Higher Education Industry

Audience Description

Participants who work within the Higher Education Industry work within all universities, colleges of technology, and other institutions delivering formal tertiary education programs regardless of their source of funding or legal status. 

Higher education is a vast, complicated, and rapidly changing enterprise. There is no one metric for the industry’s size, although it enrolls 19 million students and employs 3.4 million people, accounting for 3% of the overall service-sector labor force in the United States.

Interesting Participant Qualities

44% of participants in the higher education industry believe their role is very important in their profession.

Higher Education Panelist Quotes

We surveyed our audience of higher education industry participants to understand what their job requires now and how it could impact others in the future.

“I am the social media marketing special and web content specialist at a community college so my role includes getting messages out to our community which includes students, faculty, staff, corporate sponsors and our community. I don’t classify it as very important but it is definitely important.”

“doubt clearing sessions and one-on-one mentorships for students which are critical for students to understand and learn anything.”

“Apart from being a model to the students, I also mentor future leaders”

“I oversee the management of all content design of tutorial material for over 600 students every semester, and oversee 10-12 tutors/monitor their duties accordingly.”

Common Higher Education Industry Roles

This audience is made up of participants who hold job titles and roles in the higher education industry. Each of these professionals can be targeted individually, or roles can be combined to create larger audiences.

• Provost – A provost—also called a “vice president” depending on the institution—serves as the president of a college or university’s second in command. Provosts assist in the development of their school’s academic vision and collaborate closely with deans and department leaders to achieve goals that support the overarching mission. They are often in charge of day-to-day operations, such as allocating financial and human resources, as well as hiring and retaining a diverse faculty. For this position, a master’s degree or higher is usually necessary.
  
• Chief Academic Officer –  Chief academic officers evaluate a school’s academic programs and endeavor to ensure that they are compliant with state and federal regulations. They frequently assist in the recruitment and evaluation of teachers and staff, as well as the development and implementation of new curricula and professional development initiatives. A master’s degree is normally required of chief academic officers, while a doctoral degree, such as an EdD, may be necessary in rare cases.
  
• Vice President of Enrollment Management – Enrollment management vice presidents develop and implement plans to attract, enroll, and retain students. They hope to increase the number of students who apply, increase yield, and assist their institution in meeting its enrollment targets. To ensure that their recruitment efforts are effective, these professionals usually collaborate with a variety of different institutional departments, including as financial assistance, admissions, and registration.
  
• Dean of Admission –  The dean of admissions is typically in charge of the admissions department, which is usually in charge of the institution’s student recruitment and outreach initiatives. The purpose of the dean of admissions is to produce high-talent, high-performing students. Deans are often hired to oversee faculty and staff, promote research activities, assist with fundraising, and set academic goals in a range of departments in addition to admissions.
  

• Director of Student Financial Aid – The financial assistance department, which is in charge of awarding grants, administering loans, creating payment plans, and evaluating aid eligibility, is overseen by financial aid directors. These specialists meet on a regular basis to discuss their institution’s protocol as well as any ongoing financial aid cases. If their department is unable to reach a decision, directors are responsible for preparing applications for private, municipal, state, and federal funds, as well as designing and executing financial aid policies and procedures to assure compliance.
  
• Director of Academic Advising – Professionals in this position are in charge of the advising department’s daily operations, services, and personnel. Academic advising directors must be familiar with student development theories and be proactive in addressing student needs and issues. These directors also make sure that their department provides students with the resources they need to succeed in school.
  
• Education Consultant – Education consultants are frequently self-employed and advise students and their parents on higher education possibilities, such as whether colleges match their interests and whether or not they have other options. These individuals may conduct exams to match students’ interests to career options, provide career counseling, assist in the college application process, assist in the preparation of college essays, or offer financial aid advice. All information pertaining to the college admission process must be kept up to date by education counselors.

• Director of Alumni Relations – These individuals act as a link between their institution and its alumni. Directors of alumni relations supervise a staff that engages in a variety of outreach initiatives, such as class reunions and homecoming weekends, and organizes these activities with other departments, such as the president’s office and campus security. These specialists may also be in charge of planning and conducting fundraising campaigns.
  
• Director of Career Services – Career services directors Manage an institution’s career services office, which seeks to develop and strengthen students’ job-seeking abilities, place students with prospective employers, cultivate partnerships with corporations, conduct job fairs, and operate various activities to aid students and alumni with career planning.
  
• Athletic Director – Careers in athletic administration are in high demand, according to Hilton. This field’s professionals are responsible for ensuring that recruiting, athletes, and teams follow all conference rules and regulations. Sports directors are in charge of coordinating athletic activities at a college or institution, as well as budgeting and funding, marketing, event organizing, and liaising with vendors and other workers.