruptive Innovation (www.christenseninstitute.org) is a research organization dedicated to improving the world through disruptive innovation. Founded on the theories of Harvard Business School Professor Clayton M. Christensen, the Institute offers a unique framework for addressing many of society's most pressing issues.

SOURCE Clayton Christensen Institute for Disruptive Innovation

Related Links

http://www.christenseninstitute.org