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Ten with Ken (Video)

Ken Steele is Canada's most trusted higher ed monitor and futurist, and in this webcast he rounds up emerging trends, research data, best practices and innovative new ideas for higher education. (For HD version see YouTube, DailyMotion, Vimeo or Facebook. Audio only podcast version available separately.)
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Now displaying: Category: Higher Education

For more information about Ken Steele's speaking and facilitation services, an archive of articles and white papers, and a database of bright ideas, please visit www.eduvation.ca

This podcast is also available on iTunes or on YouTube. For exclusive early access to future episodes, please subscribe to our free email newsletter, the Eduvation Loop

Jul 23, 2018

In September, the 10K crew went on location to the 2017 Ontario Universities’ Fair, to interview a dozen higher ed leaders about trends in innovation.

When Mike DeGagné was appointed President of Nipissing University in 2013, he became one of the first Aboriginal university leaders in the country. He had 25 years of public sector leadership experience in federal government departments and non-profits focused on Indigenous affairs, and has published and spoken internationally on Aboriginal reconciliation and healing.

In this special bonus episode, Ken asks Mike to answer 3 key questions about higher ed innovation.

 

Innovations at Nipissing?

Mike observes that Nipissing has long been innovative in developing flexible program delivery to meet the needs of students, from the summer Aboriginal Teachers Certification Program to one of the first Concurrent Education degrees in Canada. The majority of Nipissing’s students get experiential and work-integrated learning because so many of the programs are applied, such as Teaching, Nursing, and Social Work. Nipissing also has extensive partnerships with colleges and associations to meet learner needs.

 

The Decade Ahead?

Mike predicts that government and PSEs will start providing more secondary and tertiary education options in remote Aboriginal communities, and that universities will need to be more flexible in offering bridging programs to Indigenous students who have not been exposed to university-level courses in high school. He observes that northern institutions have the opportunity to partner more, and expects microcredentials and short-term programs to grow in popularity, particularly in the North. It is a critical task to help Canadians understand why Indigenous issues are important, and curricula at all levels will continue to be more nuanced and detailed in its exploration of Aboriginal history and society.

 

Culture of Innovation?

Mike agrees that universities are among the oldest institutions in the world, and have a deep reverence for tradition which limits their ability to be nimble, or launch new programs quickly. He believes the best way to challenge those traditions is collegiality: shared governance structures, discussions about efficiency, and market research can provide common goals for everyone on campus. But while market research may indicate demand for new programs, Mike emphasizes the need to balance student trends with traditional humanities programs that are critical for an educated populace.

 

Watch for more interviews soon, or to be sure you don’t miss them, join more than 15,000 Ten with Ken subscribers and followers on any of a dozen platforms. Stay in the Loop by subscribing to our free email newsletter at http://eduvation.ca/subscribe/

 

Jul 17, 2018

In September, the 10K crew went on location to the 2017 Ontario Universities’ Fair, to interview a dozen higher ed leaders about trends in innovation.

Celia Ross began teaching French Literature at Algoma in 1982, became Dean in 1997, and served as President from 1998 until 2010 – 12 busy years in which Algoma gained its independence from Laurentian University, and signed the Covenant with Shingwauk Education Trust. When her successor resigned in 2016, the board of governors appointed Celia Acting President until a search could be completed.  (Asima Vezina, formerly the board chair, was appointed President in October 2017).

In this special bonus episode, Ken asks Celia to answer 3 key questions about higher ed innovation.

 

Innovations at Algoma?

Algoma University is particularly noteworthy for its partnerships with First Nations peoples. The University is in a former Indian Residential School building, but is working to change the paradigm of education from colonial to a “two-way dialogue.” As a small university, Algoma demonstrates the continuing value of small undergraduate seminars from first year onward – although now it utilizes videoconferencing and other technologies to create small groups across a wide geography. Algoma’s Institute for Community-Based Research gives students research and volunteer experience, and even leads to paid internships. Again, the philosophy is one of collaboration, in which the communities grow their own solutions.

 

The Decade Ahead?

In a world of rapidly advancing automation and globalization, Celia predicts that university students will be increasingly international, and seek ever-narrower specializations. At the same time, with coming labour market disruptions, Celia anticipates that students will turn to their educations to bring meaning to their lives, resulting in a renaissance of interest in Philosophy, Religious Studies, the Humanities and Fine Arts. She also sees exciting developments in First Nations education coming thanks to Ontario’s funding of the Aboriginal Institutes Consortium.  Universities will need to ensure that a diverse range of students feels comfortable on our campuses, and that all our students come to understand other cultures and histories. We need to be forerunners in the fight against ignorance and racism. Over the next decade, universities will increasingly partner with colleges, industry and other communities: “the days of the ivory tower are gone.”

 

Culture of Innovation?

Celia observes that it can be challenging to nurture a culture of innovation on campus. We need to value the innovators on campus, no matter how difficult or demanding they may seem. Leaders need to make time to discuss the big ideas, either in a strategic plan consultation process or during an off-site strategic retreat. Especially for isolated institutions, it is very important to bring in external speakers to spark new ideas. Our students are being encouraged to think innovatively, and you can see them becoming the leaders of tomorrow.

 

Watch for more interviews soon, or to be sure you don’t miss them, join more than 15,000 Ten with Ken subscribers and followers on any of a dozen platforms. Stay in the Loop by subscribing to our free email newsletter at http://eduvation.ca/subscribe/

Jun 25, 2018

In September, the 10K crew went on location to the 2017 Ontario Universities’ Fair, to interview a dozen higher ed leaders about trends in innovation.

At the time, Brian Stevenson was finishing his term as President & Vice-Chancellor at Lakehead University. (Moira McPherson replaced him as interim President in January 2018). Brian’s extensive higher ed administrative experience includes founding the Canadian Studies program at ITAM in Mexico, serving as AVP International at uAlberta, Provost at uWinnipeg, and most recently President at Lakehead (2010-17).  In this special bonus episode, Ken asks Brian to answer 3 key questions about higher ed innovation.

 

Innovations at Lakehead?

Brian starts by describing Lakehead’s new “Student Central,” a brand-new one-stop student services office that aims to help students focus on academic studies instead of bureaucratic paperwork. He then observes that Lakehead has been a leader in Indigenous higher ed for decades, from Canada’s first Vice-Provost Aboriginal Initiatives and Truth & Reconciliation Chair, to mandatory Indigenous courses and extensive support services for Indigenous students. Lakehead’s “Achievement Program” reaches out to students starting in grade 4, bringing them to campus and setting aside scholarship funds for them. Lakehead has immersive telepresence technology connecting its two campuses in Thunder Bay and Orillia, allowing professors to co-teach students on both campuses. And Lakehead has extensive partnerships with Confederation College and Georgian College, to create seamless collaborative programs that offer students “the best of both worlds.”

 

The Decade Ahead?

Over the next ten years, Brian predicts that higher ed will make more effective use of technology for distance education, offer more experiential and work-integrated learning opportunities, and increasingly make use of technology and active learning pedagogies in the classroom. Key to encouraging faculty to adopt effective approaches will be the expansion of campus centres, like Lakehead’s new Teaching & Learning Commons. Universities will also work to promote entrepreneurship, not just among business students but across the campus, through programs like Lakehead’s Entrepreneurship Certificate. Brian also emphasizes that internationalization will be critical for universities, not just to recruit students and generate revenue, but more importantly to expose local students to global experience, other languages, and global citizenship.

 

Culture of Innovation?

Brian believes that universities are “hotbeds of innovation,” because they are not only disseminators of knowledge but also creators of knowledge, through innovative research. First and foremost, to nurture a culture of innovation, higher ed leaders need to LISTEN to students, faculty and staff across campus: ultimately the sustainable innovations won’t come from senior administration, but will arise from those working on the front lines. Leaders also need to promote strategic partnerships, with other educational institutions, the private sector, non-profits, municipalities, and international organizations and institutions. Universities are social agents for positive change, Brian says, primarily because of those external partnerships.

 

Watch for more interviews soon, or to be sure you don’t miss them, join more than 15,000 Ten with Ken subscribers and followers on any of a dozen platforms. Stay in the Loop by subscribing to our free email newsletter at http://eduvation.ca/subscribe/

Jun 16, 2018

In September, the 10K crew went on location to the 2017 Ontario Universities’ Fair, to interview a dozen higher ed leaders about trends in innovation.

Leo Groarke holds a PhD in Philosophy from Western, and has experience as Provost at the University of Windsor, and founding Principal of the Wilfrid Laurier campus in Brantford. Since 2014, he has served as President & Vice-Chancellor of Trent University. In this special bonus episode, Ken asks Leo to answer 3 key questions about higher ed innovation.

 

Innovations at Trent?

Leo observes that Trent is proudly focused on the undergraduate experience, and is starting to return to its roots of federated colleges, modelled after Oxford and Cambridge. Trent is revitalizing humanities programs by offering a wide range of double degrees, and has partnered with Swansea University in Wales to offer an international Law and Arts dual degree. The renowned Bata Library is currently undergoing a $20-million renovation, and will remove half of its print collection to make room for an entrepreneurship centre, research and active learning classrooms. And finally, Trent is developing an 85-acre research park focused on environmental science and green industry. The park will generate revenue, advance research, and offer students experiential learning opportunities.

 

The Decade Ahead?

Leo predicts Internationalization will be very significant for Canadian universities over the next 5-10 years, and not just for revenue but to build global understanding. Likewise Indigenization will be a big priority, although Trent has been working at this since the 1970s when it launched Canada’s first Indigenous Studies programs.  Trent’s Indigenous Environmental Science program, in particular, tries to marry the Eurocentric, scientific perspective with Indigenous ways of knowing. Leo dismisses MOOCs as overhyped, having had marginal effect on most university programs, but he notes the growing emphasis on applied learning and work experience: the Ontario government wants 100% of undergraduates to get experiential learning opportunities. But Leo cautions that universities also play an important role as places for reflection. The decade ahead will be “tough times for universities,” thanks to pressure on demographics and government funding, but “necessity is the mother of invention” and universities are good at recreating themselves in useful ways.

 

Culture of Innovation?

Ken suggests that academic culture tends to reinforce “zero fault tolerance,” which can make it difficult to encourage innovation or entrepreneurial approaches. Leo agrees that universities don’t tolerate mistakes well, and that in itself is a mistake: even failed experiments can lead to crucial insights that move knowledge forward. Universities put too much emphasis on grades for admission, attracting students who have never experienced failure, and are unwilling to take risks. Even researchers tend to be cautious in order to attract funding and pass peer review: the system is stacked against radical disruptive ideas. Higher ed leaders need to support innovators on campus, provide them with budget and moral support. When you have creative people, there is a great deal of opportunity for universities launching innovative new programs. 

 

Watch for more interviews soon, or to be sure you don’t miss them, join more than 15,000 Ten with Ken subscribers and followers on any of a dozen platforms. Stay in the Loop by subscribing to our free email newsletter at http://eduvation.ca/subscribe/

 

Jun 8, 2018

In September, the 10K crew went on location to the 2017 Ontario Universities’ Fair, to interview a dozen higher ed leaders about trends in innovation.

Janice O’Farrell is the Associate Vice-President Enrolment Management at Carleton University, and has 24 years of experience in higher education. In this special bonus episode, Ken asks Janice to answer 3 key questions about higher ed innovation.

 

Innovations at Carleton?

Janice starts with several examples of Carleton’s commitment to community engagement and community-based learning opportunities for students, bringing the classroom to the community. This year, Carleton held 75 “Campus to Community Days” in which students went out to serve local agencies, and students and faculty went abroad on the “Alternative Spring Break” program to construct a school in central America, and work on water conservation efforts in Alberta. Carleton is also considered a Canadian leader for its Residence Curriculum programs, which help students develop self-awareness and positive relationship skills. And Carleton has been developing new programs to meet industry needs, like the Bachelor of Media Production and Design, which combines creative writing with technical skills. Carleton also has several collaborative programs with Algonquin College, like the Bachelor of IT in Photonics and the BIT in Information Resource Management. Students are simultaneously admitted to both the university and the college, take courses at both institutions, and graduate in 4 years with a degree and an advanced diploma. Even more innovative is Carleton’s partnership with dot-com company Shopify, in which Comp Sci students work full-time for 4 years, take courses onsite at the company, and earn $160,000 in salary, tuition, and perks. Carleton has also developed its “Degree Audit” to a 3-colour scorecard to help students determine if they are on-track to graduation.

 

The Decade Ahead?

Janice predicts greater emphasis on preparing students to address societal challenges like mental health, homelessness and poverty, and more opportunities to bring the classroom into the real world, through partnerships with industry and community service learning opportunities. She expects we will continue to see more diverse program delivery methods and program lengths, stacked and laddered credentials, and more transfer options between college and university and vice-versa. Collaborative degree programs are a great opportunity for colleges and universities to play together nicely “in the same sandbox.”

 

Culture of Innovation?

Janice believes that universities are drivers of change in science and society, but “not necessarily for ourselves.” To nurture a culture of innovation on campus, leadership needs a compelling vision, needs to be open and transparent, and needs to engage the campus community. There must be an allowance to try new things, to take some risks, and to think outside the box – and there also have to be adequate resources available. Since 2012, the “Carleton Leader” program has brought together faculty and admin staff from “the sidelines, the front lines, and the cutting edge” to work together for 6 months on a “wicked” problem like student engagement or the value of a university degree. Janice believes the cross-campus representation on those task forces provide the key benefit to drive innovative ideas. She concludes by observing that this is an exciting time for universities, and that we need to embrace the opportunity to do new things creatively, rather than being fearful of change.

 

Watch for more interviews soon, or to be sure you don’t miss them, join more than 15,000 Ten with Ken subscribers and followers on any of a dozen platforms. Stay in the Loop by subscribing to our free email newsletter at http://eduvation.ca/subscribe/

 

May 18, 2018

In September, the 10K crew went on location to the 2017 Ontario Universities’ Fair, to interview a dozen higher ed leaders about trends in innovation.

Benoit-Antoine Bacon holds a PhD in neuropsychology, and has 14 years of experience in university administration at Bishop’s University (2004-2013), Concordia University Montreal (2013-16), and Queen’s University (2016-18). After this interview, he was appointed President and Vice-Chancellor of Carleton University, effective July 1 2018.

Ken had a wide-ranging, hour-long discussion with Benoit, which has been edited down to just 11 minutes in this special bonus episode, to focus on 3 key questions about higher ed innovation.

 

Innovations at Queen’s?

Benoit starts with Queen’s new $100-million Innovation & Wellness Centre, which will combine centralized student health and wellness supports, and custom-designed entrepreneurship and innovation space. He also points to a brand new mental health initiative to “embed” counselors in faculty and residence offices. Queen’s has also been investing $1 million+ every year in new active learning classrooms, like those in Ellis Hall, and is finding them in great demand and having significant impact on student learning.  There is also international attention on Queen’s “Major Maps,” which outline extracurricular and experiential opportunities to enhance every undergraduate degree, and potential career outcomes.

 

The Decade Ahead?

Benoit emphasizes that the convergence of geopolitical, technological and societal pressures will make the next ten years absolutely critical, and identifies 4 things that will be key. In an increasingly global and diverse world, universities have a central role in fostering inclusion and helping people live together. Curricula, hiring, and even university symbols need to be reconsidered in a diverse and inclusive environment – not just to be nice, but because institutional success depends on attracting and retaining the world’s best talent. Universities also have to decide whether they will be local or global in their focus. The NYU “transnational” model is impressive but likely unique. Universities also need to take a fully-integrated, strategic approach to digital technologies, often appointing an academic CIO or a Vice-Provost Digital Planning. Research will continue to become more and more interdisciplinary in order to address the world’s big challenges and issues. But Benoit believes the biggest disruption over the next 10 years will be a shift toward measuring student learning outcomes and skills instead of traditional inputs.

 

Culture of Innovation?

Benoit believes senior leaders need to avoid blocking innovation, instead creating a culture of “saying yes.” In fact, risk-aversion might be the greatest risk that universities run today, so leaders need to shift to a culture of intelligent, measured risk-taking. Benoit says that “everything starts with hiring” for innovation instead of the status quo, from the top on down. Benoit concludes that there are many things you can do to shift institutional culture quicker than people might think.

 

Watch for more interviews soon, or to be sure you don’t miss them, join more than 15,000 Ten with Ken subscribers and followers on any of a dozen platforms. Stay in the Loop by subscribing to our free email newsletter at http://eduvation.ca/subscribe/

May 11, 2018

In September, the 10K crew went on location to the 2017 Ontario Universities’ Fair, to interview a dozen higher ed leaders about trends in innovation.

Sara Diamond has worked in higher education for 3 decades, at BC’s Emily Carr University of Art + Design, Alberta’s Banff Centre, and Ontario’s OCAD University, where she has been President since 2005. In this special bonus episode, edited to 10 minutes, Ken asks Sara 3 key questions about higher ed innovation.

Innovations at OCAD?

Sara proudly points to OCADU’s new Academic Plan, which brings together STEAM+D – Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (or Medicine) with Art and Design in a powerful interdisciplinary combination. All OCAD students will be provided with basic programming skills so they can be “digital citizens.” OCADU also has a strong focus on Indigenous knowledge, culture and creativity, and “decolonization” is OCAD’s first guiding principle. OCAD has diversified its curriculum and built a cosmopolitan campus, with international students from around the world. And OCAD is opening several new buildings, including the waterfront Campus for the Connected World, and the Centre for Emerging Artists & Designers, both of which will focus on new experiential and work-integrated learning opportunities for students. OCAD’s business incubator for recent graduates, the Imagination Catalyst, has a very high success rate launching new ventures. And OCAD is partnering with UOIT to bring together design and hard science for STEAM+D.

The Decade Ahead?

Over the next decade, Sara predicts a world of continuous learning in which universities offer increasingly flexible degrees, badges and stackable microcredentials, as well as flexible timetables for working and entrepreneurial students. Digital delivery will intensify, but the “sociality” of learning will continue to bring students together in one place to learn. She also anticipates some really dynamic “international aggregates of institutions” offering students trans-national learning experiences and credentials. And Sara projects ongoing and increasing investment in “blue-sky” investigator-driven research, and the increasing importance of artificial intelligence in the “expressive economy.”

Culture of Innovation?

Sara emphasizes that university leaders must support the integration of research and teaching, and maintain curricular openness to new learning. They must be “militant proponents of diversity”, be highly collaborative across campus, and also reinforce the “porosity” of the university, building partnerships with industry and external organizations to help build their communities. Ultimately, Sara observes, university research can help solve the world’s big problems, so long as we stay “at the coal face” of the real world.


Watch for more interviews soon, or to be sure you don’t miss them, join more than 15,000 Ten with Ken subscribers and followers on any of a dozen platforms. Stay in the Loop by subscribing to our free email newsletter at http://eduvation.ca/subscribe/

May 4, 2018

In September, the 10K crew went on location to the 2017 Ontario Universities’ Fair, to interview a dozen higher ed leaders about trends in innovation.

Pierre Zundel has served as a university leader for almost a decade, first as President of the University of Sudbury (2009-2016), then as Provost and VP Academic at Laurentian University (2016-17), and since August 2017 as Laurentian’s Interim President. In this special bonus episode, edited to 8 minutes, Ken asks Pierre 3 key questions about higher ed innovation.

Innovations at Laurentian?

First and foremost, Laurentian has been a leader in introducing Indigenous content across the curriculum, has more than 25 indigenous faculty members, and a spectacular new Indigenous Sharing & Learning Centre. Laurentian has recently completed an ambitious renovation of more than 60 classrooms and labs, and created a new Welcome Centre to integrate student services. Laurentian excels at developing college pathways and partnerships, particularly with Cambrian College and Collège Boréal in Sudbury.

The Decade Ahead?

Over the next decade, Pierre predicts that all Canadian universities will be working to figure out the part they can play in reconciliation with Indigenous peoples. Moreover, universities will become more “porous,” with more community and industry connections, more work-integrated learning and co-op education – particularly in programs like the Arts, where co-op has been uncommon in the past. Pierre anticipates growth in student mental health programs, open textbooks, blended delivery, just-in-time tutoring, and predictive analytics based on “big data” to launch early interventions and student supports.

Culture of Innovation?

Pierre identifies 3 things campus leaders can do to foster a culture of innovation. 1) Firstly, leaders can showcase good innovative ideas or good attempts, whether successful or not.  2) Secondly, they can run interference, helping to create space for innovation by preventing resistance from shutting it down early.  3) And thirdly, leaders have to make it possible to fail, so that we learn from failed attempts instead of focusing on laying blame.

Pierre emphasizes that universities may be “as conservative as cats” but they are also hugely creative places!

 

Watch for more interviews soon, or to be sure you don’t miss them, join more than 15,000 Ten with Ken subscribers and followers on any of a dozen platforms. Stay in the Loop by subscribing to our free email newsletter at http://eduvation.ca/subscribe/

Apr 29, 2018

In September, the 10K crew went on location to the 2017 Ontario Universities’ Fair, to interview a dozen higher ed leaders about trends in innovation.

Catherine Newell Kelly was appointed Registrar at the University of Waterloo just a month before this interview, after serving for two decades as Director of Waterloo’s Centre for Extended Learning, as well as stints as Executive Director of eCampus Ontario and President of CAUCE and OCULL. In this special bonus episode, edited to 7 minutes, Ken asks Cathy 3 key questions.

Innovations at Waterloo?

Cathy emphasizes Waterloo’s liberal intellectual property policies, and its roots in co-operative education, and its co-op program has grown to be the largest in Canada, with students earning $253 million a year. Waterloo is pushing the envelope to make experiential learning more flexible, like the EDGE experiential learning certificate program for non-co-op students. Waterloo’s Velocity is the largest free start-up incubator in the world. After 50 years in online learning, Waterloo is exploring Labster and Riipen to bring laboratory and co-op work experiences to online students.

The Decade Ahead?

Cathy predicts that university-business partnerships will become much more important, with the government’s emphasis on work-integrated learning. Transformative research, which changes what we know, will grow, and interdisciplinarity will continue to drive research and teaching. Universities will also need to enhance the flexibility of program delivery and structure for adult learners and working students.

Culture of Innovation?

Cathy believes that senior leadership has to foster a culture of entrepreneurship on campus, in which students, staff and faculty feel safe enough to take strategic risks.


Watch for more interviews soon, or to be sure you don’t miss them, join more than 15,000 Ten with Ken subscribers and followers on any of a dozen platforms. Stay in the Loop by subscribing to our free email newsletter at http://eduvation.ca/subscribe/

Apr 21, 2018

In September, the 10K crew went on location to the 2017 Ontario Universities’ Fair, to interview a dozen higher ed leaders about trends in innovation.  

Alan Wildeman has served as the President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Windsor for a full decade.  (He was appointed in July 2008 and recently announced his retirement for the end of June 2018.)  In this special bonus episode, edited to 7 minutes, Ken asks Alan 3 key questions.

 

Innovations at Windsor?

Alan points to his university’s community engagement and new downtown facilities in heritage buildings. Innovative cross-border collaborative degrees with the University of Detroit-Mercy, such as the dual juris doctor (law degree) and Visual Arts – Architecture pathways. And the Sexual Assault Bystander Initiative, piloted last year, which will be rolled out to every incoming first-year student by Fall 2018.

 

The Decade Ahead?

Alan predicts steadily increasing interdisciplinarity, such as between computing and automotive engineering, or environmental science and the social sciences. He also observes that the steadily growing diversity of Canada and of its campuses, particularly the University of Windsor, will become a major engine of innovation in academe and the economy.

 

Culture of Innovation?

Alan observes that university leaders don’t have all the answers, but need to set the conditions and context for creative people to unleash their own potential for innovation. For example, Windsor’s SPF50 Strategic Priorities Fund is allowing them to hire 50 tenure-track faculty in priority areas, injecting fresh ideas and new diversity among the faculty. Windsor has also put in place a $1 million curriculum reform and development fund, to conduct market research, develop new courses and interdisciplinary programs.

 

Watch for more interviews soon, or to be sure you don’t miss them, join more than 15,000 Ten with Ken subscribers and followers on any of a dozen platforms. Stay in the Loop by subscribing to our free email newsletter at http://eduvation.ca/subscribe/

Feb 27, 2018

Ken Steele interviews 12 university presidents and senior administrators about the innovations most likely to transform higher education over the coming decade, for a series called "Towards 2028."

In this episode, we discuss active learning pedagogies and classrooms, online and blended delivery, immersive telepresence, virtual reality and augmented reality, and the centrality of libraries to an institution-wide strategic approach to IT planning. We hear about pilot projects at the University of Waterloo testing Labster, a VR simulation of a chemistry lab, and Riipen, an online clearinghouse of work experience opportunities for students. 

Dec 28, 2017

The annual Ten with Ken Holiday Special “wraps up” its survey of more than 200 college and university holiday greeting videos from around the world, with examples from Austria to Australia, New Zealand to New England!

 

This week in Part 3, we look at dramatic presentations for comic or heartwarming effect, from parodies of classic movies to political satire, feel-good messages about community, gifts of cheer, and acts of charity. To overcome the weaknesses of amateur acting ability, we see holiday mannequin challenges, mascots and puppies, and the self-deprecation of ugly holiday sweaters.

 

In particular, we acknowledge some "best in class" videos from last Christmas:

 

Situation Comedy: The Stockton University (New Jersey) “ITS Holiday Card” stages a tongue-in-cheek sit-com featuring the evil genius behind “elf on the shelf.” https://youtu.be/PlpcOcFtOu8

 

Holiday Mannequin Challenges: The University of Glasgow (Scotland) stages an elaborate mannequin challenge across several floors and several buildings, all in a single take. https://youtu.be/cA5qew3K310

 

Feel-Good Messages: The University of Waterloo Faculty of Environment launches a “challenge” to faculty and staff, with a sentimental twist ending worthy of Dr Seuss’ Grinch. https://youtu.be/40rZpjU2Jtg

 

Holiday Sentiments: Central Penn College’s heartwarming video based on a poem composed by one of its professors, “We Are Season’s Greetings.” https://youtu.be/kmFtkgqLuYI

 

Acts of Charity: George Mason University (in Virginia) produced “Mason Spreads the Joy,” last year’s best-produced and best-acted video about students buying and sharing toys with underprivileged children. https://youtu.be/sHGDXHCGqrQ

 

Honorable mentions to:

 

Tucker Garborg, a film student at NYU, for his satirical ballad, “Christmas in College”. (Definitely worth a look!) https://youtu.be/6VhGCxWhtxI

 

Bow Valley College’s new certificates in Egg-Nog Mixology and Regifting – complete with a website to generate the certificate! https://youtu.be/O651Dc3Eh8Q

 

Griffith University’s School of Government and International Relations for professor John Kane’s musical number, “A Very Trumpy Christmas.” https://youtu.be/1CQx4kxw4PI

 

University of Utah Health Care, “Holiday Greeting” year-in-review mannequin challenge. https://youtu.be/JAVZyugLbBs

 

 

 

To find the full list of 2016 Youtube videos reviewed for this episode, check out our playlist at https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLodJ8ParJmYW50HvU2lrHm_DURpmz8jqk

 

We've also started assembling a list of 2017 videos for next year's special, at https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLodJ8ParJmYVmGMsmXoJqATfMohQ5cEYb

 

If you have a video to ADD, use this link and you can add it yourself!
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLodJ8ParJmYVmGMsmXoJqATfMohQ5cEYb&jct=MSL7F_rVRIvGlRjnrkq5ZNy_vdTZ-Q

 

 

We’ll be back in the new year with more interviews with university leaders from the Ontario Universities’ Fair, and several episodes based on our excursion to Simon Fraser University!

 

To be sure you don’t miss them, please subscribe to our channel! www.TenWithKen.com

 

All best wishes for a peaceful holiday, and a happy and prosperous new year!

Yours, Ken

Dec 21, 2017

The annual Ten with Ken Holiday Special continues its survey of more than 200 college and university holiday greeting videos from around the world, with examples from Austria to Australia, New Zealand to New England!

 

This week in Part 2 (of 3), we look at Holiday Shout-Outs, Cute Kids, Parody Carols, Singalongs, Carpool Karaoke, and the talented student choirs and bands that contribute to some beautiful, peaceful greetings. In particular, we acknowledge some "best in class" videos from last Christmas:

 

Multicultural Shout-Outs: The University of La Verne (in California) encourages us all to “Celebrate Together” despite our superficial differences in a moving message of peace. https://youtu.be/runZqiJrr8I

 

Holiday Games: Pueblo Community College (in Colorado) asked pairs of staff to play the “Naughty or Nice” game, in which they are surprised by sweet or decidedly sour jelly beans. Part 1 - https://youtu.be/cnUznSZ7F-Q Part 2 - https://youtu.be/gclNjAaxKvw

 

‘Twas the Night Before Christmas: Western Kentucky University produced an amusing vignette about its president encountering a mysterious visitor in red. https://youtu.be/51epgzybMo0

 

Childlike Spirit: West Virginia University presents “Chaos on the Set!” thanks to a bunch of little helpers. https://youtu.be/T_a7umQkjEs

 

Holiday Singalongs: Elon University (in North Carolina) produced a very polished, uplifting a capella version of several favourite carols, using voices from across campus. https://youtu.be/Bx9b9P1fTes

 

Carpool Karaoke: Pennsylvania’s Juniata College released a series of 7 separate videos of staff and senior administrators carpooling with President Troha, and singing along to holiday classics. https://youtu.be/0TK4oRq3p_g

 

Parody Carols: Coastal Carolina University (in South Carolina) produced a slick, well choreographed adaptation of “Deck the Halls”. https://youtu.be/66j1LlAMgaQ

 

Moving Songs: United World College USA Montezuma (in New Mexico) released a holiday video produced by its international students, and featuring the music of Kaamya Sharma and Iqbaal Ramadhan. https://youtu.be/CkMnMyapGXY

 

 

To find the full list of 2016 Youtube videos reviewed for this episode, check out our playlist at https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLodJ8ParJmYW50HvU2lrHm_DURpmz8jqk

 

We've also started assembling a list of 2017 videos for next year's special, at https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLodJ8ParJmYVmGMsmXoJqATfMohQ5cEYb

 

 

This is just part 2 – next time we’ll look at some comic and sentimental storytelling videos, and much more! To be sure you don’t miss it, subscribe to our channel! www.TenWithKen.com

Dec 15, 2017

The annual Ten with Ken Holiday Special begins its survey of more than 200 college and university holiday greeting videos from around the world, with examples from Austria to Australia, New Zealand to New England!

This week in Part 1 (of 3), Ken looks at examples ranging from snowy campuses to snowball fights, decorating students to decorated students, lights on campus to majestic feasts, gingerbread doctors to gingerbread campuses, and more! In particular, he acknowledges some "best in class" videos from last Christmas:

Holiday Lights on Campus: Loyola University (Chicago) “Merry Christmas” portrays a beautiful campus at night. https://youtu.be/8fgj2oOtwDc

Decorating: Humber College (Ontario), “Interior Decorating at Winter Festival of Lights” combines student talents, work placements and even employer testimonials! https://youtu.be/quRG7gmCES8

Showcasing Talents: Southeast Missouri State University, “Happy Holidays” shows us a group of academic deans deciding to make a holiday video based on “So You Think You Can Dance”! https://youtu.be/W3n95aJcXhc

Holiday Feasts: George Brown College (Toronto), “Happy Holidays” shows us traditional family recipes created by culinary arts students from around the world. https://youtu.be/8f2gd6x-Ifk

Gingerbread: University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, “Happy Holidays from Chancellor Carol L Foit” beautifully portrays the creation of a scale model cupola that looks good enough to eat! https://youtu.be/bvIuwA3i7p4

 

To find the full list of 2016 Youtube videos reviewed for this episode, check out our playlist at https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLodJ8ParJmYW50HvU2lrHm_DURpmz8jqk

We've also started assembling a list of 2017 videos for next year's special, at https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLodJ8ParJmYVmGMsmXoJqATfMohQ5cEYb

 

This is just part 1 – next time we’ll look at the musical talents of student choirs and bands, some “Holiday Shout-Out” videos, and much more! To be sure you don’t miss it, subscribe to our channel! www.TenWithKen.com

 

Nov 25, 2017

“Ten with Ken” continues from the 2017 Ontario Universities’ Fair. In part 3 of a 3-part series, Ken Steele talks to a dozen Ontario university leaders about creating the environment on-campus in which creative thinking, entrepreneurship and innovation mindset can flourish. In discussion, these senior administrators identified 10 key ways to help foster an environment more amenable to innovation, including ideas about people, special initiatives, organizational values and culture.

Part 1 explored ways to foster meaningful dialogue on campus, and to listen to campus stakeholders, including front-line staff and particularly students. (See part 1 at https://youtu.be/Ttb-6rj_fb0 )

“Ten with Ken” continues from the 2017 Ontario Universities’ Fair. In part 3 of a 3-part series, Ken Steele talks to a dozen Ontario university leaders about creating the environment on-campus in which creative thinking, entrepreneurship and innovation mindset can flourish. In discussion, these senior administrators identified 10 key ways to help foster an environment more amenable to innovation, including ideas about people, special initiatives, organizational values and culture.

Part 1 explored ways to foster meaningful dialogue on campus, and to listen to campus stakeholders, including front-line staff and particularly students. (See part 1 at https://youtu.be/Ttb-6rj_fb0 )

Part 2 continued by looking at 4 more important ways to foster an innovation culture, including seeking diverse and international perspectives, promoting openness and trust, recognizing and sharing innovative practices, and helping to clear the path for innovators, running interference against the forces of resistance on campus. (See part 2 at https://youtu.be/Qi4gtUAdxMw )

In this episode, we hear the final 4 recommendations, which are in many ways the most significant for senior campus administrators:

7) Promote strategic partnerships.

Several leaders emphasized the importance of “porosity” and connection with external communities, organizations, private sector companies and other kinds of educational institutions in order to bring innovative new perspectives and fast-track innovation on campus.

8) Use budget levers to support innovation.

Sometimes it comes down to money, to provide appropriate new spaces, resources, faculty release time, incentives, and promotion of innovative new ideas. But leaders need to be cautious what they incentivize, and of course it can be difficult to shift budget away from traditional departments and programs.

9) Hire for innovation.

In many ways, it all comes down to hiring, and senior administrators have a crucial responsibility to hire VPs, Deans, and others for status quo or for change. Finding the resources to hire more young faculty members, and hiring for diverse perspectives, are crucial ways to nurture innovation.

10) Accept some risk of failure.

Academic culture has a thousand-year tradition of excellence and perfectionism. In many ways the whole system is designed to reject or suppress radical change, and that very risk aversion may be the biggest challenge going forward. To promote experimentation and innovation on campus, leaders have to reduce the stigma of failure, stop assigning blame, and promote measured, informed risk-taking. Out-of-the-box thinkers often stumble in the early stages, but will wind up making the most significant contributions to their fields over a whole career.

We will continue this discussion in an upcoming episode from the campus of Simon Fraser University.

Special thanks to the university spokespeople who took time with us at the OUF. Their insights are reduced to sound bytes in this “essay” episode, but we will soon be releasing their individual interviews as standalone “bonus” episodes:

Algoma University – Acting President Celia Ross
Brock University – Provost Thomas Dunk
Carleton University – VP Enrollment Management Janice O’Farrell
Lakehead University – President Brian Stevenson
Laurentian University – Interim President Pierre Zundel
Nipissing University – President Mike DeGagné
OCAD University – President Sara Diamond
Queen’s University – Provost Benoit-Antoine Bacon
Trent University – President Leo Groarke
University of Waterloo – President Feridun Hamdullahpur (previously released)
University of Waterloo – Registrar Cathy Newell-Kelly
University of Windsor – President Alan Wildeman

Thanks also to my patient videographer, John Matthias, and to Deanna Underwood and the organizers of the OUF for allowing us to keep coming back!

Nov 17, 2017

“Ten with Ken” continues from the 2017 Ontario Universities’ Fair. In part 2 of a 3-part series, Ken Steele talks to a dozen Ontario university leaders about creating the environment on-campus in which creative thinking, entrepreneurship and innovation mindset can flourish. In discussion, these senior administrators identified 10 key ways to help foster an environment more amenable to innovation, including ideas about people, special initiatives, organizational values and culture.

Part 1 explored ways to foster meaningful dialogue on campus, and to listen to campus stakeholders, including front-line staff and particularly students. (See part 1 at https://youtu.be/Ttb-6rj_fb0 )

In this episode, we hear the next 4 recommendations:

3) Seek diverse global perspectives.
Many leaders emphasize that diverse perspectives, and international experiences, help to prompt new ideas and out-of-the-box thinking. We should be “militant proponents of diversity”, and should encourage staff, faculty and students to travel abroad.

4) Foster openness, transparency and trust.
“Insecurity does not breed courage.” Staff and faculty need a level of trust, often born of collegiality, for them to be open to new ideas and new ways of doing things. In particular, the university board and senate need strong channels of communication and cooperation.

5) Recognize and share innovative practices.
Innovation often occurs at the periphery, in pilot projects or experimental institutes. Leaders need to “showcase” innovators, even when their efforts have not been successful. Centres for Teaching and Learning offer best practices and the exchange of ideas among faculty. With luck, good ideas and an openness to change will become contagious.

6) Clear the path for innovators.
Senior leadership can’t push a top-down innovation agenda, but they can help prevent the institution from “pushing back” against new ideas. Policies need change. Resisters need reassurance. Innovators need authority. Senior admin can “run interference” like a football running back. Often innovators are difficult people for others to deal with, and leaders need to disarm the forces of resistance and negotiate a truce on campus.

Those are the first 6 ideas – but there are 4 more! Stay tuned for part 3, or subscribe to ensure you don’t miss it. http://eduvation.ca/subscribe/

Special thanks to the university spokespeople who took time with us at the OUF. Their insights are reduced to sound bytes in this “essay” episode, but we will soon be releasing their individual interviews as standalone “bonus” episodes:

Algoma University – Acting President Celia Ross
Brock University – Provost Thomas Dunk
Carleton University – VP Enrollment Management Janice O’Farrell
Lakehead University – President Brian Stevenson
Laurentian University – Interim President Pierre Zundel
Nipissing University – President Mike DeGagné
OCAD University – President Sara Diamond
Queen’s University – Provost Benoit-Antoine Bacon
Trent University – President Leo Groarke
University of Waterloo – President Feridun Hamdullahpur (previously released)
University of Waterloo – Registrar Cathy Newell-Kelly
University of Windsor – President Alan Wildeman

Thanks also to my patient videographer, John Matthias, and to Deanna Underwood and the organizers of the OUF for allowing us to keep coming back!

Nov 11, 2017

Ten with Ken hits the road again to attend the 2017 Ontario Universities’ Fair, the largest PSE consumer show in North America. This year we spoke with a dozen university presidents and their designates about the latest innovations on their campuses, trends they see emerging over the next decade, and in particular, about how college or university leaders can nurture a culture of innovation on campus.

 

In part 1 of a 3-part series, Ken Steele talks to a dozen Ontario university leaders about creating the environment on-campus in which creative thinking, entrepreneurship and innovation mindset can flourish. Higher ed has a thousand-year tradition of being thoughtful, cautious, and somewhat perfectionist in its pursuit of excellence. As a result, universities in particular have minimal tolerance for risk, financial or otherwise. In discussion, these senior administrators identified 10 key ways to help foster an environment more amenable to innovation, including ideas about people, special initiatives, organizational values and culture.

 

In this episode, we hear them discuss the first 2 recommendations:

 

1) Foster meaningful dialogue on campus.

Make room to discuss the big ideas, trends and potential innovative approaches. Hold off-site retreats to get people away from the everyday realities, or bring in external speakers to talk about emerging trends. (Ken is a big fan of this idea, naturally!) We hear about Carleton University’s “Leaders Program,” that brings together faculty and admin personnel to work collaboratively on solutions to “wicked” problems.

 

2) Listen to campus stakeholders.

Leaders must be careful to ensure they do not assume they have all the answers. Lasting, significant innovation almost always arises from the front lines, and senior administration’s role is to seek out those ideas wherever they might be. It’s vital to hear from diverse voices on campus, and especially to listen to students! Hearing from diverse perspectives, debating new and radical ideas, is in many ways core to the mandate of even the most traditional university.

 

Those are the first 2 ideas – but there are 8 more! Stay tuned for parts 2 and 3, or subscribe to ensure you don’t miss them. http://eduvation.ca/subscribe/

 

Special thanks to the university spokespeople who took time with us at the OUF. Their insights are reduced to sound bytes in this “essay” episode, but we will soon be releasing their individual interviews as standalone “bonus” episodes:

 

Algoma University – Acting President Celia Ross

Brock University – Provost Thomas Dunk

Carleton University – VP Enrollment Management Janice O’Farrell

Lakehead University – President Brian Stevenson

Laurentian University – Interim President Pierre Zundel

Nipissing University – President Mike DeGagné

OCAD University – President Sara Diamond

Queen’s University – Provost Benoit-Antoine Bacon

Trent University – President Leo Groarke

University of Waterloo – President Feridun Hamdullahpur (previously released)

University of Waterloo – Registrar Cathy Newell-Kelly

University of Windsor – President Alan Wildeman

 

Thanks also to my patient videographer, John Matthias, and to Deanna Underwood and the organizers of the OUF for allowing us to keep coming back!

 

Oct 19, 2017

In a 12-minute episode that sums up 7,000 slides and 20 years of research, Ken provides a fast-paced overview of the full spectrum of innovation occurring in higher education around the world.

In response to the 9 key forces for change, institutions are seeking efficiencies and new markets, including online and international students. They are collaborating and seeking alternative revenue streams. They have reinforced student services and mental health supports. Built new campus facilities to support new approaches to teaching and learning. Partnered with industry and explored the possibility of new evaluation systems and credentials. And academic programs have evolved, been launched, and been retired.

Ten with Ken continues to explore some of the more interesting and thought-provoking experiments and findings across this whole spectrum. Check out scores of episodes on our YouTube channel, or at www.TenWithKen.com

Ken Steele's conference keynotes, campus presentations, retreats and workshops help institutions grapple with the pressures they face, competitor strategies, and the best course for their own future directions.

Oct 12, 2017

Ken Steele returns for season 3 of “Ten with Ken”.

He has analyzed almost 7,000 data points over 20 years of trends and experiments, and consolidated them into a single graphic that sums up the whole spectrum of higher ed innovation. This week, we take a quick look at the 9 forces for change affecting colleges and universities worldwide. Politics, Funding, and declining Demographics are forcing institutions to adapt, and making them more alert to evolving needs and expectations among traditional students. Students are becoming more Digital, Social, and Anxious, and are particularly Careerist. Industry and employers are increasingly helping to shape programs, curriculum and credentials at colleges and universities alike. And to a lesser extent, breakthroughs of Science are starting to inform new approaches to teaching and learning on campus.

 

Clips this episode:

 

Simon Fraser University, “SFU Launches New Texting-Free Walking Zones”

https://youtu.be/U0UqHM6qOFg

 

SAIT Polytechnic, “Walk-a-bot”

[Video removed from YouTube]

 

Malardalen University College, “Fighting Spirit”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jiD9PmtQ61I&feature=youtu.be

 

Next week we look at the full spectrum of ways in which colleges and universities are innovating in response to these 9 forces for change. Subscribe now to be sure you don’t miss it, at http://eduvation.ca/subscribe/

 

Jul 14, 2017

 

Ken Steele completes his review of 12 higher ed rebrands in the past 2 years that sparked a backlash from campus stakeholders and alumni.

 

In part 1, we looked at half a dozen new visual identities that caused outrage, either because they were too crazy creative or deadly dull. https://youtu.be/khrMeE_hngs

But there were also some competent rebrands that nonetheless met remarkable opposition, often because stakeholders were too emotionally attached to what they had before:

 

Western Sydney University (Australia):

When its name changed from “The University of Western Sydney” in 2015, WSU also abandoned its 13-year-old logo, which featured a “bluebird” icon. Although the former logo felt pretty cool and corporate, students nonetheless had become emotionally attached to the bluebird, and launched a #SaveTheBlueBird campaign on Twitter. The new identity was more contemporary, and pretty conventional: a deep red shield with the letter “W”. Comedian Aamer Rahman mocked the expenditure for student audiences, but the administration stuck with the new look.

Aamer Rahman - https://youtu.be/5Bg90nkRL3c

 

Penn State University (PA):

When one of the largest universities in the world changes its visual identity, plenty of people take notice! Penn State, with almost 100,000 students on more than 20 campuses, had been using the same brand identity for 30 years when it finally launched a rebrand in 2015. The new look was much cleaner, focusing the shield on just the head of the “Nittany Lion” shrine, and using a modern slab-serif typeface. The illustration was fairly realistic, of the stone shrine itself – but as a result the lion’s eyes seemed blank, unblinking, almost zombie-like. Football fans were relentless in attacking it, and a petition on change.org attracted about 4,000 signatures – but remember, that’s just 4% of Penn State’s enrolment. They rightly stayed the course.

 

Berklee College of Music (MA):

Berklee’s former logo was barely a logo at all: simple type in the corner of a red block. It didn’t reproduce well at small sizes, and in 2015 Berklee unveiled a rebrand that focused on the single word, “Berklee”, with a new icon (the “natural” notation). 500 students signed a petition objecting to the new identity, and particularly the loss of the word “College” – about 10% of the institution’s enrolment. The administration ignored the minority opinion.

 

University of Leicester (UK):

The former shield, in use for 20 years, was an awful orange colour, with intricate details and a Latin motto, and used a very dated typeface for the wordmark. Anything would have been an improvement, and although some students objected, the new identity features more sophisticated typography and understated colours.

 

Linköping University (Sweden):

Since its founding in 1975, Linköping (pron. “Lingschoping”) has used a variation of its official seal as its visual identity. To celebrate its 40th anniversary, LU hired Stockhold design firm Futurniture (who yes, does some work for IKEA) to develop a radically new brand. The result was a bright blue block containing bold initials, “li.u” – much to the chagrin of almost 5,000 students, who expected something more conventional. Even though the students collected alternatives and held a poll on their Facebook page, the administration stuck with the bold new look.

 

Wheaton College (MA):

This private liberal arts college near Boston is almost 200 years old, so students and alumni were naturally shocked when it unveiled an industrial-looking new identity in early 2017. The look does little to convey the desired brand attributes (forward-looking, inclusive, personal). It’s cold, impersonal, and reflects a design aesthetic from the 1970s. A change.org petition attracted 1,200 signatures – 75% of the school’s enrolment! Unfortunately, the administration is stubbornly planning to launch this ugly new identity in August 2017.

 

Wright State University (OH):

After 20 years, WSU revised their cherished logo featuring the Wright brothers and their biplane. The designers tried to simplify it, moving to some sans-serif type, eliminating the shadows, and darkened the colours – so far, so good. But they also eliminated the figure of Wilbur Wright, and added some inexplicable swooshes that made it look like the plane was tumbling out of control. And from then on, the rebrand tumbled out of control too. Despite spending a reported $250,000 on the graphic design alone, administration abandoned the rebrand and stuck with their former logo.

 

So to sum up: you can’t please everybody when it comes to a university rebrand. You can expect 20-30% of your stakeholders to express displeasure. If it’s less than 10%, you’re doing really well! If it’s more than 70%, you should probably reconsider the design.

  

Check out other Ten with Ken episodes about Branding at https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLodJ8ParJmYWtpFIkmuPeZ1h2SDI5LI5Y

Jul 7, 2017

Ken Steele starts reviewing the 12 higher ed rebrands of the past 2 years that caused outrage and opposition among faculty, students and alumni. Odds of a backlash are 10% overall, 20% at universities (4-year colleges), 0% at community colleges -- and 50% at arts institutes!

This week, 5 disastrous rebrands that pretty much deserved what they got. 3 of them were overly ambitious, taking bold and daring approaches:

Loughborough University (UK):
A well-ranked public research university founded in 1909, that launched a hot pink octagon "LU" logo in 2015. (Yikes!) A protest petition gathered 13,000 signatures -- 76% of the school's enrolment! The administration backed down and 5 months later unveiled a much more conventional coat of arms approach.

Loughborough U Year in Review - https://youtu.be/TDfVHTtcl7g
How to Make the LU Logo on Photoshop - https://youtu.be/4IZSAl4giQ4

Emerson College (MA):
This liberal arts college focuses on communications, media and arts programs. In April 2016 Emerson proudly unveiled a preliminary new identity that featured a large, hand-drawn purple "e". A student leaked a photo on social media, and sparked immediate protest of the "glorified scribble" that looked like "a breast cancer ribbon." Lee Pelton, the college president, compared misperceptions to the presidential primaries. But a year later, Emerson is still using its former logo.

Emerson Reacts to New School Logo - https://youtu.be/VkT8E3Opciw

Ravensbourne College (UK):
In 2010, this arts institute launched a radical new identity that shattered the word "Ravensbourne" into 3 fragments, based on the anodized aluminum tiles that covered its new purpose-built building. Students protested, but the logo stayed for 6 years. Finally, in June 2016, Ravensbourne unveiled a much more professional logo, using a flexible "container" for student art. (Like the 2011 brand identity for OCAD University.) The latest Ravensbourne logo sparked some mockery, but the designers embraced the satire.

Ravensbourne Brand Film - https://vimeo.com/168322138

Other redesigns are so uninspired they spark well-deserved opposition, too.

IE University (Spain):
The Instituto de Empresa ("Business School") is an open university teaching business programs across Spain. The original monogram and olive branch had become streamlined to the point of absurdity, so in 2016 the institution launched a new, totally bland logo. Students complained that it lowered the reputation of their institution, but the new identity continues to be used.

We are IE: Reinventing Higher Education - https://youtu.be/pFGIMstrOk0

Quinnipiac University (CT):
When this institution abandoned its elegant small-caps wordmark for a funky, 1970s-style logo, students protested the lack of a capital on "university." The "capitalize this!" campaign got media attention across North America, accusing the university of making a grammatical error in its new identity. After months of protest, the administration backed down and revised the logo, to include the word "University" in all caps. (They pretended the student protest had no effect).

Q30 #THAT 9/13/16 - https://youtu.be/9AIxjxVo9Jo


Whenever a university opts for a less-formal brand identity, it's likely to spark outrage. All the more reason that your concept needs to be creative, your typography professional, and your design polished.

Next time: we'll look at 7 brand redesigns that sparked a backlash whether they deserved it or not!

Jun 29, 2017

Based on our recent global survey of more than 100 higher ed brand identity redesigns over the past 2 years, Ken Steele counts down the 10 best rebrandings – those that are professional, memorable, balanced and well-designed, AND that didn’t spark a backlash from faculty, students or alumni.

In Part 1 last week, we looked at #10-6 - https://youtu.be/bkrxAD0AbbE

Now, the countdown continues:


#5: East Stroudsburg University, Pennsylvania

Plenty of higher ed brand identities feature mountains, but ESU pulled off a slick rebrand that continues to emphasize its location near the Delaware Water Gap in the Pocono mountains. In 2017, ESU replaced a 24-year-old logo with a new one using a ceremonial banner shape. The ESU Warriors finally got a polished new mascot too, a Spartanesque warrior in the same banner shape.

The New ESU - https://youtu.be/kzpNCsaSsYE


#4: Colorado College

Colorado College, ranked the best private college in the state by Forbes magazine, is particularly notable for its setting near the base of Pikes Peak, and its revolutionary "block plan". (Students take a single course at a time, for 3.5 weeks, before moving on to the next "block".) In early 2016, CC unveiled a striking new identity that replaced a 20-year-old calligraphic logo. The new logo integrated circles (for Cs and representing the campus community) and triangles (suggesting mountains), within square blocks (for the unique pedagogical approach).

Colorado College - A New Look, A Unified Voice - https://youtu.be/iXz_Mlj2J6c


There were also a couple of "runners-up" that featured mountains: California's Feather River College, and BC's College of the Rockies. Both were massive improvements, and show creative promise, but somehow came up just a little short.


#3: SAIT Polytechnic, Calgary

After 18 years, SAIT finally jettisoned their swooshy, "Jetsons"-like identity for a bold new brand that is a breath of fresh air! It added 3 new colours to the traditional red and blue, and created a 3D spherical icon, "the Catalyst," as an "activator of change."

SAIT's New Brand Revealed - https://youtu.be/KpV9QBi5JaE

SAIT Unveils Centennial Art Sculpture - https://youtu.be/hJmZi1Ysg34


#2: University of Suffolk, UK

University Campus Suffolk got independent university title in May 2016, adopting the new name "University of Suffolk", and launching a new visual identity by Only. The simple black square represents a shield of sorts, with a yellow triangle in the corner pointing to its location in the southeast of England. 45-degree angles create a sense of momentum throughout marketing materials.

uSuffolk - An Introduction - https://youtu.be/zAGy2eY-3ZU


#1: Capilano University, BC

Since it gained university status in 2008, Capilano has revamped its visual identity twice. First they abandoned a stack of blue books for carved blue letters that evoked indigenous tradition. In 2016, they unveiled a much more dynamic, colourful identity that masterfully combines traditional academic shield and eagle feathers in the Coast Salish indigenous tradition.

Capilano University Brand Refresh - https://youtu.be/4b7hnLBCYiU

Alberta's Northern Lakes College likewise leveraged the traditional symbol of the eagle in their new identity, a runner-up for this episode.

Finally, honourable mention goes to Minneapolis' Augsburg College, for an extremely subtle rebranding unrolling this fall as Augsburg University. Alumnus Samuel Gross showed great attention to detail and significantly improved upon the former wordmark.

Augsburg University logo - https://youtu.be/DlNBv1l0Oa4


Check out Top 10 Identity Trends for a review of overall higher ed branding trends in the past 2 years – https://youtu.be/8lD3PUQLBnw

Jun 23, 2017

Based on our recent global survey of more than 100 higher ed brand identity redesigns over the past 2 years, Ken Steele counts down the 10 best rebrandings – those that are professional, memorable, balanced and well-designed, AND that didn’t spark a backlash from faculty, students or alumni.

 

#10: Saint Louis University, Missouri

Design firm Olson of Minneapolis created a streamlined new logo using a vastly simplified coat of arms and an “ownable” fleur de lis. The branding system includes specs for consistent iconography, a variety of wallpapers, and a wide range of subbrands – including a new logo for Billken Athletics.

This is SLU - https://youtu.be/CYMBLYkEsPQ

About SLU’s New Logos - https://youtu.be/oc1tCyzm0_c

What is a Billiken? - https://youtu.be/xmaxVk8lakY

 

#9: Belmont Abbey College, North Carolina

Another Catholic college redesigned their steeple-focused identity with the help of Rickabaugh Graphics in Ohio. The result is a dynamic shield emblem with fresher typography and a slightly brighter crimson, and a new mark for Crusaders Athletics.

 

#8: Augusta University, Georgia

In 2012, Augusta State University merged with Georgia Health Sciences to create Georgia Regents University – and then, apparently after a lawsuit from Regents University in Virginia, it changed its name again in 2015 to Augusta University. The new identity features a slick illustration of a colonial belltower (which doesn’t actually exist) that is simultaneously clearly a letter “A”.

Augusta University Identity in Depth – https://youtu.be/CIBKWkF9DMY

 

#7: Stanislaus State University, California

It was known by far too many different names: CSU Stanislaus, CSUS, California State Stanislaus, Stanislaus State, Stan State, and even “Turkey Tech.” But with the help of the Jeffrey Scott Agency in Fresno, Stan State unveiled a snazzy new “split shield” logo system in 2015 that standardized its name. Departments and individuals can now choose from “CSU Stanislaus” or “Stanislaus State” logos, and even “Stan State” is officially endorsed for internal audiences.

 

#6: Maricopa Community Colleges, Arizona

The 10 colleges in Maricopa County had startlingly different brand identities, but in 2015 the Maricopa System unveiled “One Maricopa,” a new unifying logo system that would create consistent subbrands for each campus, while retaining their former colours and visuals. It was a masterful effort at compromise… but so far, there’s little sign that the colleges have actually adopted the new branding system.

 

That’s the first half of our round-up of the world’s top ten recent rebrands. Next time, we’ll complete the countdown with the top five!

 

Subscribe so you don’t miss it, or check out Top 10 Identity Trends for a review of overall higher ed branding trends in the past 2 years – https://youtu.be/8lD3PUQLBnw

 

 

May 26, 2017

Based on his global study of more than 100 higher education brand identity redesigns over the past 24 months, Ken Steele offers up these tongue-in-cheek samples of utterly conventional, unobjectionable logo designs following the latest trends. If your new identity had to be approved by 100 branding committees, this is what it would look like, for each of 4 categories of institution:

Community College
Religious College
Public University
Arts Institute

Check out the top ten trends in brand identities in this 13-minute summary: https://youtu.be/8lD3PUQLBnw

May 18, 2017

Brand strategist Ken Steele sums up the results of his global survey of 105 higher ed brand identity redesigns completed over the past 24 months, from May 2015 until May 2017. Examples from the US, Canada, UK, Europe, Middle East, Asia and Australia -- and ultimately, there are 10 clear trends.

We identify the most popular recent colours, shapes, and imagery for universities, community colleges, religious colleges, and arts institutes, and we look more closely at several examples:

Emily Carr University of Art + Design
University of Georgia
Oregon State University
University of Nebraska
SUNY Buffalo
University of Kentucky
University of New Mexico
Bradley University
University of Detroit Mercy
Tennessee Tech
Upper Iowa University
Michigan Technological University
Maricopa Community College System
Tel Aviv University
University of Findlay
Winston-Salem State University
Augusta University
Otis College of Art and Design
Manor College
Emmanuel College
Wycliffe College
The King's University
Calvin College
Whitworth University
Emmaus Bible College
Dominican College
College of Saint Elizabeth
Feather River College
College of the Rockies
East Stroudsburg University
Sierra College
Northern Michigan University
Allegany College of Maryland
University of Greenwich

We also look at several logo approaches that seem to be falling OUT of favour, from circular seals and blocks of colour to explicitly religious imagery. And self-confessed "typography geek" Ken also spends a few minutes discussing trends in typeface selection among the four different categories of institution.

Videos excerpted:

uFindlay - https://youtu.be/ax_cUVMhMnI
Winston Salem State U - https://youtu.be/fu0K1_VfKHs
Otis College - https://youtu.be/3e5taaIV028


Coming up: we'll develop 4 "committee-proof" logos, look in depth at the top ten rebrands of the past 2 years, and look at 12 branding misfires that caused campus outrage.

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