Overview
NACUBO's Strategic Higher Education Finance and Planning self-paced online course is designed to help you build your strategic finance knowledge and skills.
In this course, you can expect to—
- Explore the importance of and processes involved with strategic planning
- Examine the value of and learn how to build a data-informed institutional culture
- Consider the challenges and opportunities in generating revenue and allocating resources
- Gain insight into how to be a better communicator and leader at your institution
Why a course in strategic finance and planning?
Higher education institutions are under enormous pressure from shifting revenue streams, rapid innovation, and significant public scrutiny. In this environment, business officers must be able to manage their day-to-day obligations, as well as drive strategic conversations around the business model, future forecasts, and major issues influencings all aspects of the higher education enterprise. The primary responsibility of higher education business officers is managing institutions' finances, but perhaps what may be more important to the future of colleges and universities is the growing strategic role of business and finance professionals.
NACUBO's hope is that completing this course will enable business officers and other higher education administrators to think more strategically about their work and to be better prepared to contribute meaningfully to the future of their institutions.
With an accompanying workbook, this course includes the following modules:
- Module 1: The Finance Leadership Role in Strategic Planning
- Module 2: Making Data-Informed Decisions to Support Institutional Mission and Strategy
- Module 3: Revenue and Resource Allocation in Support of Mission and Strategic Goals
- Module 4: Strategic Financial Leadership and Institutional Success
What business officers are saying about the course
"I would encourage higher education professionals from across the institution—at multiple levels—to take the course. Doing so could help the institution make more significant progress towards meeting institutional goals, particularly during strategic planning."
Chief business officer, private comprehensive university
"This course has broad appeal—those with high-level planning responsibility as well as those who are more hands-on. The case studies and the workbook are excellent."
Associate vice president, public research university
"I am impressed by the quality of the information and the manner in which it's presented and tied together.... I think it is an excellent primer for both new and experienced higher education business professionals."
Chief business officer, public research university
"I really appreciated all of the resources and embedded tools...."
Executive director of strategic initiatives, community college
"The information is actionable."
Chief business officer, public comprehensive institution
"This is definitely information that higher education financial professionals should know to help sustain and move their institutions forward."
Associate vice president, public HBCU
"NACUBO has done an amazing job of assembling the content in a manner that is not only interesting and intriguing but it is practical. This is a great resource for business officers to support the missions of their institutions."
Controller and associate vice president, public HBCU
How to Access the Course
After you register, you will navigate to your NACUBO classroom to access the course.
Strategic Finance Leadership Organizational Effectiveness Analytics Planning and Budgeting Distance Learning
