Botswana Accountancy College
Creating a digital transformation strategy for higher education
By Mathieu Guerville, CEO @ FNMA
on December 11, 2020
Mathieu Guerville
Founder & CEO @ fnma.work
Walking the walk
>10 years of corporate innovation (consultant + public & private sector)
> 5 years of startups (solo founder, 500 Startups alumni)
Talking the talk
> 5 years public speaking, 50+ clients, 3 continents
> 2 years of academia, adjunct prof at top 20 global MBA program
Betting the farm
> 75 angel investments + 8 VC investments
> 10 Mentor + advisor roles (alchemist accelerator, ie ventures, etc.)
>10 years of corporate innovation (consultant + public & private sector)
> 5 years of startups (solo founder, 500 Startups alumni)
Talking the talk
> 5 years public speaking, 50+ clients, 3 continents
> 2 years of academia, adjunct prof at top 20 global MBA program
Betting the farm
> 75 angel investments + 8 VC investments
> 10 Mentor + advisor roles (alchemist accelerator, ie ventures, etc.)
Education is changing rapidly, between the evolving needs of the Labor market for more STEM graduates and the unprecedented shift to online and remote learning caused by Covid-19.
Across the world, students are demanding higher education to provide a more proactive step to their early career, while also expecting institutions to acknowledge the global shit towards entrepreneurship as a career path and mindset.
Across the world, students are demanding higher education to provide a more proactive step to their early career, while also expecting institutions to acknowledge the global shit towards entrepreneurship as a career path and mindset.
The challenge
Traditional learning is disconnected from how we work, learn, and collaborate today
Students
Studying in ways unlike any professional collaboration or work assignment. Proving their worth via exams, not actual performance. Get no lasting materials from classes.
Employers
Getting book-smart graduates in one or two batches per year, with limited real world experience and an archaic recruiting process.
Schools
Managing schedules, logistics, technology, and oversight of growing student body while keeping up to date with academic standards in a fast evolving world
The current solution
Digitizing delivered some changes but very little meaningful new results
By and large, digitization has simply meant doing more of the same but "in the cloud"...
Collab Tools and Shared Drives
Simply moving from paper to cloud doesn't change the fact that academic deliverables are outdated and don't reflect real world deliverables.
Student Accounts and Profiles
Without providing students more flexibility and control in their learning journey, visibility via an online portal accomplishes very little.
Video Classes and Recordings
Lectures on video, live or even on demand, don't address the fact that attention spans and assimilation methods have evolved with tech habits.
Virtual Career Center
As long as GPA and grades are the main credential, career services online or offline aren't materially different and rarely effective.
The real solution
Digital Transformation is a meaningful reinvention, an actual strategy
About Strategy
Strategy is a discipline of orchestration.
In isolation, almost any tactical decision can make sense; but without strategy .
Strategy is the art of making decisions in ways to optimize resources allocation towards stated goals through initiatives that coherently build on each other, and align with the vision and mission of the organization.
Strategizing is also the translation of macro-level trends and micro-level parameters in an actionable strategy.
In isolation, almost any tactical decision can make sense; but without strategy .
Strategy is the art of making decisions in ways to optimize resources allocation towards stated goals through initiatives that coherently build on each other, and align with the vision and mission of the organization.
Strategizing is also the translation of macro-level trends and micro-level parameters in an actionable strategy.
Modern Foundations
Building blocks from significant macro-trends
Smart FeedbackPerformance measurement for students, professors, and institutions need a refresh.
No more basic exams and feedback forms!
Hard data and frequent surveys instead
CollaborationThe process of working is nearly as valuable as the output of the work.
No more judging only the end-product!
Evaluate the ongoing performance instead
Aligned ValueInnovative business models that align more closely with value created.
No more one-size-fits-all pricing!
Flexible payment terms and sources instead
Other macro-trends could impact higher education, and various technology trends will also influence how these should be translated into an industry and country-specific strategy
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Some ideas
CertificatesIn addition to degree programs, foster continuous learning and credentialing with micro-programs and certificates tied to practical trends in the job market.
Active learningInstead of lecture or broadcast, learning should involve students in enhancing the class experience. Co-creating vs screen sharing.
NetworkingOur managers are always ready to answer your questions. You can call us at the weekends and at night.
Resources-richInstead of each class having a book without any links between them or with the school library, have a strategic resources center.
PracticalBring in more real world problems to the classroom, and create some classes on narrow but real work topics instead of everything being offered in 10+ sessions increments
Curation-basedGetting news or learning from a single source is over. Encourage students and professors to enlarge their sources and curate, rather than pick a single source (no matter how good).
Thought leadershipBeyond being an academic leader, aim to become a thought leader and offer content outside of traditional program. Youtube, MOOCs, or applications for professional use can cement your brand better than graduating more students.
MeritocracyAlign your revenue with who benefits from your programs. If a company wants to sponsor a particular class or have first access to recent graduates, monetize the relationship. Find ways for students to tailor their ROI (delayed repayment, % of future income, etc.) so you attract top talent, not just well monied students.
It's already happening
behind the noise of incremental ed-tech improvement, some innovators have started working to transform the sector.
You can't copy innovation from other industries, or other countries. You have to develop a strategy that works for your unique needs and situation.
Develop a competency for digital transformation, use your knowledge of your market and your organization, and lean on the process expertise of others. But above all else, don't search for a solution, seek to create a mindset and a culture of innovation instead.
"He who does not cultivate his field will die of hunger"
The best thing to do is to start
Curate your best ideas, based on what is realistic to you, yet meets the market demand
(Design Thinking is a great tool for that)
(Design Thinking is a great tool for that)
Plan how you could start, and estimate if it would be worthwhile but don't overdo planning and analysis
(Lean Canvas is a great tool for that)
(Lean Canvas is a great tool for that)
Prototype a Minimally Viable Product (MVP) version of the idea and start testing it in real world setting
Refine the initiative until it's a healthy seedling and then invest into growing it
The second best thing to do is get help
1
Find a facilitator, not an expert
Someone who adapts to your needs, instead of re-using the same ideas and frameworks with every client, or only work in one industry (education)
2
Focus on learning, not on a report
The first project may fail, but the lessons and know-how are the real goal. Develop a competency, not a bookshelf full of fancy books and reports.
3
Spread innovation as a culture, not as projects
Internal and external stakeholders alike need to participate and buy-in, for new ideas and for better execution of them.
Even if you have the best idea, even if you have the clearest vision for what the future of education looks like, it means nothing until you start working towards it.
Next steps
Action!
Useful Resources
Continuing education, experimentation, and an eye on the outside are key for innovators; here are a few tools.
Crunchbase, Pitchbook, Oddup, Angel List
Startup databases
A good place to pull data on industry trends (funding etc.) and identify startups relevant to your industry and the investors who back them
ReadWrite, TechCrunch, twitter
Tech news
To follow events and stay up to date, curation (via twitter or RSS) is necessary to drown out the noise and the topics that are irrelevant to your industry and business
SaaStr, TechCrunch Disrupt, Web Summit, Launch Festival, SXSW, CES
Conference and trade shows
Where an industry comes together to showcase new products or discuss new trends
Mary Meeker's internet trends, Prof G, Ben Thompson's Stratechery, Paul Graham's essay, a16z, Fred Wilson
The Analysts
They come in blog, podcast, youtube channel, or annual powerpoint flavors, but the great analytical minds of tech rarely fails to identify patterns most of us are oblivious to
Hacker News, Trends by the Hustle, Angel.co
The communities
Where the news is discussed by the people with boots on the ground, and where rumors and early warnings show up
Coworking spaces, accelerators and incubators, Eventbrite, lunchclub.ai, etc.
The Spaces
Where serendipity and networking happens, and the hands on innovators meet to look for partners, co founders, and help in general
Q&A
Thank You
I love helping organizations with their innovation challenges, I'm grateful for the opportunity to talk to you all today, and I encourage you to consider me an ally for life and reach out whenever needed
mathieu@m-guerville.com
mathieu@m-guerville.com
Illustrations and icons from icons8.com, thenounproject.com and undraw.co, images from unsplash.com
