EdUp PCO

EdUp PCO
  • 5.0 (3)
  • Education
  • Weekly

Higher education is in a state of rapid transformation—needing to respond in creative and innovative ways to the realities of a fast-changing labour market. At the vanguard of this transformation are Professional, Continuing & Online Education (PCO) units. EdUp PCO shines a light on this critical sector. Host Amrit Ahluwalia, a continuing education leader with experience inside and outside the academy, interviews leaders across the postsecondary space exploring how PCO units can play a role in helping their respective colleges and universities stay agile, responsive and proactive.

  1. 1d ago

    85. Dave Cillay (WSU Global Campus): Why Traditional Strategic Planning Doesn’t Work Anymore

    It’s YOUR time to #EdUpPCO In this episode, YOUR guest is Dave Cillay, Chancellor of Washington State University-Global Campus. YOUR host is Amrit Ahluwalia⁠⁠. In the episode, Dave argues for a more adaptive model of strategy. He suggests: > Traditional five-year strategic planning is becoming less practical. Institutions still need clarity about who they are and what they are trying to accomplish, but Dave argues that the pathways to those outcomes need to be reviewed and adjusted much more frequently—potentially on a 90-day cadence. > Start with the outcome and work backwards. Dave approaches strategy by defining the desired outcome first, then reverse-engineering the strategies and tactics required to reach it. The outcome may remain relevant for a decade even as the strategies used to achieve it change from year to year. > Let institutional identity provide the anchor for adaptation. Washington State University’s land-grant mission and commitment to access remain constant, but the “doors” learners use to access the university will continue to evolve. Strong strategy preserves the mission while allowing delivery models to change. > Different perspectives help organizations stay nimble. PCO and online education benefit from teams willing to challenge prevailing assumptions. Leaders need to create an environment where people can propose ideas, disagree respectfully, and revisit ideas that may not have been right at an earlier moment. > Create strategic space by delivering what the institution values. PCO leaders should understand the priorities of senior institutional leadership—whether that is enrolment growth, revenue, access or another objective—and demonstrate how their units can advance them. Visible results can build credibility and create greater openness to new approaches. Listen in to #EdUp! Thank you for listening to the EdUp PCO podcast! Make sure to subscribe and follow, and don’t forget to leave a rating!

    85. Dave Cillay (WSU Global Campus): Why Traditional Strategic Planning Doesn’t Work Anymore

  2. Oct 27

    84. Caroline Williams (Oxford): How to Pressure-Test an Ambitious Strategic Vision

    It’s YOUR time to #EdUpPCO In this episode, YOUR guest is Caroline Williams, Executive Director of Oxford Saïd Online at the Saïd Business School of the University of Oxford. YOUR host is Amrit Ahluwalia⁠⁠. During the episode, Caroline suggests some key directions for leaders pursuing an ambitious vision at their institution: > Move from providing information to developing judgment. As information becomes abundant through AI, search, social media and other sources, the value of education increasingly lies in helping learners interrogate information, assess credibility, connect perspectives and exercise good judgment. > Design for continuous, contextual learning. Executive education is shifting beyond one-time interventions toward learning that sits closer to the flow of work, while learners increasingly expect experiences that connect directly to their own organization, geography and challenges. > Build strategy backwards from a clear vision. Caroline starts with clarity about the destination and timeframe, then works backwards through the technology, investment, capabilities, ownership, dependencies, milestones and indicators required to get there. > Pressure-test today’s choices against multiple futures. Rather than assuming one version of the future, Caroline uses scenario thinking to ask which strategic options will remain robust across several possible futures—and watches for strategic drift as the environment changes. > Treat stakeholder support as evidence, not just politics. Ambitious ideas need to be sense-checked with academics, leaders and other stakeholders. Caroline’s view is especially compelling: if authentic support isn’t emerging, that may be a signal to rethink and improve the idea rather than simply sell it harder. Listen in to #EdUp! Thank you for listening to the EdUp PCO podcast! Make sure to subscribe and follow, and don’t forget to leave a rating!

    84. Caroline Williams (Oxford): How to Pressure-Test an Ambitious Strategic Vision

  3. Oct 20

    83. Krissy Collins (UC Irvine): How Strategy Guides Better Everyday Decisions

    It’s YOUR time to #EdUpPCO In this episode, YOUR guest is Krissy Collins, Dean of the Division of Continuing Education at UC Irvine. YOUR host is Amrit Ahluwalia⁠⁠. Some key questions we tackle: 🎯 How strategy can give teams the clarity to decide which opportunities to pursue—and which to turn down 🧱 Why foundational priorities like strong processes, quality programming and learner focus can create the conditions for future innovation 👥 Why a strategic plan has to be useful to the people actually doing the work ⚡ How clarity can push decision-making deeper into an organization instead of forcing every decision upward 🔄 How to remain responsive to change without allowing outside forces to constantly redefine your direction Listen in to #EdUp! Thank you for listening to the EdUp PCO podcast! Make sure to subscribe and follow, and don’t forget to leave a rating!

    83. Krissy Collins (UC Irvine): How Strategy Guides Better Everyday Decisions

  4. Oct 13

    82. Robert Wagner (Idaho State): How to Build a Strategic Plan for Constant Change

    It’s YOUR time to #EdUpPCO In this episode, YOUR guest is Robert Wagner, President of Idaho State University YOUR host is Amrit Ahluwalia⁠⁠. Some key questions we tackle: 🧭 Why mission, vision and institutional principles should provide the stable foundation for strategy 🔄 Why action strategies need to evolve as conditions around the institution change 🏛️ How institutional history can help leaders build confidence around change rather than fear of it 🤝 Why transparency and collaboration matter when strategy leads to difficult decisions 🎯 How leaders can turn broad strategic ambitions into practical priorities for the year ahead Listen in to #EdUp! Thank you for listening to the EdUp PCO podcast! Make sure to subscribe and follow, and don’t forget to leave a rating!

    82. Robert Wagner (Idaho State): How to Build a Strategic Plan for Constant Change

  5. Oct 6

    81. Sheila LeBlanc (University of Calgary): How to Stay Strategic While Moving Fast

    It’s YOUR time to #EdUpPCO In this episode, YOUR guest is Sheila LeBlanc, Associate Vice President for Continuing Education at the University of Calgary. YOUR host is Amrit Ahluwalia⁠⁠. Some key questions we tackle: ⚡ Why responsiveness is one of PCO’s most important strategic capabilities 🧭 How to maintain a clear long-term vision while adapting short-term priorities 🔗 The importance of finding opportunities to connect PCO goals to broader institutional strategy 🏆 Why small wins matter—and why leaders need to amplify them to build institutional momentum 💪 The role of prioritization and tenacity when change simply can’t happen all at once Listen in to #EdUp! Thank you for listening to the EdUp PCO podcast! Make sure to subscribe and follow, and don’t forget to leave a rating!

    81. Sheila LeBlanc (University of Calgary): How to Stay Strategic While Moving Fast

  6. Sep 29

    80. Luke Dowden (Alamo Colleges): Making Change a Team Sport

    It’s YOUR time to #EdUpPCO In this episode, YOUR guest is Luke Dowden, Vice Chancellor for Digital Learning and Transformation at Alamo Colleges District. YOUR host is Amrit Ahluwalia⁠⁠. Some key ideas we tackle: > Why bringing critics into the process can actually strengthen the work > The importance of using data to build understanding and create shared urgency > Why leaders can’t assume colleagues understand the learners or communities they serve > How to keep making bets on innovation (even when financial constraints mean you have less room to fail) > Why sustained change often depends less on a single breakthrough idea and more on the ability to keep people engaged over time On September 25 I hosted a webinar focused on how innovative colleges & polytechs are pursuing change while navigating strategic, operational and legislative barriers. The webinar panelists are Neil Fassina (President, Okanagan College) and Susan Cluett (VP-Academic, Fanshawe College). To access the recording, click here: https://academica.corsizio.com/event/6a5a8cf96905bd52ffce7ffc Thank you for listening to the EdUp PCO podcast! Make sure to subscribe and follow, and don’t forget to leave a rating!

    80. Luke Dowden (Alamo Colleges): Making Change a Team Sport

  7. Sep 22

    79. Mary Butler (NBCC): Navigating Complexity to Drive Transformation

    It’s YOUR time to #EdUpPCO In this episode, YOUR guest is Mary Butler, President and CEO of New Brunswick Community College. YOUR host is Amrit Ahluwalia⁠⁠. Some key questions we tackle: > How does clarity of vision feed institutional strategy, operations and culture? > Why must innovation be treated as a core competency rather than an add-on? > How should colleges understand and pursue their missions given the challenging circumstances of today’s postsecondary environment? I will be hosting a webinar on September 25 focused on how innovative colleges & polytechs are pursuing change while navigating strategic, operational and legislative barriers. The webinar panelists are Neil Fassina (President, Okanagan College) and Susan Cluett (VP-Academic, Fanshawe College). To register, click here: https://academica.corsizio.com/event/6a5a8cf96905bd52ffce7ffc Thank you for listening to the EdUp PCO podcast! Make sure to subscribe and follow, and don’t forget to leave a rating!

    79. Mary Butler (NBCC): Navigating Complexity to Drive Transformation

  8. Sep 15

    78. Mohammad Salhia (McMaster): Trading Secrets Between PCO, Health and Exec Ed

    It’s YOUR time to #EdUpPCO   In this episode,   YOUR guest is Mohammad Salhia, Senior Director of Continuing Education at McMaster University   YOUR host is Amrit Ahluwalia⁠⁠. Some key topics we tackle: ●     How innovation is driven in the continuing medical and executive education arenas ●     Why continuing medical education sits so effectively at the intersection of academia and industry ●     What makes the PCO space unique, and what it can adopt from other sectors I will be hosting a webinar on September 25 focused on how innovative colleges & polytechs are pursuing change while navigating strategic, operational and legislative barriers. Thewebinar panelists are Neil Fassina (President, Okanagan College) and Susan Cluett (VP-Academic, Fanshawe College). To register, click here: https://academica.corsizio.com/event/6a5a8cf96905bd52ffce7ffc Thank you for listening to the EdUp PCO podcast! Make sure to subscribe and follow, and don’t forget to leave a rating!

    78. Mohammad Salhia (McMaster): Trading Secrets Between PCO, Health and Exec Ed
See All (84)

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

Higher education is in a state of rapid transformation—needing to respond in creative and innovative ways to the realities of a fast-changing labour market. At the vanguard of this transformation are Professional, Continuing & Online Education (PCO) units. EdUp PCO shines a light on this critical sector. Host Amrit Ahluwalia, a continuing education leader with experience inside and outside the academy, interviews leaders across the postsecondary space exploring how PCO units can play a role in helping their respective colleges and universities stay agile, responsive and proactive.

Information

  • Creator
    EdUp PCO
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    84
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © EdUp PCO
  • Show Website
    EdUp PCO