policy & reform
If you look at higher education as a business and quality education as the product, then the distribution channel is the manner in which students consume education. Massive open online courses( MOOCs) and the flexibility of other online, on-demand and remote learning options become a differentiating factor between institutions. But on the other hand, the campus experience and resulting personal relationships may also be a differentiating factor that attracts students to institutions, in the manner of Stanford, Harvard and MIT.
Beyond the learning and campus experience is interaction with the institution itself. Does the organisation consider itself a customer-centric organisation and design great customer experiences, or does it force students to go through frustrating, bureaucratic processes to enrol, to schedule timetables, make changes or simply ask a question? From a business perspective, if the customer finds it hard to do business with a provider, they will seek out a better, simpler alternative. Successful businesses listen to their customers, make decisions based on customer demands, and interact with the customer to ensure their business stays with them and possibly to refer any new customers. Referring business
is gold. Customers( good customers) in the business realm are hard to find and a valuable commodity to hold on to.
How can higher education institutions apply these business principles to acquire and retain students?
One example is through commercial tools like customer relationship management( CRM) applications which have not in the past found a home in learning institutions. This is changing, however. In the university context, these tools can help providers build, retain and manage better relationships with important stakeholders, from students and alumni to agents and influencers, government, industry and other universities, among many others.
CRM applications are a disruptive engagement technology that not only builds broader and deeper relationships, but delivers valuable insights into the desires and demands of the customers that can drive innovation in all areas of the university. Strategic thinkers will see the opportunity in these applications not only for maintaining relationships with alumni but also for getting measurable insights through continuing engagement.
This fundamental transformation includes, at its most basic, a requirement to become more“ customer”-oriented in the approach taken to acquiring, building and nurturing stakeholder relationships.
Stakeholder engagement is already becoming crucial to long-term survival for the tertiary education sector. This is not just about managing relationships with students, although that is important. More and more institutions are looking at building relationships that cover the complete career cycle.
This includes engagement with school leavers and prospective students through to continued engagement with mature professional alumni, who form the core of donor and patron relationships.
Quality customer relationship management systems have been spectacularly successful in the business sector because the applications have transformed sales, marketing and customer care. As the education services market comes under growing pressure, these kinds of tools are increasingly appealing.
The local tertiary education sector has been a strong performer in export services growth, so it is difficult to imagine its prospects being filled with anything but blue-sky potential.
But the competitive challenges are real and they demand new thinking. n
Marc Englaro is CEO of InsightfulCRM.
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The Hong Kong Polytechnic University is a government-funded tertiary institution in Hong Kong. It offers programmes at various levels including Doctorate, Master’ s, and Bachelor’ s degrees. It has a full-time academic staff strength of around 1,200. The total consolidated expenditure budget of the University is close to HK $ 5 billion per year.
DEPARTMENT OF LAND SURVEYING AND GEO-INFORMATICS
The Department of Land Surveying and Geo-Informatics( LSGI) is widely considered as a centre of excellence in both education and research in Geomatics and related fields. The Department offers a range of academic programmes to both local and overseas students, including Higher Diploma in Geomatics, Bachelor of Science( Honours) in Geomatics( with three specialized streams: Land Surveying, Geo-Information Technology, and Utility Management and Surveying), Master of Science in Geomatics, Master of Philosophy and Doctor of Philosophy. LSGI has a very strong research programme that encompasses research activities in the areas of geographical information science, satellite positioning, ubiquitous positioning, remote sensing, geodynamics, environmental monitoring, geo-hazards studies, intelligent transport systems, digital city modeling, sustainable urbanization, utility system management, location based services, geographical social science, and land information system and management. There are currently 22 academic staff and 11 supporting members in the Department. LSGI has a number of well-equipped research and teaching laboratories. Please visit the website at http:// www. lsgi. polyu. edu. hk for more information about the Department.
Research Assistant Professor in Geographic Information Science / Remote Sensing
The Department is seeking a highly motivated individual with a PhD degree either in( i) Land Surveying,( ii) Geo-Information Technology or( iii) Utility Surveying.
The appointee will be required to( a) conduct researches that lead to high-quality publications and awards of external research grants;( b) undertake teaching duties in relevant subject areas at undergraduate and postgraduate levels;( c) supervise student projects and theses; and( d) undertake relevant administrative duties.
Applicants should( a) have a doctoral degree in a relevant area;( b) have the relevant postdoctoral research experience( as supported by evidence of research projects and outputs), with relevant teaching experience at tertiary level being an advantage; and( c) demonstrate potential for establishing significant externally funded research programmes.
Remuneration and Conditions of Service The remuneration package for the Research Assistant Professor post is the same as an Assistant Professor post. A highly competitive remuneration package will be offered. Appointment for Research Assistant Professor will be on a fixed-term gratuity-bearing contract for up to three years. Re-engagement thereafter is subject to mutual agreement. Applicants should state their current and expected salary in the application.
Application Please submit application form via email to hrstaff @ polyu. edu. hk; by fax at( 852) 2364 2166; or by mail to Human Resources Office, 13 / F, Li Ka Shing Tower, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong. If you would like to provide a separate curriculum vitae, please still complete the application form which will help speed up the recruitment process. Application forms can be obtained via the above channels or downloaded from http:// www. polyu. edu. hk / hro / job. htm. Recruitment will continue until the position is filled. Details of the University’ s Personal Information Collection Statement for recruitment can be found at http:// www. polyu. edu. hk / hro / jobpics. htm.
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