The steering committee to develop George Washington’s next strategic plan has identified four major themes to help guide the planning process. Each of these themes will be addressed by an interdisciplinary working group consisting of faculty, staff, administrators and undergraduate and graduate students from across the university.
In the charge to the working groups, the steering committee identified globalization; governance and policy; innovation through interdisciplinary collaboration; and citizenship and leadership as the four major themes for the strategic plan. These themes were chosen after a careful study of the university’s major strengths and opportunities and societal trends that will affect higher education and George Washington in particular in the decade to come as the university approaches its bicentennial in 2021.
For each thematic area, working groups will identify specific actions in the areas of education, research, outreach and internal practices that will best position the university for greatness in a changing world.
The working groups are being encouraged to “think big” and consider ideas that, if pursued, have the potential to transform the university, possible barriers that might limit their adoption and solutions to overcome them. The charge also encourages the working groups to engage with the entire GW community as part of their deliberations.
The end goal is a strategic plan that embraces a vision of the future that includes preparing GW students to be national and world leaders in dealing with the challenges and opportunities they will encounter throughout their lifetimes; advancing human knowledge in ways that have significant positive effects on the human condition; and creating a strong signature identity for the university.
“I would like the world to see GW as one of the world leaders in these thematic areas,” said Provost Steven Lerman. “The aspiration of this plan is when people say, ‘governance and policy,’ everyone says, ‘the place to go in the world is GW.’ If we can get there on some of these dimensions so it almost becomes the signature of the university… it would really be incredibly exciting.”
Some of the questions presented to the working groups in the charge include the viability of “pop-up” research centers, which address a certain issue over a certain amount of time and have a limited life span, and whether the university should consider expanding intensive study abroad opportunities that offer students potentially transformative experiences.
During the spring semester, the working groups will research their assigned themes and develop ideas that have the potential to transform aspects of the university. The working groups will then deliver their recommendations to the steering committee in May.
The steering committee will collect feedback from the Board of Trustees during their June 2012 retreat and formally present a draft of the strategic plan to the trustees at their fall meeting and to the community at the annual Faculty Assembly in October.
Throughout the research process, the working groups and members of steering committee will collect feedback and ideas from the GW community. A website has been established to serve as a hub of information about the strategic planning process. Members of the GW community can also provide feedback and submit questions through the website.
The university’s last strategic plan, which was unveiled in 2002, led to investments in programs that are now nationally ranked; the development of a stronger technological infrastructure for the university; and the breaking of ground for the new Science and Engineering Hall.
“GW is entering the process from a position of incredible strength,” said Forrest Maltzman, senior vice provost for academic affairs and planning. “What the plan will hopefully do is capitalize on these strengths and ensure that that the faculty and students are providing solutions to the global challenges that lie ahead.”