Course Portfolio Review
Scope
We typically work with a faculty or school to evaluate their course portfolio from a market perspective. The deliverable is a set of justified recommendations covering four areas:
- Identifying appropriate portfolio gaps – opportunities for success new courses
- Assessing which existing subjects and courses ought to be subject of enhanced investment to take advantage of growing demand
- Locating under-performing courses which more specific and intelligent marketing can be beneficial (or changes to course titles)
- Identifying those programmes that need to be withdrawn to make space for courses with heightened potential.
We have also been commissioned many times to evaluate or develop themed portfolios covering joint degrees, university-wide masters portfolios, foundation degrees and distance education (including work based learning and employer led provision).
We have undertaken several projects related to new or second campuses, both in the UK and internationally. Whatever the lofty ambitions publically stated, the truth is that such developments are only sustainable if they are populated programmes that address specific geo-sensitive needs and have real market appeal.
Methods
Our team has developed a wide range of analytical tools or methods to support this work. These provide greater insights than simply trend data. It also means that project design is more robust (quality assured), quicker to deliver and less costly to the client that bespoke consultancy.
Some of the tools we use are adaptations of the classic methods such as the Boston Matrix but most are original and designed for education markets.
To develop sensitive recommendations we mix hard data analysis with stakeholder research and consultation with academic leaders and marketers.
One of our tools is EMMaP which is a balanced scorecard method that evaluates each course or subject in a portfolio to evaluate its contribution and viability. We have a similar tool to evaluate the range modules offered.
Schematic diagram of EMMaP, one of the portfolio review tools developed by The Knowledge Partnership
Example Projects
Since 2009 we have worked for the full range of HE providers from specialist university colleges to leading world ranked universities and through the range of modern institutions. The subject areas we have covered include:
Electronics
Computing
Design
Business and Management
STEM
Social sciences
Engineering and Technology
Architecture
Fashion and textiles
Medical and health
Informatics
Art and design including art therapy
Arts, social science and humanities
Environmental sciences
Media production and journalism
Humanities
Translation
Banking and finance
Tourism
Product innovation
Events management
The following mini case studies give a flavour of the scope of projects:
Architecture
We were asked to evaluate the market for architecture study as a basis for a market-based due diligence for a proposed new £5m institute. Working with OpinionPanel this included secondary research exploring the impact of recession on architecture study demand (clear and negative), analysis of statistical trends, competitor analysis, and primary research with students, applicants, employers and alumni.
Electronics
The boundaries between subjects is blurring in a digital age; electronics includes areas as diverse as music technology, digital signal processing and apps design. This project explored how electronics could be effectively positioned as a more creative applied design based subject and provided the evidence base for the School’s 10 year strategic plan. Again we deployed the usual range of secondary analysis and primary research (with OpinionPanel), but we also conducted extensive employer and professional stakeholder consultations.
Arts
This commission from a modern university was to design a portfolio of arts and media related courses for a new satellite campus. The courses had to be flexible, module-based and designed to increase the capacity of the local community as well as acting as an access mechanism into mainstream programmes. Phase one desk research identified a range of test options that were then evaluated using qualitative research with specific groups where the concepts were more niche (such as children’s literature programmes aimed at parents and grandparents) and face-to-face large scale interviewing for more broader based concepts, including concepts related to local history and culture.
Business
The Knowledge Partnership has worked with a variety of business schools to identify new course opportunities that reflect very different missions, status, and the needs of the local/regional economy. Each project varied in scope but included competitor identification and product analysis, portfolio gap analysis to locate relevant opportunities, engagement with employers to test innovative concepts, recommendations for portfolio rationalisation where evidence of internal competition was identified and advice on how to improve the presentation of the courses by aligning strengths with known student choice factors. Using our international connections we were able to identify prospective overseas university partners for some areas of portfolio development. Our international consultant was able to advise that specific new courses would find a market in, for example, Japan but not China.
Education
Working for the head of education in a 94 Group university we supported a business review of the department by assessing the market for the programmes they already offered to advice on portfolio planning and located opportunities for additional course development. Extensive consultations with staff, alumni, students and educational stakeholders allowed us to assess reputation and support the key messages that needed to be amplified to support the marketing of the department and its courses.
Environment
We were commissioned by two leading universities to evaluate the potential for a joint venture to design and deliver distance education at Masters-level to specific Asian markets. The project involved in-country research with agents, alumni and professional networks to assess the probable demand in the field of sustainable development and environmental management. The fieldwork was complemented by desk research of competitor offerings from local and international providers and the market perceptions of the pros and cons of alternative distance education models. WE collaborated with a leading London based branding agency to provide a brand/positioning framework.
Medical school
A leading London medical school invited us to review its programmes from a market perspective primarily to lay the foundations for improved micro course level marketing. Working with the course leaders we established a better understanding of the target markets, student and employer sponsor motivations and the probable key drivers of demand and choice. This led to recommendations about positioning, promotional activity and admissions policy.