Case study:
DELIVERING RELEVANCE WITHIN TERTIARY EDUCATION
CoPlantation was brought on board to develop the tools and frameworks to assess the performance and positioning of the programme portfolio at Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology. The CoPlantation methodology allowed our team to develop an approach that enabled and empowered our faculties to deliver greater relevance to learners and to our regional economy. As well as CoPlantation being an education specialist, we valued their global business perspective and passion, and the project was a resounding success.
Clarke Raymond PhD
Executive Director - Strategic Projects & Development
RESULTS
Our approach was to develop a decision-making framework that allowed each faculty to challenge assumptions and explore programme innovation within a set of logical parameters. Over a period of nine months, we worked through a design thinking methodology that was inclusive and localised to organisational culture. The outcome was an innovation framework based on five-axis of development (outlined below).
OBJECTIVE
New Zealand’s institutes of technology and polytechnics (ITPs) are the primary access points to quality vocational education and training (VET) critical to the growth of our regional economies. However, we have seen declining learner numbers within ITPS, whilst remaining stable for the university sector, with domestic student numbers reducing nearly a third in the past ten years.
As the largest tertiary education provider for the Bay of Plenty and South Waikato region, Toi Ohomai initiated a project with CoPlantation to explore how programme development could deliver greater relevance to learners and the regional economy.
STEP 3 – UNDERSTAND DEMAND
Understanding how demand correlates with programme effectiveness vs. the impact of marketing was critical to our success. Therefore, we mapped how programme effectiveness can contribute to marketing, i.e., to raising awareness, initiating trial, triggering adoption, and maintaining retention and advocacy.
STEP 4 – MANAGE COMPLEXITY
We approached complexity by following a hierarchy of insight development that led to sixteen truths which were applicable to all faculties, industries, and stakeholders. These sixteen truths led to the development of the programme innovation framework.
STEP 5 – ENABLE INNOVATION
A key requirement for the development framework was the alignment with long-term strategic planning. The outcome was a simple to use framework that provided each team with clear guidance on innovating for greater learner and economic relevance.
KEY LEARNINGS
The methodology taken by CoPlantation allowed our team to develop an approach that enabled and empowered our faculties to work with marketing and focus on the attributes to improve relevance.
METHODOLOGY
STEP 1 – ESTABLISH CLEAR DEFINITIONS
Our first step was to develop clear definitions so that the team were consistent in their decision-making. Here we table two examples associated with organisational relevance and purpose:
OUR RELEVANCE
At Toi Ohomai, we focus on achieving excellence in job-ready skills through applied learning. This means our graduates are geared to deliver results faster. We believe our effectiveness comes from our partnerships with iwi, industry, and communities. Our partnerships help us align regional needs with the suitable training needs for the region.
APPLIED LEARNING
We engage and develop learners through real life application of skills, knowledge and tikanga. This means they attain the most relevant professional and trade skills required by employers to be job-ready.
We achieve this through extensive industry and community integration throughout the learning process. This means our graduates have proven confidence in their abilities and are therefore highly employable.
STEP 2 – SET LOGICAL SEGMENTATION
We then worked on better understanding the needs of our two core customer segments. The primary being Learners which we grouped into Entry (secondary school learners) and Grow (lifelong learners), and the secondary customer being Employers inclusive of self-employment and organisations.