A linked approach to rigorous academic planning and business planning is increasingly needed in the university sector, especially those which are in the for-profit sector since they do not enjoy the cross subsidies from governments or research enterprises. (full article)
Building New Societies by Degrees – Change in Higher Education around the World
Emerging countries are rapidly accelerating attention to developing institutions of higher education. Common factors which must be considered in developing new universities and colleges include good governance, attention to purpose, focus and innovation, commitment to excellence in pedagogy and building true communities (virtual and real spaces), skilled leadership and management as well as available initial capital and design of a sustainble financial operating model. (full article)
Collective Ambition in Healthcare and Higher Education
The notion of Collective Ambition, as presented in a recent HBR article, brings together a set of elements that, when combined, predict success for organizations, even when the going is tough. These ideas can be extended to healthcare and higher education at a time when both sectors are struggling around the world to cope with increasing demands for service yet at the same time fiscal restraint. (full article)
Disruptive Innovation in Universities – Christensen & Eyring
The new book, The Innovative University, Changing the DNA of Higher Education from the Inside Out, by Christensen and Eyring prompts us to think about the sustainability of the higher education sector in the US. The lessons about how Christensen’s theory of disruptive innovation apply to universities can be extended beyond US shores to emerging economies where the higher education sector is evolving quickly. (full article)
Scholarly Briefs on Healthcare from HBR – Kaplan, Porter, Herzlinger & Mintzberg
Harvard Business Review (September, October and November 2011) offers a range of solutions from activity based costing at individual patient level to advocacy for using tried and true solutions on a larger scale – each piece by leading contributors at Harvard Business School and McGill University provides useful suggestions but the reality of needing to redress the lack of physician education and ownership about healthcare systems from medical school through to consulting practice are not exposed. (full article)
Health Reconstruction after the Arab Spring – Libya: an emerging opportunity
As conflict subsides in the Arab Spring countries, reconstruction of healthcare provides one of the most powerful vehicles for new governments to establish their legitimacy to their people and the world community. Each country is different and will require different pathways and solutions but much has been learned over recent decades about managing the redevelopment of healthcare systems post-conflict. This brief overview describes some of the issues at hand in general and concludes with some personal reflection s about the healthcare situation in Libya. (full article)
Best Practices in Licensing International Medical Graduates
As doctors have increasingly moved around the world, the need to have robust systems for licensing international medical graduates (IMGs) has escalated. In many jurisdictions, governments struggle to deal with establishing processes that are realistic in terms of the development of medical education and professional standards in their country while at the same time assuring the public that IMGs are safe and competent. Examination of several national jurisdictions provides some insights about best practices for licensing IMGs. (full article)
Keywords: IMGs, International medical graduates, license
Being Dean of a Professional School
Being the dean of a professional school in a university can be an exciting yet challenging career move. Some thoughts on why these jobs are difficult and some tips are offered from experience. (full article)
Keywords: dean, medical school, university
Are Healthcare Organizations Healthy?
Modern health care organizations need to consider how to become healthy organizations themselves. New work from McKinsey provides a useful set of thoughts about how organizations can achieve success in their core business as well be ‘healthy’ organizations internally. (full article)
Keywords: healthcare, organizational change
Accreditation for New Medical and Health Professional Schools
Preparation for accreditation in medical, nursing and allied health schools is often a daunting process but the process of preparation itself can lead to sustainable changes and continuous improvements. (full article)