Access, affordability, and attainment in higher education is normally addressed through painful budget actions and disruptive organizational changes. These include budget cutting, consolidating academic and support units, leveraging procurement spend, and consolidating information technology. These approaches to problem-solving, while perhaps necessary to some extent, are usually zero-sum (win-lose) and clearly devoid of innovative thinking. Importantly, they will not result in the better products and services demanded by students and employers.
The bulk of the value proposition for students (and tuition payers) in higher education is academics, not administrative activities or support services. University administrators, staff, and faculty should be highly motivated to learn of a better way to meet the challenges of improving academics, student engagement, graduation rates, and post-graduation student success, while also improving quality and reducing costs in non-zero-sum (win-win) ways.
I am pleased to offer an affordable Web-based video training course delivered to your desktop or via video conference. It is designed to help senior administrators think differently about management and institutional leadership, and help faculty and staff work together with administrators to achieve important shared objectives. You will not find anyone with Bob's combination of hands-on Lean experience in both industry and academics, an exceptional research record on Lean leadership, outstanding communication and teaching skills, and who can easily connect with university leaders, faculty, and staff.
This course is approximately six hours in duration delivered in three parts over a three-week period, and accompanied by a small homework assignment to reinforce the learning. Completed homework assignments are submitted before each lesson for evaluation and discussion.
Part 1
History of Continuous Improvement in Higher Education
Part 2
Lean Management System
Part 3
Gaining Buy-In for Lean
Improving Individual Courses
Improving Academic Programs
Among the many critical things you will learn is this: University administrators and others consistently and incorrectly view cost problems as budget problems, when instead cost problems are actually process problems. Costs are subordinate to processes, and everyone needs a lot of help to see that.
Price includes lesson notes, homework assignments, and book. A generous discount is available to personnel from public universities.
There is also an option to continue the course through weekly follow-up conversations or the development of customized educational materials.
Take advantage of this unique opportunity to improve academics in higher education by means that energize and engage key stakeholders. Control your destiny, or someone else will. View resources for educators.
This course can also be delivered in-person by special arrangement. For more information, contact Bob Emiliani, Ph.D.
Interested in Lean for administrative processes? See William Balzer's book, Lean Higher Education.
I am proud to be known as "The First Lean Professor" for my pioneering work in applying Lean principles and practices to academics when, after 15 years in industry, I joined academia.
My work in academia began in 1999 and was successful because I stayed true to the two Lean principles: "Continuous Improvement" and "Respect for People." The motto for all Lean work must be "do no harm."
Available Now!
As Lean management enters higher education, it is critical for senior administrators to recognize that continuous improvement efforts will almost surely fail if the "Respect for People" principle is ignored.
That's where I come in. I guide you towards correctly understanding and practicing Lean management so that your institution prospers while achieving its central mission.
Learn from me. Take the course and get started on a more productive approach to improving the value proposition in academics.
Want to see me speak? Watch my YouTube videos. Need references? Please read my Recommendations on LinkedIn.