Georgia Southern University - Strategic Planning for the Future of Higher Education

After the highly successful completion of their 2019-2024 strategic plan, Georgia Southern University was embarking on the next strategic planning initiative aimed at shaping the university’s future. With the rapidly changing landscape of higher education—marked by demographic shifts, digital transformation, political and financial pressures—the leadership team needed to gain clarity and alignment. The challenge was to create a shared vision for the future that would guide the institution's decisions and ensure they were ready to respond to these emerging trends.

Robert Heil was invited to deliver a customized keynote presentation, designed to bring campus leaders together around a common understanding of the key challenges and opportunities facing higher education. Over the course of a 60-minute session, Robert addressed the following areas:

• Emerging Trends in Higher Education: How digital learning, alternative credentials, and shifting student demographics combined with changing student expectations are reshaping the landscape.
• Access & Affordability: Innovative and practical solutions for making college more affordable and accessible to students and learners.
• Adapting to Change: How universities can lead through periods of disruption by adopting a growth mindset and leveraging public-private partnerships.

The presentation was highly interactive and engaged the leaders in applying the insights to their own campus challenges. This set the stage for a productive and forward-thinking strategic planning process.

• Leadership Alignment: The keynote helped create a sense of shared purpose and alignment among Georgia Southern’s 70 senior leaders. By addressing critical issues and emerging trends, Robert ensured that leadership was united in their vision for the university’s future.
• Enhanced Strategic Planning: The session provided the groundwork for the university’s strategic planning discussions, resulting in more focused, informed, and collaborative decision-making.  
• Actionable Insights: Attendees left with tangible takeaways on how to integrate the challenges and opportunities into their respective departments. The event was described as a catalyst for deeper engagement in the university’s broader strategic efforts.

Client Feedback:
"Robert’s keynote provided the clarity we needed to align our leadership team and to take action. The session was both thought-provoking and practical, offering insights we immediately applied to our planning process."

Robert Heil’s session at Georgia Southern University played a crucial role in aligning leadership and preparing the institution for the next phase of its strategic development. His ability to distill complex trends and make them relevant to the university’s needs ensured that the leadership team was energized and equipped with actionable strategies for the future.