White Papers

Hiring Preferences Among Chicago Public School Principals

A school of education in the Chicago area was interested in better understanding principals’ hiring decisions and their perceptions of teacher preparation programs. In addition, this institution sought to enhance its understanding of the hiring preferences and needs among Chicago Public Schools principals, including those serving predominantly African American and predominantly Latino student populations. In order to better understand these needs, Eduventures surveyed principals in the Chicago Public School district, and the findings will help to shape current and future teacher education programs.

Making Sense of the Numbers: Demographics and U.S. Higher Education

Many college and university leaders are paying close attention to projected demographic shifts in the U.S. population, which they view with a mix of caution, concern, and optimism. Some regions of the United States will see decreases in the number of high school graduates, while others will see dramatic increases. By 2050, the country’s non-Hispanic White population is expected to decrease to 45% of the total population, while the Hispanic population will increase to 31%. However, few institutions will see changes that are identical to the expected national averages. Each school’s leaders will be responsible for identifying how and when demographic shifts will impact their institution and for determining how to successfully serve the needs of their new, changing student populations. Drawing on Eduventures’ research and client engagements, this white paper demonstrates ways that university and college executives can use demographic data to make strategic decisions on campus.

Managing Change on Campus:  Academic Program Development and Assessment

With most colleges and universities facing unprecedented budgetary pressure, institutional new program development (NPD) processes are being scrutinized to increase their efficiency and success. Academic leaders are expected to move more quickly than they have in the past to respond to changing market demand and to establish new and successful revenue streams for the institution. Additionally, they face increased pressure to assess existing programs and use data to demonstrate their continued relevance and value.  Through this paper, Eduventures, a higher education research and consulting firm, will provide insight into effective strategies for researching new academic programs and for assessing existing ones. The paper provides high-level analysis on today’s major national trends, as well as case studies that exemplify how strong NPD processes can help colleges and universities save money and increase the likelihood of a program’s success. Finally, it provides a basic assessment model that you can use to assess programs at your institution.

Re-Visioning Career Services for a New Economy

Commencement is around the corner, but this year the celebratory mood is likely to be tempered by the economic uncertainty facing graduates. University leaders will face tough questions from parents who will want to know how the school is helping their child to find a job and succeed professionally. The desire to see an immediate return on the investment (ROI) of a college degree has never been stronger. This paper describes the growing importance of connecting a college education to professional success. It suggests key questions that university leaders should be asking about their career programs and offer examples of projects that can help to strengthen career development on campus amidst these times of deep economic uncertainty.

The Adult Learner: An Eduventures Perspective

This paper represents a synopsis of today's adult learners: a snapshot of their characteristics, motivations, and preferences with respect to educational opportunities, as well as strategies for recruiting them. Such data and analysis can greatly enhance the ability of colleges and universities to understand where the adult learner market is heading and how to best make the case of the value of the adult learner to key constituents. Eduventures, a higher education research and consulting firm, has been tracking the adult learner market and developed an extensive and unique research library designed to help higher education institutions better understand the adult learner.

How Research Can Help Emerging Development Programs

This paper provides specific examples of how data analysis, benchmarking, and case studies have helped our clients to increase their productivity while saving time and money. This type of research has a significant impact on fundraising effectiveness and is accessible to development shops of all sizes and levels of maturity. Eduventures, a higher education research and consulting firm, has been helping college and university development offices to tackle issues related to advancement organization and operations; campaign planning and management; donor motivations, cultivation, and stewardship; and staff management and productivity.

Building a Competitive Institutional Identity: Breaking Down the Academic/Professional Dichotomy

Eduventures, a higher education research and consulting firm, has been closely tracking market dynamics and student preferences to help colleges and universities position themselves strategically in an increasingly competitive environment. This paper is an introduction to the key elements necessary for building a competitive institutional identity, with a special focus on the importance of integrating the academic and career components of the undergraduate experience.