Importance of Strategic Planning in Higher Education

As internationalization becomes a vital part of the university's activities, the issue of institutional capacity arises and whether universities can solve new challenges facing them. Strategic planning is often suggested as a major tool to make the necessary changes in a more logical and systematic way to achieve greater internationalization in the management and day-to-day activities of the organization.

Majority of the people in universities question the importance of strategic planning in higher education, arguing that it conflicts with academic culture and traditions. Although strategic planning practice is applied in the engineering world (adapted from the original military model), it is important that strategic planning takes into account the special nature and operational model of the university.

There are two main differences. One is that universities have long-term investment principles to educate people, a value system that creates and disseminates knowledge, which differs from the usual short-term approach to financial results in the engineering world. Although it can be said that universities have to increasingly generate a variety of sources of income and show "stakeholders" in the quality and sustainability of their operations, this difference may not be true even in some countries today. The clear. However, it is clear that strategic plans that are closely related to academic innovation, and not strategic plans that are closely related to financial sustainability, are more likely to receive support in the University.

Another major difference is that companies can select a top-down approach to decision-making and management, but the nature of joint management in universities means building consensus from start to ensure participation and commitment in different regions. Major schools, schools and departments. Therefore, despite his promise to direct the head of the agency first and point to the desired future, it is also important to attract academic circles from the start. It takes more time and effort to develop a transparent and inclusive process, but it is likely to succeed.

If they participate in the process from the start, the academic community has more opportunities to define and be prepared for the strategic plan, and if they have the flexibility to define their contributions and goals within their own capabilities. Leadership must provide space for diversity and uniqueness, and departments must recognize the need for vertical and horizontal interdependence within an organization. If the higher education strategic planning is carefully developed, it will create a space for joint implementation and will serve as a link between the internationalization processes. Consequently, it can improve the culture and make universities the institutions they want.