The University of Alabama College of Continuing Studies Pursues Academic and Non-Academic Program Growth with Hanover Research

The University of Alabama College of Continuing Studies (CCS) looks forward to working collaboratively with Hanover Research to achieve many of our goals for the coming year. We had previously partnered with EAB for research-related support; however, the rigid market research request limitations (only two per year), restrictive focus of their membership framework, and the identification of new opportunities made possible through the adoption of a new strategic plan informed our decision to pursue this partnership with Hanover.

We aim to use our partnership toward goals such as becoming the leading provider of consultative, educational, and professional development; obtaining market-informed guidance for determining the future direction of academic and non-academic program growth; and improving our U.S. News & World Report rankings. Projects aimed at advancing our academic programs will likely have the most substantive impact on our operations, while initiatives aimed at helping CCS optimize the full breadth of our operational resources across the learner lifespan will also yield important impact for the organization and the communities we serve. In addition, donor and alumni-related projects could help CCS identify diverse revenue streams and sustain financial health for years to come.

Exploring options is a worthwhile time investment for other institutions pursuing the partner identification process. Analyzing the needs of one’s organization and aligning those with a vendor that has demonstrated expertise in key areas is important to ensuring a productive relationship.