Education has continually evolved to meet the needs of an ever-changing world, but the past few years have been a particularly steep learning curve for educational institutions. The Covid-19 pandemic and the rapid rise of new technologies such as AI have changed the way we live, work, and study.
Student expectations have risen in the face of above-inflation tuition fees, with many people even questioning the value of higher education – according to a recent Deloitte report, just half of bachelor’s degree graduates in the US think their college education was worth the money – while downward demographic trends in more than half the countries in the world mean many universities face the challenge of insufficient student numbers.
What’s more, schools are grappling with issues including how to attract and retain high caliber faculty, be more sustainable, and promote diversity and inclusivity. Thankfully, education consultants are here to help. They know the industry inside out, and by providing expert insights and advice, they can help schools, governments, and all investors in education and training meet these significant challenges and come out stronger.
What is educational consulting?
In short, it’s a way to make a school the best it can be. As experts in their field, education consultants can advise on all aspects of education, from strategy and management to teaching programs and practices, leading to improved academic quality and business performance. Depending on requirements, a consultant may:
- Assess the institution’s unique goals and devise strategies to ensure they are achieved
- Evaluate existing programs, recommend improvements and help design and implement new, tailored curricula that will engage students and boost performance
- Provide coaching for faculty, ensuring staff are kept up to date with the latest teaching practices and trends
- Suggest improvements to resource management and efficiency
- Advise on achieving gold standards and certification
- Help develop and implement long-term strategic plans.
Benefits of educational consulting services
By improving your institution’s performance, efficiency, and management, you’re more likely to attract the best students and faculty, offer better value for money, be more competitive in a challenging market, and deliver a higher level of education. This will lead to better job prospects for your students. By engaging the services of an educational consultant, schools can ensure they are doing everything possible to achieve these outcomes. Here are some of the key advantages of educational consulting:
Tailored expertise
Educational consultants possess a wealth of knowledge and experience in education, staying updated on the latest trends, strategies, and technologies. Struggling to effectively use data analytics, online tools and AI to improve teaching and learning? Want to attract a more diverse student body? Need to implement more effective strategies to achieve your goals? Education consultants can use their expertise and experience to tailor advice and offer solutions to fit an institution’s individual needs, whatever they may be.
Cost savings
Consultants can help organizations reduce costs by offering innovative and cost-effective solutions. They identify and implement cost-saving measures and provide advice on optimizing the use of funds. At a time when student debt is rising and enrollment in higher education is on the decline, it’s more important than ever to offer a high level of education at a competitive price, making any potential cost savings essential.
Accountability
Educational consultants help organizations identify areas for improvement and hold them accountable for progress. Yearly academic audits can help assess standards and targets and provide feedback, ensuring that the institution stays on track and achieves its objectives, ultimately transforming itself into a thriving, successful learning environment.
Gold standards
Education consultants do all they can to ensure an institution cultivates the right environment to succeed in an ultra-competitive sector. From designing effective curricula and learning experiences for students to providing professional development opportunities for staff and faculty, consultants work to ensure the entire team has the resources and knowledge it needs to excel. The result is an institution with a reputation for quality, which attracts higher caliber students, retains staff and remains competitive.
Case Studies: Success stories in educational consulting
By offering a tailored approach, education consulting can help institutions in different ways. For the Hospitality Institute of Sanya (HIS) in China’s Hainan province, consulting was a way to anchor the highest standards in its ethos right from the beginning. EHL Education Consulting guided the development of HIS by providing expertise at every stage, including:
- running a coaching program for faculty;
- supporting HIS in the architectural design of the campus to ensure quality, cost-effectiveness, and efficiency;
- helping to design the curriculum to prioritize the employability of graduates;
- and conducting yearly academic audits to assess standards.
After a rigorous review process, HIS became an EHL Certified School, and is now recognized as a leading modern hospitality school able to meet the demands of a growing tourism sector in the Sanya area.
The needs of MC Metropolitan in Greece were somewhat different. In a country where vocational training has historically been considered a last resort, many young people graduate from an academic university education without the right skills to obtain jobs. EHL Education Consulting was brought in to help elevate MC Metropolitan’s brand and attract more students. By adopting EHL’s tried and tested curriculum by EHL, the institution was able to increase its quality of education, its student numbers and its graduate employability, ultimately helping to promote vocational training as an attractive choice in Greece.
The future of educational consulting
As education continues to evolve, educational consulting will become increasingly important to schools and training institutions as they face new challenges and demands. Emerging trends such as personalized learning, the integration of new technologies in education, and the emphasis on soft skills, sustainability, diversity and lifelong learning will shape the consulting services offered.
Personalized learning. As education puts increasing emphasis on and student-centered learning, consultants will be tasked with helping schools create customized curricula and learning approaches. Leveraging data analytics and online learning technologies to help students learn at a pace and in a manner that suits them.
New technologies. The impact of AI on higher education is set to be profound, transforming teaching and learning, as well as administrative processes. Education consultants will be called upon to deliver innovative solutions to help schools harness this technology responsibly and ethically. With 75 percent of companies set to adopt new technologies in the next five years, consultants can also help schools design curricula that teach tech-based skills to students, making them more employable.
Inclusivity, diversity, and equity. According to Times Higher Education report, more than half of students consider an institution’s commitment to diversity and inclusion when deciding where to study. Consultants can help institutions develop and implement relevant policies and practices. For example, creating curricula that reflect diverse perspectives, training teachers in inclusive and culturally responsive teaching practices. And ensuring that all students, regardless of their background or learning needs, have access to the high-quality educational opportunities and resources they require to reach their full potential.
Sustainability. With around half of prospective students considering a school’s sustainability credentials when choosing where to study, and many more believing it is important to their career prospects to demonstrate to employers that they are sustainably minded. This will continue to be a major focus for education institutions. Consultants can help schools work towards addressing the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and meet student expectations in terms of environmental and social responsibility, and mental health and wellbeing.
Lifelong learning & soft skills. With graduate employability and return on investment (ROI) a major priority for most students, consultants can help adapt the curricula to a job market that is increasingly valuing core skills such as analytical thinking, creative thinking, resilience, flexibility, curiosity, and empathy. They can also guide institutions on their provision of continuous education programs and upskilling opportunities for graduates, given that six in ten workers are estimated to require reskilling in the upcoming years.
It’s clear that global education provision currently faces huge challenges – which not every institution is equipped to deal with. Educational consulting therefore plays a vital role in helping schools, universities, and government training bodies achieve their education goals. Through tailored advice addressing an institution’s operational, academic and administrative needs, consultants can create innovative solutions to improve their performance. As the educational landscape continues to evolve, the importance of educational consulting will only grow further, making it an indispensable tool for advancing education at all levels.
