Academic Innovation
Institutions of higher education must pay attention to the quality and nature of academic programming to optimize enrollment. At the same time, it is vital to offer programs that are distinctive and meet the needs of all learners. NMU is a regional comprehensive university that also offers career and technical programs, credit / non-credit credentialing, and other alternative educational opportunities. This puts the university in a unique position to maximize available expertise to foster academic innovation. NMU is well situated to develop new academic programming that is innovative, interdisciplinary, and relevant for the students of today and into the future.
Northern’s administration and faculty foster program innovation through curriculum development, support for new content delivery methods, new policies and procedures aimed at removing barriers to timely change, and expanded marketing of academic programs.
Strategic plan academic innovation goals, tactics, and associated metrics are listed in the table below.
Strategic Plan Academics Goal 1: Drive academic innovation of new and existing programs to attract new students
|
Unit/Area |
Tactics |
Metric |
Goal |
|
Undergraduate |
Utilize academic program review and innovation grant processes to encourage creation of interdisciplinary programs |
Count of new interdisciplinary programs |
Create new interdisciplinary programs |
|
Graduate |
Develop program viability methods and determine viability for all existing programs to assist GPC in making recommendations |
Viability method process developed Recommendations for suspension or continuation of programs |
100% programs reviewed |
|
Graduate |
Expand the portfolio of doctoral offerings to meet regional needs and leverage existing faculty expertise |
Count of doctoral offerings |
1 new doctoral program implemented in Summer 2024 |
|
Global Campus |
Prioritize potential online academic programs to grow the online portfolio at NMU |
Prioritizing process established |
Done (yes, no) |
|
Global Campus |
Align with evolving higher education standards of accepting PLA and AP credit from outside institutions |
Policy revised |
Done (yes, no) |
|
Global Campus |
Establish transfer agreements with MiWorkforce pathways to further ease the transfer from Michigan Community Colleges |
Established pathway agreements |
1 agreement established |
|
College/department level |
Support new program development or revitalization of existing programs with an eye toward increasing enrollment |
Number of programs explored Number of programs launched |
Positive increase |
Strategic Plan Academics Goal 2: Employ new, flexible and adaptive methods of content delivery to better meet the needs of current and future students
|
Unit/Area |
Tactics |
Metric |
Goal |
|
Undergraduate |
Explore alternative timelines for bachelor degree programs |
List established |
Develop SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis and action steps |
|
Undergraduate |
Develop a framework for offering stackable credentials |
Framework developed |
Done (yes,no) |
|
Undergraduate |
Development of a hyflex course definition and implementation to support student demands and expectations |
Policy established |
Done (yes, no) |
|
Graduate |
Expand course and program innovation through the Master of Interdisciplinary Studies (MIS) program |
Count of students in MIS |
Increase |
|
Global Campus |
Incorporate AR/VR opportunities in online courses to enhance the student experience |
Courses utilizing AR/VR |
Courses using AR/VR technologies |
|
International |
Develop a virtual exchange program to provide equitable international experiences for NMU students on-campus |
Exchange program developed |
Done (yes/no) |
|
International |
Increase Global Campus International Students |
Headcount of International Global Campus students |
Increase from baseline 1 in Fall 2022 |
|
College/department level |
Support development of new content delivery methods |
Description of support supplied |
Done (yes/ no) |