Incremental Innovation

Melissa Morriss-Olson encourages universities to embrace innovation and entrepreneurship as they develop new program offerings .

Her recommendation that innovation should be incremental rings true to me, as I have seen several massive "bet the farm" iniatives go down in flames. Even if the university survives, the entire organization is stressed and its credibility suffers. On the other hand, I perceive that a mix of nurtured (but limited) disruptive innovation and incremental innovation may provide the best response to opportunity and threats.

-DD

Academic Innovation

Joseph E. Aoun, president of Northeastern University, discusses in a video the initiatives that have allowed his university to grow in a depressed environment. These include starting new technology programs, expanding co-op programs, marketing globally to students, and developing mentors. These initiatives require more effort from faculty, but it allows institutional success.

-DD