Innovating Strategic Enrolment Management at Université Laval

1. Office of the Vice Rector,Academic and International Studies Strategic Enrolment Management (SEM) at Université Laval Johanne Morneau Canadian SEM Summit Vancouver May 13–15, 2009 QUEBEC CITY, CANADA

2. Presentation Outline • Université Laval at a Glance • Findings and Issues • Strategic Enrolment Management: Strategies and Action • First Steps • SEM Meeting • Next Steps • Conclusion

3. Université Laval at a Glance • 44,000 students, including 10,000 graduate students and 4,000 international students from nearly 90 countries • 236,600 alumni worldwide • 2,500 professors and lecturers • Nearly 400 programs of study covering all fields of knowledge • More than 570 partnerships with universities in 65 countries • Highest number of students to study abroad in Canada • Over $40 million awarded annually in study bursaries • 37 distance-only learning programs • Over 500 distance learning courses, 85% of which are online • A language school–fertile environment for the expression of multiculturalism in Quebec City

4. Université Laval at a Glance • One of Canada’s 10 most research-intensive universities • International leader in several major sectors • A number of international summer schools in a variety of fields • More than half of our campus is dedicated to green spaces and sports fields • 4 student residences, with over 2,200 fully-equipped rooms • A safe campus in the safest city of its size in Canada • A Unesco World Heritage Site • A cultural center with 400 years of history

5. Findings and Issues • Enrolment variation in Quebec: will rise until 2011, then set to decline to 90% of current levels ten years later (AUCC) • Shift in candidates’ attitudes and behavior • Growing competition in Quebec and abroad • Continuation and graduation rates: good, but we’d still like to improve them

6. Findings and Issues • Changes needed to halt the university’s declining numbers • Traditional vision of recruitment: information and promotion • Scant attention paid to competitive environment • Develop the university-wide policy to welcome and accompany students • Work in isolation: communication, coordination, and collaboration between various departments and faculties to be improved • Lots of existing data, but little strategic analysis on student number variations • Criticism of the efficiency of certain services and processes, but no tools with which to evaluate them

7. Findings and Issues A NEW VISION Toward Strategic Enrolment Management

8. First Steps:Strategic Enrolment Management (SEM) • December 2008: • SEM training day: university, faculty and department management • SEM meeting: university management and faculty heads (deans) to mobilize others

9. SEM Meeting • For the past 2 years: • VREAI: merger between 2 vice rectorships with incorporation of recruitment, international, and placement studies • Horizon 2012: recruitment a priority + strategies to help students to succeed • Hiring of resources, strategic analyses, admissions, and internationalization • Put in place monitoring tools to provide data by program • More communication and concertation with deans and program and department heads

10. SEM Meeting • Initiatives (past, current, under development, and to come): • Improve the university’s image • Continually improve the attractiveness of our programs, monitoring and innovation • Flexible programs • timetable adapted to students, hybrid mode, Internet, integrated programs with partner universities, gateways with the preuniversity level • - Develop distance learning and continuing education • Skills recognition, preparatory year • Improve student financial support

11. SEM Meeting • Initiatives (past, current, under development, and to come): • Establish more ties with potential students, follow up with students until registration • Continue to step up use of ICT: put someone in charge of online recruitment • Put someone in charge of recruitment for western Quebec and improve master/doctorate recruitment • Step up activities in countries where our international students come from and in countries targeted according to Université Laval’s characteristics • Put in place a customer relations management (CRM) tool • Develop partnerships to promote Université Laval

12. SEM Meeting • Initiatives (past, current, under development, and to come): • Data and monitoring tool • Simplify and shorten admission process • Take steps to digitize admission applications • Preparatory year

13. SEM Meeting • Initiatives (past, current, under development, and to come): • Put in place a student support policy and a financial support plan to encourage graduate student success • Welcome sessions for new students (university wide and within faculties) • Create student support groups, peer support, twinning national and international students • Put in place skills upgrading programs • Prepare students for the labor market, internships • Provide various support initiatives (notetaking, time management, stress management, improve language skills, critical reading, etc.) • Improve information about available financial support and bursaries

14. SEM Meeting • Initiatives (past, current, under development, and to come): • Support job searches • Preparatory training • Work experience during studies

15. SEM Meeting • Initiatives (past, current, under development, and to come): • Student mentorship, internships by alumni • Promotional aid to collaborate to alumni belonging sense

16. Next Steps:Development Strategies & Required Action • February–March 2009: • Faculty tour by university management • Faculties present priority projects to university management • Outline faculties’ niches of excellence • An opportunity for discussion appreciated by all • April–May 2009: • Summary of the tour’s main points • Faculties were able to report on their initiatives, strategies, and particular problems for recruitment and training. Many acknowledged the exercise had forced them to collectively consider the importance of SEM and the challenges it represents.

17. Next Steps:Development Strategies & Required Action • Based on the Université Laval action plan, bolster the SEM capacity of the university and its faculties (recruitment and retention) • Set up and put in place targeted plans according to clientele (recruitment and retention) • Revise administrative processes, digitally manage files • Need for resources, improve inhouse and outside coordination, connection • Attractiveness and flexibility, double graduation, relocation of certain programs, greater flexibility for part time students • Improve financial support for top students • Create an SEM Management Committee • Analyze continuation and graduation data • Support success assistance initiatives • Evaluate results to manage future actions

18. Conclusion • Raise awareness of the SEM approach: more influence on students enrollments. • Evaluation and diagnosis phase ongoing: • Accomplishments: university-wide policies, action taken within faculties and departments with regard to SEM • Create and implement an SEM management committee in 2009–2010 • Approaches: develop best practices, improve support and coordination for initiatives to promote and boost continuation and student success • THANK YOU!