Leading Academic Change: Take the National Survey 2.0 to Bolster Academic Innovation Leadership
January 16, 2024
How can we continually foster innovation throughout higher education institutions in the U.S.?
This year, two cutting-edge organizations have banded together to gather insights that will advance academic innovation leadership across universities. Quantum Thinking and the University of Michigan’s Center for Academic Innovation (CAI) have designed the Leading Academic Change National Survey 2.0 to reveal key data that will help shape the future of higher education.
Now the National Survey 2.0 has launched – and it’s giving academic innovation leaders across the US a chance to contribute their perspectives and create a fresh view of the educational landscape.
“We created this survey to advance academic innovation by collecting the data needed to help institutions leverage a data-informed leadership framework,” says Keehn, Principal Investigator of the survey. “The survey outcomes will inform better leadership models, resilient support structures, and innovative approaches to guide the future of learning. Your participation is vital, and will help illuminate the complexity and reach of this innovation work.”
The urgency for up-to-date analysis
Accurate data is essential for informing strategies that continuously promote growth and success for learners. It takes periodic updates, however, to advance our understanding of how higher education has evolved, and guide it to a future that continually meets student and faculty needs.
With the major events of the last few years, such as the pandemic and AI, a lot has changed. Institutional leaders have had to adapt in the face of unexpected obstacles. So, now more than ever, those at the forefront of higher education need to take stock of the current state of academic innovation.
The newly launched National Survey 2.0 will do just that. By asking the right questions, the study will give institutions across the country a deep understanding of current structures in educational advancement, how leadership models have shifted and how they need to improve to better serve faculty and students.
"National Survey 2.0 is not just an exercise in data collection; it's a collective effort to uncover information that will shape the future of how institutions address student and faculty needs,” says James DeVaney, Associate Vice Provost for Academic Innovation and Founding Executive Director for the CAI. “As we navigate the complexities of our times, this survey provides a unique opportunity for leaders in higher education to contribute their perspectives.”
Leading the important work to design the survey in collaboration with Keehn is Caitlyn Hayward, Director of Research & Analytics at CAI. She serves as Co-Principal Investigator for the project.
Another opportunity to unlock visionary insights
The survey is an iteration of the first Leading Academic Change National Survey project, which Keehn co-developed and launched in 2014-2015 with funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, where she was a Senior Fellow for Technology and Innovation for the Postsecondary Success team.
Alongside grantee lead MJ Bishop, Executive Director of the University of Maryland System’s William E. Kirwan Center for Academic Innovation, and with contributions from a diverse group of higher education leaders, this first study proved successful, capturing the data necessary to accelerate improvements.
Now, with another round of supporters from learning-focused organizations across the country, the LAC National Survey 2.0 is again poised to unearth key findings to spark change in higher education. Questions will surface details about the structures, strategies and resources currently employed to scale the capacity for transformation in universities in the US, as well as assess the lasting impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Results will then explore the larger ecosystem of academic innovation by identifying common challenges and best practices to catalyze faculty and student success.
Data captured through the survey will yield a longitudinal view of the structures and support for driving innovation across higher education in the U.S.
“We're excited to combine this data with the 2014-15 Leading Academic Change Project Surveys 1.0 data for a longitudinal view,” shares Co-PI Hayward. Survey respondents will be able to receive an initial copy of the results and analysis.
The survey is now open to:*
Leaders situated in schools/colleges who are charged with enabling academic innovation.
Directors of units/departments in higher education actively engaged with enabling academic innovation broadly, including advancing systemic changes in teaching and learning, leveraging novel technology, and broadening educational access.
*We understand there may be more than one unit/department on campus and welcome multiple responses from a campus. We ask that one person answer on behalf of each unit, but encourage you to confer with your colleagues as it is helpful in responding to survey items.
If you have one of these positions, your perspective can help elevate higher education and increase success for future generations of students. Take the survey now.
(This survey is estimated to take ~30 minutes.)
Leading Academic Change: National Survey 2.0 is sponsored by Class Technologies, the Online Learning Consortium, POD Network, Acadeum, the University System of Maryland Kirwan Center for Academic Innovation, Auburn University Biggio Center, the University of Michigan Center for Academic Innovation, EdPlus at ASU and Bentley University. Thank you for your support!