What You Will Learn

The Institute for Educational Management is an intensive, “total immersion” experience that provides a rare opportunity to assess your leadership skills, renew your commitment to higher education and develop tangible strategies for long-term institutional success.

Program Overview

Senior leaders in higher education face a daunting set of challenges—fiscal constraints, heightened accountability, new competitors, substantial demographic change and questions about the relevance and effectiveness of higher education. IEM helps you focus on the challenges of organizational change while providing opportunities for personal renewal.

IEM addresses the critical stewardship role you play on behalf of your entire institution and provides a core set of conceptual tools for understanding both the quantitative and qualitative aspects of effective institutional leadership. The skills developed throughout the program will help you articulate a compelling institutional vision that fosters meaningful and enduring institutional change.

Program Objectives

• Successfully lead in a changing context
• Balance internal and external leadership roles
• Work effectively as a member of the senior leadership team
• Foster and support organizational change
• Articulate a powerful institutional vision and enlist others in pursuit of that vision

Who Should Attend

• Senior-level administrators who have both the responsibility and authority to shape institution-wide policy
• Presidents, vice presidents and other members of the executive cabinet who participate in decision-making that shapes the future of the institution

Faculty Chairs

James Honan is Senior Lecturer at HGSE. Honan's teaching and research interests include financial management of nonprofit organizations, organizational performance measurement and management, and higher-education administration. Honan serves as a consultant on strategic planning, resource allocation and performance measurement and management to numerous colleges, universities, schools and nonprofit organizations, both nationally and internationally.

Joseph Zolner is Lecturer on Education and Senior Director of the Harvard Institutes for Higher Education at HGSE. As HIHE Director, he is responsible for the quality, relevance and variety of professional development programs offered by the Harvard Graduate School of Education for the higher education community. Previously, Zolner served as Director of the Graduate Management Institute at Union College, NY and Director of the Graduate School of Business Administration at Northeastern University, MA.

Faculty

Christopher Dede, Timothy E. Wirth Professor in Learning Technologies, HGSE

Richard Elmore, Gregory R. Anrig Professor of Educational Leadership; Codirector, Doctor of Education Leadership Program, HGSE

Susan Moore Johnson, Jerome T. Murphy Professor in Education, HGSE

Robert Kegan, William and Miriam Meehan Professor in Adult Learning and Professional Development; HGSE

Richard Light, Walter H. Gale Professor of Education, HGSE

Bridget Terry Long, Xander Professor of Education and Economics, HGSE

Judith Block McLaughlin, Senior Lecturer on Education; Director, Higher Education Program, HGSE

Enrollment Instructions

Participants are selected for their scope of responsibility, their breadth of experience, and their potential to help their institutions respond to changing needs and new opportunities. When selecting participants, the Admissions Committee also considers the overall character of the class to maximize group learning. A network of alumni and former participants are available to speak with you, many are from similar institutions or professionals with responsibilities comparable to your own.

Please note that admission to IEM is competitive, we regret that we are unable to accept every qualified applicant. Participants are expected to have the endorsement of their institutions. Ordinarily this is reflected in full financial support.

Applicants are responsible for submitting supplemental materials with their online application. You will be asked to provide your personal profile and institutional information to complete the application process.

Upload a single, MS Word or PDF document that includes the following: 

1. Current Job Title and Responsibilities (1/2 page): Briefly describe your range of responsibilities, including those activities, operations, or functions for which you are directly responsible.
2. Professional Experience: List your current appointment first. If all of your work has been in the same organization, please list major promotions. Include employer, dates, title or position, and a brief description of responsibilities for each work assignment.
3. Educational Background: List your most recent educational degree first. Include college or university, dates, degree and major.
4. Professional Challenges Statement (1 page):
   a. What do you believe to be the major problems facing your institution?
   b. What are the two most important challenges you face in your job?
5. Anticipated Contribution Statement (1/2 page): In what ways do you expect your particular skills, experience and perspective to contribute to classroom and study group discussions?

In addition: two letters of recommendation, one from your current supervisor and one from a professional colleague. You will receive links that will enable your recommenders to log in and upload their letters. They will need YOUR last name and email address to log in to the application system.

Fees

The comprehensive program fee includes tuition, all instructional materials and most meals. Participants receive a certificate of participation at the close of the program.

Payment or a purchase order is due 30 days after acceptance. Participants are responsible for their own travel expenses.

Accommodations

Detailed hotel information will be provided to all accepted participants. The Harvard Graduate School of Education is not responsible for non-refundable travel arrangements or other planning expenses incurred. We recommend that you not make travel arrangements until you are admitted to the program.

Cancellation Policy

Cancellations must be submitted via fax or email. Full refunds will be given up to 30 days prior to the start of the program. Due to program demand and pre-program preparations, cancellations received 29–14 days prior to the start of the program are subject to a fee of 10% of the program tuition. Cancellations received within 13 days prior to the start of the program and no-shows are subject to the full program tuition. Please note: cancellation fees are based upon the date the written request is received.

The Harvard Graduate School of Education reserves the right to change faculty or cancel programs at its discretion. In the unlikely event of program changes, the school is not responsible for non-refundable travel arrangements or other planning expenses incurred.

Non-Discrimination Policy

The Harvard Graduate School of Education affirms the right of all individuals to equal treatment in education without regard to age, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, handicap, national origin, or any other factors that are extraneous to effective performance. The Harvard Graduate School of Education will accommodate anyone with disabilities.