In times of significant change, institutions must adapt to new realities, just as they have in the wake of past social and technological upheavals. How well leaders manage change determines their organization’s ability to serve its community going forward.
Today, policy shifts, workforce needs and stakeholder expectations go to the heart of higher ed’s purpose. Proactive organizations confront this head-on, renewing their purpose to define the future.
They not only respond to policy changes but seek to influence policy. They realign portfolios to accommodate workforce changes. They adapt as AI evolves.
Managing change at such a fundamental level involves rebranding. To position your institution for the future, your rebranding effort must be about more than a logo refresh or new color palette. A fresh coat of paint may be necessary, but it’s not sufficient.
To stay on the leading edge, schools must first adopt a strategy and then rebrand to execute it. Here’s a look at five ways to manage institutional change that truly meet the moment.
1. Clearly define why change is needed
The questions schools are asking in response to current challenges are existential: What value do we provide, and how can we do better? But before you can define the “what” and understand the “how,” you’ll need to answer the “why.”
If the institution exists to train people and help them transition into careers that address workforce needs, identify the people you serve, and define what sets your institution’s skillset, history and team apart. Focus on what you do best, and use that self-knowledge as a lens to make decisions about your strategy and rebrand.
In this scenario, the “why” is more than an abstract mission statement; it’s your institution’s purpose, the problem you are uniquely built to solve. All decisions should reflect that. When you center your rebrand on your purpose, you can execute changes without losing your core identity.
2. Sell your new story internally first
A rebranding project is about telling a new story. The first audience should be internal stakeholders, i.e., faculty and staff. And if your change management strategy is grounded in your purpose, the story should be compelling because your people already buy into your mission.
You may have to make tough decisions, such as divesting in some programs or shuttering locations, for example. But if you emphasize the “why” before the “what,” if you focus on how financial stability will enable the institution to continue to serve and grow its impact, you can persuade stakeholders to support tough decisions.
Selling the new story internally is also a wonderful opportunity to hear stakeholders’ ideas, which can be incredibly insightful. There are nuances to decisions you’ll make during your project, and as long as you and your stakeholders are aligned on purpose, you can collaborate productively.
3. Create feedback loops and provide resources to build trust
If internal stakeholders don’t sincerely embrace your rebrand, the larger audience—prospective students and faculty, community leaders, partners, alumni, etc.—won’t either. Communication, transparency and opportunities to contribute create buy-in.
After communicating the “why,” share as many details as you can about the “how” and “what” aspects of the rebrand. Create feedback loops so people can react. Listen to their ideas for how to implement change.
If there is a negative impact for stakeholders—a portfolio divestment, for example—give those affected the space to grieve while also offering a vision of their new role. Create a dashboard so internal stakeholders can track progress on metrics like enrollment. Provide training and talking points so they can become advocates.
4. Be data-informed instead of data-driven
Data is an essential part of any change management project because it grounds you in reality, allows you to set objectives and provides a way to measure progress. In higher ed, we need to understand which career fields are growing or shrinking in our communities to design programs and train students for the workforce.
We also need data to understand how our hypotheses about how we need to change are faring in the real world. Creating pilot programs and gathering metrics can reinforce decisions or prompt a review so the team can identify tactics that work better.
That said, it’s better to be data-informed than data-driven. Information is an indispensable tool that allows us to start from the facts, but it doesn’t dictate what we do. As humans and leaders, we make the decisions, informed but not driven by data.
5. Tailor change to match the school’s culture, mission and students
Every institution is unique, so what works in one situation won’t be a template for another. But if there’s a throughline to every successful higher ed rebrand, it’s that the change flows from the core mission—who we are and why the institution exists.
With that shared vision in mind, leaders can drive change while respecting the differences and traditions that exist across campuses, programs and student populations. This has always been true at Alliant University, founded as one of the first standalone psychology schools in 1969, which has since evolved to offer a variety of programs.
