Software platform empowers Western University Continuing Studies to improve student experience and open new revenue streams

Today, Continuing Studies at Western University successfully went live with Destiny One™, the leading business software solution for non-traditional higher education.

Western Continuing Studies (WCS) implemented the Destiny One platform to manage the individual identities and program offerings for more than 200 public interest courses, 13 professional certificates, 11 post-degree diplomas and French Immersion courses. The new platform enables WCS to continue to grow program offerings while simultaneously creating a rich ‘Western Experience’ for students.
“Many departments played a vital role in the selection and the implementation of Destiny One,” said Carolyn Young, director of WCS. “The new software will allow Western Continuing Studies to meet the growing needs of the adult learners in London and around the world.”

By implementing Destiny One, WCS will attain the business agility necessary to increase enrollment by serving numerous different groups of students, including Western alumni looking for a way to stay connected through professional development and personal enrichment. Western staff members will also have a streamlined experience for accessing and enrolling in professional development programs offered by WCS.

Furthermore, Destiny One equips WCS with the robust technological platform required to engage the corporate community by accelerating the time-to-market for courses and by providing dynamic private corporate portals that offer significant business flexibility. Destiny One will also empower WCS staff with the tools and capabilities needed to more effectively manage their relationships with both corporate clients and individual students. From gathering and analyzing data profiles, to managing inquiries, to providing students with a personalized online experience, Destiny One will streamline and support an exceptional WCS experience.

“Western University is a well-respected institution with a reputation for excellence,” said Shaul Kuper, president and CEO of Destiny Solutions. “By implementing Destiny One, Western Continuing Studies will gain a competitive advantage by providing its students and corporate clients with a consistent, rich and engaging experience.”

About Destiny Solutions

Destiny Solutions is the leading innovator of lifelong learning business solutions. The company’s flagship product, Destiny One™, is a software platform that manages business processes for non-traditional higher education units in order to enable them to reimagine their market potential, increase their business agility and enhance their operational integrity.

For more information, please visit: www.destinysolutions.com

About Western University

Western delivers an academic experience second to none. Since 1878, The Western Experience has combined academic excellence with life-long opportunities for intellectual, social and cultural growth in order to better serve our communities. Our research excellence expands knowledge and drives discovery with real-world application. Continuing Studies at Western specializes in adult learning and offers courses in professional development, post-degree diplomas, and personal enrichment.

For more information, please visit: www.wcs.uwo.ca

CONTACT

Rachel Kuper

media@destinysolutions.com

416 480 0500 x 214

Destiny Solutions offers $5,000 in scholarships for non-traditional students in the 2013-2014 academic year

Destiny Solutions, the leader in lifelong learning business solutions, announced today that Mary Cone Barrie Scholarship applications for the 2013-2014 academic year are now available.

Despite the yearly growth in adult student enrollments in North America, a very limited number of scholarships exist today for adults looking to continue their education. The Mary Cone Barrie Scholarship is unique in that it is specifically for non-traditional students. Two students who demonstrate a commitment to furthering their education will be selected to receive the award. Destiny Solutions looks forward to helping non-traditional students gain the confidence to reimagine their success and the ability to continue their pursuit of lifelong learning.

“We believe that dedicated adult learners actively pursuing an education should be recognized for their perseverance,” said Shaul Kuper, Founder and CEO of Destiny Solutions.

This perseverance is evident when looking at last year’s scholarship winners. Moon Soe, who plans to become a secondary school teacher upon graduation from the Metropolitan State University in Minnesota this spring, noted the challenge that comes with being a non-traditional student.

“It’s hard to work full-time and go to school full-time. The scholarship not only helped me financially, but has become part of my success story,” Soe said.

Virginia Wilson, who expects to graduate this spring from the University of Maine with a Bachelor of Sociology, spoke to another element of challenge.

“I dared dream the impossible and was called a fool by many of my family and friends, here I was approaching my 50s and wanting to start a new career,” she said. “Receiving this scholarship is recognition for me.”

Awarded annually since 2008, the Mary Cone Barrie Scholarship is named in honor of the late Dr. Mary Cone Barrie, director of the School of Continuing Studies at the University of Toronto. A whole-hearted supporter and innovator of non-traditional education, Dr. Mary Cone Barrie was a friend and mentor to Destiny Solutions.

The scholarship is open to any non-traditional student studying at an accredited institution in the United States or Canada. Applications can be found on the Destiny Solutions website, and are due back by July 12, 2013.

For scholarship applications and further information, please visit: http://www.destinysolutions.com/comany-2/scholarship

To view last year’s winning essays please
visit: www.evolllution.com/mary-cone-barrie-scholarship-winner-essays/

About Destiny Solutions

Destiny Solutions is the leading innovator of lifelong learning business solutions. Our flagship product, Destiny One™, is the only business solution for non-traditional higher education that offers integrated constituent, enrollment and administrative management on a single software platform so educators can grow revenue, enhance student experience and success, and improve operational efficiency.

Contact:        
Rachel Kuper
media@destinysolutions.com
(416) 480-0500 x214

Adoption of Destiny One Software Platform Plays Integral Part in Comprehensive Growth Plan

The University of San Diego Professional and Continuing Education (USD PCE) is implementing a comprehensive growth plan, enabled by a partnership with leading software provider, Destiny Solutions.  A prestigious California university, USD PCE plans to expand market reach and increase student engagement. Destiny One, the business software solution by Destiny Solutions, was chosen to facilitate these aims as it will provide USD PCE with the business agility and process governance needed to fully tap market potential.

The University of San Diego Professional and Continuing Education already offers hundreds of courses and numerous professional and certificate programs.Once Destiny One goes live in spring of 2013, USD PCE will be able to provide students with a richer online experience, while also automating routine administrative tasks enabling staff to increase productivity and focus on high-value differentiating tasks, such as new program development.

“In today’s competitive education landscape, every school is looking to do more with less,” said Jason Lemon, Dean of The University of San Diego Professional and Continuing Education. “Destiny One provides the front-end capabilities needed to give students a rich online experience as well as the back-end functionality needed for us to manage our growth—all while increasing our staff’s productivity so that we can expand our offerings without expanding our staffing needs.”

The University of San Diego Professional and Continuing Education offers a number of online and in-class programs as well as customized corporate training. The school’s legacy software platform was unable to provide the capabilities needed to expand in today’s competitive higher education market. As a software platform created exclusively for non-traditional education programs, Destiny One provides the flexibility and functionality needed to effectively manage these programs and students in an integrated and intuitive manner. Furthermore, with built-in automated workflows, strict governance controls and the highest industry security standard (PCI PA-DSS v2.0), Destiny One will allow USD PCE to increase revenue growth without compromising on quality.

“The University of San Diego Professional and Continuing Education offers a number of sophisticated programs,” said Shaul Kuper, President and CEO of Destiny Solutions.  “Combined with the equally sophisticated business infrastructure provided by Destiny One, USD PCE will be able to entirely reimagine its market potential.”

About Destiny Solutions

Destiny Solutions is the leading innovator of lifelong learning business solutions. Our flagship product, Destiny One™, is the only business solution for non-traditional higher education that offers integrated constituent, enrollment and administrative management on a single software platform so educators can grow revenue, enhance student experience and success, and improve operational efficiency.

Please visit: www.destinysolutions.com

About University of San Diego Professional and Continuing Education

The University of San Diego is committed to advancing academic excellence, expanding liberal and professional knowledge, creating a diverse and inclusive community, and preparing leaders dedicated to ethical conduct and compassionate service. The Division of Professional and Continuing Education shares this mission through academic outreach to adult and professional students.

Please visit: http://www.sandiego.edu/ce

UC Berkeley Extension partners with Destiny Solutions to implement leading business software solution

University of California Berkeley Extension is partnering with Destiny Solutions to grow its operations and increase its level of service.

A leading university, UC Berkeley needed an enterprise-wide software solution for its Extension school to manage current offerings and provide a platform for further growth. After a thorough selection process, Destiny Solutions is currently implementing its software solution, Destiny One, at the UC Berkeley Extension, with the first phase planned to go live in February 2013.

“Berkeley acknowledges the importance of expanding continuing education opportunities,” said Diana Wu, Dean of UC Berkeley Extension. “ Destiny One provides the capabilities Berkeley needs to efficiently grow our offerings while recognizing and responding to the demands of today’s student.”

Already operating 2,200 courses and enrolling 38,000 students each year, Destiny One positions UC Berkeley Extension for growth by providing a seamlessly integrated back and front-end infrastructure that unites numerous program areas and consolidates numerous data silos.

Certified with the highest level of security clearance by the Payment Card Industry (PCI PA-DSS V2.0), Destiny One provides UC Berkeley with a secure and unified data environment, allowing staff to focus their attention on program expansion and student experience.

Destiny One will equip UC Berkeley Extension with the tools needed to effectively manage all aspects of the learner relationship, from gathering and analyzing data profiles, to managing inquiries, to providing students with a personalized online experience. Furthermore, with real-time visibility and reporting, Destiny One puts a wealth of information and intelligence in the hands of decision makers in order to improve market and student responsiveness.

“Berkeley is a world class university with world class programming,” said Shaul Kuper, President and CEO of Destiny Solutions. “With Destiny One, Berkeley Extension will be able to provide a topnotch level of service to their students, both in terms of how they manage relationships with their learners and the programming they provide.”

About Destiny Solutions

Destiny Solutions is the leading innovator of lifelong learning business solutions. Since 2001, Destiny Solutions has delivered breakthrough technology designed exclusively to meet the divergent needs of non-traditional higher education. Our flagship product, Destiny One™, is the only business solution that offers integrated constituent, enrollment and administrative management on a single software platform so educators can grow revenue, enhance student experience and success, and improve operational efficiency.

For more information, please visit: www.destinysolutions.com

About University of California Berkeley Extension

Founded in 1891, UC Berkeley Extension is the continuing education branch of the University of California, Berkeley. Today, Extension offers 2,200 courses each year, including online courses, along with more than 75 professional certificates and specialized programs of study. Free and low-cost public events are also frequently held as part of Extension’s service to the local community.

For more information, please visit: www.extension.berkeley.edu

Higher education enterprise software provider rewards adult students for their perseverance.

Moon Soe, 25, and Virginia Wilson, 58, have each been awarded a $2,500 scholarship as the 2012-2013 recipients of the Mary Cone Barrie Scholarship Award. The scholarship is awarded each year by Toronto-based education technology firm, Destiny Solutions, as a means of recognizing the struggles and sacrifices made by non-traditional students.

Soe is currently enrolled in the Urban Teacher Program at Metropolitan State University in Minnesota.  Originally from Burma, Soe spent 13 years in a refugee camp in Thailand where he taught as an unlicensed teacher in the camp’s secondary school.  “However, I felt bad for I was not able to provide my students the best quality education because I was not well trained,” he said.

Soe plans to graduate in spring of 2013 and become a secondary school math teacher.

“Working fulltime and going to school fulltime might be a little difficult, but … I motivate myself everyday to have enough energy,” he said. “The scholarship not only helped me financially, but has also become part of my success story. A lot of people don’t have high hopes for themselves. I can become an example and show them that there are opportunities if they want to continue their education.”

Wilson is expecting to graduate in spring of 2013 from the University of Maine with a Bachelor of Sociology.

A true lifelong learner, Wilson went back to school 15 years ago to become a minister. In this role, she went to Kenya to do missionary work during the after-election violence of 2007-2008.

“It made me determined to go back and help people who are displaced by war or disaster,” she said. “I dared to dream the impossible and was called a fool by many—here I was approaching my 50s and wanting to start a new career.”

Upon graduation, Wilson plans to work with the United Nations, or another relief organization.

“Receiving this scholarship is recognition for me.  It means I will be able to take the classes that will enable me to graduate and I will be able to be working one year sooner with people that need me,” she said.

This is the fifth year that Destiny Solutions has offered the Mary Cone Barrie Scholarship Award.

“We created the scholarship as a means of honoring the late Dr. Mary Cone Barrie and supporting the students she was so dedicated to helping,” said Shaul Kuper, president and CEO of Destiny Solutions. “Non-traditional students face a unique set of circumstances and I am so pleased that we are able to help Virginia Wilson and Moon Soe as they strive to improve their lives, and the lives of those around them, through education.”

About Destiny Solutions

The leader in lifelong learning business solutions, Destiny Solutions delivers breakthrough technology, exclusively for non-traditional higher education.  Destiny Solutions has been proven to enable leading schools to reach their market potential, increase their business agility and enable operational integrity while operating in highly competitive markets.

New software platform provides business scalability and operational best practices to further drive growth in global markets.

A top online continuing education provider, eCornell delivers online professional and executive development programs to over 50,000 students worldwide in more than 200 countries.  By partnering with Destiny Solutions, eCornell will transition from its homegrown enterprise system onto Destiny One, allowing the company to focus on the implementation of a strategic expansion plan, including curriculum development and corporate engagement.

“eCornell’s unique approach to eLearning requires sophisticated software to administer students and manage programs throughout the customer lifecycle,” said Rob Kingyens, Chief Technology Officer of eCornell.  “By shifting away from our homegrown system and onto the Destiny One platform, we are able to focus our technology efforts on new product development and solutions that enhance the learning experience and engagement with our global customer base.”

eCornell eLearning  combines the most effective elements of a world-class, Ivy League classroom with the flexibility of an online learning environment.  eCornell courses—self-paced and 100 percent online—are “instructor-facilitated” and “cohort centric” helping guide participants in each course through challenging, real-world exercises with practical on-the-job application.  Destiny One will allow staff to manage the scheduling and capacity of courses while providing students with rich, contextual portals and the tools to track their progress to certificate completion.

Destiny One will also support and streamline eCornell’s direct and online sales to both retail and corporate customers, which occur locally and through a network of international resellers. Furthermore, the solution will fully integrate with the organization’s financial, customer relationship, and learning management systems.

“eCornell is an award-winning leader in online professional certificates in a wide variety of business disciplines,” said Shaul Kuper, President and CEO of Destiny Solutions.  “Destiny One will enable eCornell to reimagine its market potential and provide organizational agility to further accelerate growth and streamline operations.”

For more information on Destiny One, please visit: www.destinysolutions.com/product/destinyone-overview/

About eCornell

eCornell, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Cornell University, provides many of the world’s leading organizations with online professional and executive development in the areas of leadership and management, human resources, financial management, healthcare and hospitality management. eCornell’s proven course development model and asynchronous instructor-led course delivery provide for engaging, rigorous and interactive learning. The company has delivered online courses to more than 50,000 students in more than 200 countries.

For more information please visit: www.ecornell.com

Contact:

Rachel Kuper

media@destinysolutions.com
(416) 480-0500 x214

New software platform unifies rich self-service capabilities for each of its colleges while equipping the school to compete globally

Georgetown University is partnering with Destiny Solutions to implement Destiny One as the University’s enterprise-wide platform for non-traditional students and programs.

The new software platform will enable each college within Georgetown to provide their students a uniquely branded rich online experience by leveraging Destiny One’s multi-tenant capabilities. As a result, Georgetown will be able to reach its market potential, increase organizational agility and operational integrity through an integrated and enabling software layer on top of Georgetown’s legacy computing environment, including Ellucian Banner, NetID and Blackboard.

“Georgetown recognized that the non-traditional education market has become highly competitive,” said Lisa Davis, Chief Information Officer at Georgetown University. “We required software that would empower each of our colleges with unique system capabilities on top of our legacy infrastructure in order to better compete for and serve our non-traditional students, while enabling each of our colleges to grow and manage their programs.”

Destiny One will further equip each of Georgetown’s colleges with the tools needed to manage all facets of the lifelong learner relationship, including student engagement, admissions, strategic enrollment and progression persistency.

“With Destiny One, Georgetown’s colleges will be able to more effectively reach their market potential and increase organizational agility as they compete for students seeking their leading professional development programs,” said Shaul Kuper, President and CEO of Destiny Solutions. “At the same time, Georgetown will have a common platform for process governance, enterprise-wide visibility and integration with its campus systems.”

For more information on Destiny One, please visit: www.destinysolutions.com/product/destinyone-overview/

About Destiny Solutions

Destiny Solutions is the leading innovator of lifelong learning business solutions. Since 2001, Destiny Solutions has delivered breakthrough technology designed exclusively to meet the divergent needs of non-traditional higher education. Our flagship product, Destiny One™, is the only business solution that offers integrated constituent, enrollment and administrative management on a single software platform so educators can grow revenue, enhance student experience and success, and improve operational efficiency.

For more information, please visit: www.destinysolutions.com

About Georgetown

Georgetown University is one of the world’s leading academic and research institutions, offering a unique educational experience that prepares the next generation of global citizens to lead and make a difference in the world. We are a vibrant community of exceptional students, faculty, alumni and professionals dedicated to real-world applications of our research, scholarship, faith and service.

For more information please visit: www.georgetown.edu

Take The First Step to Reimagining Your Continuing Education Business by Delivering Real World Value to Stakeholders:

I can’t blame my professor. In fact, that freshman year calculus instructor was probably the best teacher I had the whole fall semester. Yet whenever it came time to derive, integrate or optimize… I struggled. Boy, did I struggle. And in case you’re feeling accusatory, let me quickly remind you…

I’m not stupid! Seriously, I love education. My marks in biology, chemistry and physics were top tier. They hung out on the right side of the distribution curve. And I remain proud of that. I really enjoy learning. But…

Whenever test time came around, I still had trouble accurately quantifying the area under the curve. And now… (finally)… I think I know why. Let me show you what I mean:

Looking Back On Education, And How It Pertains To the Real World:

It’s taken a few years of retrospection. But I’ve come to believe that the difficulties I faced in CALC-102 were in large part because I could not extrapolate the educational exercises to the real world. I couldn’t picture what was happening in terms I understood. The textbook seemed divorced from reality. In other words, “I just don’t care about that squiggly parabola.”

Can you blame me?

Well, try not to empathize too much.  Notwithstanding the fact I spent far too much time drawing smiley faces with my graphing calculator, this penchant for understanding the real world application of education has served me very well.

For example, I believe the interest in “real world education” is why I flourished in chemistry, (where I was fascinated by the actual implications of the organic reactions happening in and around me). But this blog post isn’t just about me…

And that’s because beyond my own personal reflections, the issue of real world education is finally starting to boil over! I’ve got the proof. Do you want to see it? I’ll show you in a minute. But first I want to ask, “Do you think the need for real world education is a fad?”

Well, it’s not.

So If you’ve been paying attention, you know there have been telling signs in the continuing education industry that change is quietly under way. And we’ve had our ear to the ground for months.  So let me show you what we found, and how it pertains to the real world:

Why Education for the Real World is a Strong and Growing Trend in Continuing Education:

A few months ago, Destiny Solutions President and CEO, Shaul Kuper, wrote about why continuing education is falling short in providing value to students.  You can read the whole piece at The EvoLLLution, but here is the crux of Kuper’s point:

“Our education system was designed centuries ago… But instead of reconstructing and rethinking this tuition-revenue model from the 1600s, we simply keep re-paving the surface, while ignoring the underpinning foundations… Perhaps it is time to reimagine our educational system altogether? What if we were a start up nation, without any outdated infrastructure or preconceived ideas on how an educational system is “supposed” to work. Suppose we simply started again from scratch. Can you imagine?

It’s a great question. But it’s no small task. So you might find yourself wondering, “How do you even begin overhauling something as complex as the modern day educational institution?” and, “What’s the first step in reimagining the continuing education business?”

Well, actually, I think re-imagining our educational system (to provide more real world value), starts with a simple idea:

Where Does Continuing Education Currently Fall Short of Real World Requirements?

It’s not like we operate in a vacuum. There are plenty of interfaces between modern day continuing education institutions and the real world of employment. But it takes courage (and time) to examine exactly where education currently falls short of real world expectations. Lucky for you, the legwork is already done.

Here’s what I mean:

Destiny Solutions recently asked 200 North American employers a barrage of questions about the continuing education programs currently available to them. But it gets better. Because we also asked how these educational options stack up, right now, against the demands of the real world.

Suffice it to say, the answers will surprise you.

In all cases, it was clear that employers really value continuing education. But as adamant as they were about the value of ongoing education, employers were equally clear that most university and college offerings for continuing education do not prepare students for the vigorous, practical and specific skills needed for success in the fastest growing, most knowledge intensive industries.

What Does Effective Real World Education Look Like?

That was the main thrust in undertaking this research. But a more apt question, given the results, might be “what doesn’t effective real world education look like?” Either way, the results were enlightening. Employers voiced constructive concerns for how universities and colleges might change their current educational offerings and operations to make university-corporate partnerships – and adequate real world education for employees– more accessible to North American business owners.

Rather than summarize the results of our research on real world education, you can see the findings for yourself. Just fill out the form below to get immediate access to 16 pages of insightful analysis and interpretation of employer responses to our stinging survey questions. Find out once and for all how the value of continuing and higher education are perceived by real world employers.

So if you’ve ever wondered how theoretical learning can be applied to the real world, you’ll appreciate the findings of this research!

Annual Continuing Education Scholarship Announced For 2012:

Once again, Destiny Solutions is proud to announce they are now accepting applications for the 2012 Mary Cone Barrie Scholarship.

This scholarship is available to continuing, adult and non-traditional students who are currently enrolled in accredited institutions in Canada and the United States and who demonstrate a propensity for lifelong learning.

Shaul Kuper, Founder and CEO of Destiny Solutions remarked, “We value the critical role lifelong plays in enabling millions of people to transform their lives during these turbulent times.”

The Mary Cone Barrie Scholarship for continuing education students was first awarded in 2008 as a tribute to a trusted friend and mentor – Dr. Mary Cone Barrie.

Why You Should Apply For This Continuing Education Scholarships:

This 2012 continuing education scholarship is ideal for any “new traditional” student pursuing higher education. The Mary Cone Barrie scholarship for continuing education students is an annual program. This continuing education scholarship awards $2,500 to two lifelong learners each academic year.

The Mary Cone Barrie scholarship was established to recognize the efforts of students and learners who are improving their lives with continuing education and workforce development. Quite simply, we appreciate how difficult it can be to commit to continuing education. Going back to school with a full time job, dependents and the demands of life in the “real world” can be an overwhelming undertaking.

That’s why we are eager and proud to contribute to making life easier for those students truly committed to continuing education.

How to Apply To the 2012 Continuing Education Scholarship:

Applying for this continuing education scholarship is very straightforward. You can download the application form by clicking here. Inside the application package you will find everything you need to apply for this scholarship.

All scholarship applications are due June 29, 2012. You can submit the scholarship package by mail or emailed to scholarship@destinysolutions.com

Scholarships will be selected in August 2012. The selection committee includes husband, Andy, and Daughter, Jessie, of Dr. Mary Cone Barrie. Winners will then be announced in September 2012. Destiny Solutions will contact scholarship winners directly.

Past Continuing Education Scholarship Winners:

The Dr. Mary Cone Barrie scholarship for lifelong learners and continuing education students was first announced in 2008.

One of the 2011 continuing education scholarships was awarded to Joseph Puhak, a 29 year old criminal justice student at Western Carolina University. Puhak works as a detective and was inspired to go back to school in 2009 after he found out he and his wife were expecting their first child. Since enrolling in continuing education, Puhak has been promoted to oversee investigations and train new Deputy Sherriff Cadets.

The second of the $2,500 2011 continuing education scholarships was awarded to Asta Becker, a 34 year old human resources assistant. Becker went back to school after 15 years to pursue a Bachelor of Commerce at Pfeiffer University, which she will use to pursue a career in international business.

Over the years, there has been a diverse array of continuing education scholarship winners. But when it comes down to it, they all have a passion for lifelong learning and understand education is the best way to improve their lives.

Apply for The 2012-2013 Continuing Education Scholarship Today!

If you’re a lifelong learner looking for a leg up, you can apply to this 2012 continuing education scholarship today. It’s very straightforward and if your application is deemed a winner, you can receive $2,500 to help you with your continuing studies. What are you waiting for? Click here to download the 2012 continuing education scholarship application form.

“New Research Finally Reveals Why University-Corporate Partnerships Present a Golden Opportunity for the Business of Higher Education”

Are you hungry to grow your higher education business? Did you know university-corporate partnerships present an exciting opportunity to do just that? Well, if you are interested in leveraging a corporate-university partnership to tear open a new torrent of revenue, then this exclusive news is for you. Here’s what it’s all about:

The new research on university-corporate partnerships, available exclusively on the Destiny Solutions website, reveals a number of interesting findings about the role university and industry collaborations play in growing the business of continuing education. The report goes beyond primary research though.  The 16 page in-depth analysis unveils a number of conclusions that are sure to interest anyone debating the viability of university-corporate partnerships as a means to grow their higher education business.

But you must be wondering…

Why Do University-Corporate Partnerships Present an Opportunity to Grow Your Higher Education Business in 2012?

Look, it’s actually quite clear. Even though most school don’t have a robust corporate partnership page, the time is now ripe for higher education institutions to take advantage of university-corporate partnerships as an important revenue stream. But if you’re wondering why this is, you can chalk it up to the convergence of a number of issues influencing the higher education landscape.

For instance, now more than ever, we are evolving towards a job market dominated by knowledge-intensive industries. Working conditions are changing rapidly and the workforce must keep up with high quality continuing education and professional development. Proactive employers understand the value of education in the workplace. That’s why 95% of corporations have a system in place to financially support employee education. And some companies are doing even more. But this robust revenue incentive is only one piece of the puzzle. Let me explain:

All you have to do is take a look at the budget crisis that the higher education industry is currently experiencing, and it’s obvious that universities and colleges need more money coming in, if they are to successfully alleviate the pressure stemming from state and federal funding cuts. Maybe you’ve experienced these cuts yourself. Either way, reduced funding is another important piece of the higher education business landscape that can’t be ignored. So you see, it’s for these reasons and more, that the time to capitalize on the university-corporate partnership is finally upon us.

And by the way, these university-corporate partnership we are talking about are the rare kind in which all stakeholders can come out on top. But to do it right, there remain a few important considerations to remember before you try to put theory into action. So here’s what to look out for when considering corporate partnerships with your university:

What Hurdles Exist to University-Corporate Partnerships and Growing Your Higher Education Business?

In addition to identifying attractive new market segments for higher education institutions in a time of dire need, this new research goes one step further. After all, if there’s room for improvement in the university-corporate partnership market, there is also a reason why we are currently falling short, right? So it’s refreshing to finally see a research report that adds a lot of context to the numbers, by exploring the backdrop of current barriers to corporate-university partnerships.

For your convenience, here is just a small fraction of some of the responses to the new research, which shed light on the current impediments to university-corporate partnerships. While this is only an iota of what’s uncovered in the full report, you can already shine light on a few of the current shortcomings with regards to education-industry alignment. For example, employers said:

• Industry should have more input into what subjects and materials are covered in college and university courses.
• Not enough healthcare administration type associate degrees are available through partnerships.
• Students need way more emphasis on digital skills, beyond basic computer skills.

And this is just the tip of the iceberg!  So clearly, we still have a long ways to go in terms of aligning industry and educational institutions on courses, certificates and degree programs to support the university-corporate partnership through 2012 and beyond. Now just let me emphasize this once more, the responses listed above are only a tiny fraction of the insight contained in this new 16 page research paper you can now access for free.

Actually, the whole report includes in-depth analysis of eye-opening statistics. It highlights general trends as well as insightful individual anecdotes. So if you have any interest in growing your continuing education business by exploring corporate-university partnerships, you must keep reading.

How Do You Discover Exactly How to Grow Your Higher Education Business With Corporate-University Partnerships?

By now, you must be hungry to learn more about how you can really leverage corporate-university partnerships to grow your continuing education business. If that’s the case, then you will be happy to see that the new research from Destiny Solutions is available free. You can simply fill out the form below for instant access.

This exclusive new research on university-corporate partnerships and what it means for higher education revenue growth are sure to be of interest to any director, dean or provost of continuing, adult or online education. It will also serve as valuable fodder to anyone involved with course design and program development. Simply put, you don’t want to miss this new research, especially as its available free below:

For more information, see the original press release here