SSD vs. HDD: How Can Each Benefit Higher Education?

When it comes to selecting the PCs, laptops and servers that will power higher education institutions, administrators face a number of choices, including the type of drive that powers these technologies. The question of whether to select solid-state drives (SSD) or hard disk drives (HDD) has become more pressing of late, as higher education institutions look for ways to improve the speed and reliability of their computing systems while keeping costs in check. Below are some things to consider when weighing the pros and cons of each drive type.

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Crimson Consulting

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Education Technology, Continuing Education

Data Analytics for eLearning

Article | August 8, 2022

The rapid shift to eLearning has raised questions regarding the remote usage of online tools by students and teachers and the impact digital instruction is having on student engagement. CatchOn’s detailed trend reports reveal how and when students and teachers across the nation are using their EdTech applications and school devices, both inside and outside the classroom. CatchOn has generated these reports based on actual usage data from districts using CatchOn.

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Education Technology

Creating SEL Awareness Among Parents

Article | July 20, 2022

As social and emotional learning grow in significance, especially as remote learning becomes mainstream, it is now more crucial than ever to get parents on board with your school's SEL policy. Parents don’t always understand the importance of an SEL policy due to the Few individuals beyond the education community are aware of SEL or social and emotional learning, and those who are frequently have questions about how school SEL programs work. This could mean In fact, according to the Hechinger Report, SEL has grown to be an educational hot topic, with the conservative section in some places calling it a liberal policy. Regardless of their political views, people rarely have issues with SEL once they have a basic understanding of it. To ensure that parents are fully aware of what SEL programs entail, here are ways to communicate with them. Create Channels of Communication to Talk About SEL To successfully convey the benefits of the SEL strategy at your school, you must first develop open lines of communication with parents and the wider community. This ensures that any misconceptions, concerns, and challenges are addressed beforehand. Schools must ensure that parents get a forum to air their views about social-emotional learning skills and be on the same page about building a nurturing environment based on relationships and a sense of belonging. Outline the Outcomes of an SEL Program When parents know exactly what the aim of the SEL program is and what the outcomes look like, they are more likely to join the team. Reduce the use of educational acronyms or jargon-based messages as they are more likely to cause a stir. Despite widespread parental support for SEL-oriented skill instruction in schools, the Fordham Institute found that the phrase "social and emotional learning" is not particularly well-liked. However, clearly outlining the skills and what they look like in the real world is a successful approach to convincing parents about SEL. Promote the Significance of SEL in Today’s World As we emerge from the pandemic, SEL is especially important, and parents may need to be reminded of how much regular socialization and face-to-face instruction many children couldn't benefit from. It's crucial for parents to be aware of how schools’ establishing a secure, inclusive, and encouraging setting for children is essential for their success.

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Education Technology

21 Fastest-Growing Edtech Startups (2021)

Article | August 4, 2022

This is a list of growing startups in the education technology space. Overall, VC funding in the edtech space grew by 94% last year, reaching $13 billion. Big names like Udemy, MasterClass and Teachable might get all the attention. (And we will cover many edtech unicorns on this list.) But there are plenty of smaller, fast-growing Edtech startups to keep an eye on in 2021 and beyond. Without further ado, let's dive into the list. Teachoo 5-year search growth: 7500% Search growth status: Regular Year founded: 2014 Location: Pune, India Funding: Undisclosed What they do: Teachoo is an education platform that hosts a variety of online courses designed for English speaking students in India. Current course offering include tax preparation, Microsoft Excel and math. Outschool 5-year search growth: 6300% Search growth status: Regular Year founded: 2015 Location: San Francisco, CA Funding: $240.2M (Series D) What they do: Outschool has created an educational platform for small live classes designed for homeschooling. Specifically, students and parents can choose from over 1,000 live classes designed for children, including ballet, drawing, STEM skills and anthropology. To date the company has had 500,000 students take at least once class and a total of 140,000 classes. Outschool now has a valuation of $3 billion and teachers have generated a reported $45 million from the platform. Preply 5-year search growth: 3200% Search growth status: Exploding Year founded: 2012 Location: Brookline, Massachusetts Funding: $50.6M (Series B) What they do: Preply is an online marketplace for finding tutors in a variety of different languages. The Preply platform also contains a "structured learning" option for those that want a tutor to help them take a more organized route. In addition to rankings, Preply also ranks tutors based on a machine learning model. The company reports that they have over 100,000 students on their platform. Labster 5-year search growth: 575% Search growth status: Regular Year founded: 2011 Location: Copenhagen, Denmark Funding: $103.5M (Series C) What they do: Labster hosts several "virtual labs" for doing experiments in VR. Specifically, students use VR and AR software to practice lab techniques virtually. The major benefit is that students can practice in a safe environment. And prepare them for real-world lab work. Labster currently has over 150 virtual labs on its platform and boasts over 1,000 University clients. Cambly 5-year search growth: 99X+ Search growth status: Regular Year founded: 2012 Location: San Francisco, CA Funding: Undisclosed (Series B) What they do: Cambly is an on-demand video platform for finding English language tutors. Includes features for lesson recordings, chat translations, courses and certifications. Cambly has a plan specifically for organizations that want to learn English. Lessonly 5-year search growth: -4% Search growth status: Regular Year founded: 2012 Location: Indianapolis, Indiana Funding: $29.1M (Series C) What they do: Lessonly is software to help facilitate in-house staff training for companies. In other words, it's a learning platform for the B2B market. Their software comes with plug-and-play modules for training customer service reps and sales staff. Along with interactive tools that help employees practice scenarios they'll face in the real world. Embrace 5-year search growth: 1900% Search growth status: Regular Year founded: 1999 Location: Highland, Illinois Funding: Undisclosed What they do: Embrace is a tool for helping teachers document student performance in the classroom. The tool is designed to save educator's time when creating lesson plans and documenting results. Embrace reports that their tool cuts down reporting time by about 50% compared to traditional methods. GoPractice 5-year search growth: 0% Search growth status: Peaked Year founded: 2013 Location: Simpsonville, South Carolina Funding: Undisclosed What they do: GoPractice is an online training program for learning how to grow a customer base. Unlike some of the other edtech companies on this list, GoPractice doesn't offer a variety of courses in different areas. Instead, their 12-week course is designed to help startups find product market fit, launch, and scale their product. GoPractice includes lessons on product management, systems thinking, and data analytics. BetterUp 5-year search growth: 600% Search growth status: Regular Year founded: 2013 Location: San Francisco, CA Funding: $569.8M (Series E) What they do: BetterUp is a coaching and training platform designed to boost employee engagement and productivity. Focused on enterprise companies, BetterUp is technically SaaS. But also delivers coaching services through its platform. The company is currently valued at $4.7 billion and has raised $600 million. CuriosityStream 5-year search growth: 273% Search growth status: Regular Year founded: 2015 Location: Silver Spring, Maryland Funding: $279.7M (Post-IPO Equity) What they do: CuriosityStream is "Netflix for educational content", like documentaries and educational series. Plans range from $2.99/mo for HD video to $9.99 for 4K quality. CuriosityStream's advisory board includes notable names like Glenn Close, Don Henley, and Michio Kaku. In Q3 2021, CuriosityStream posted $18.7 million in revenue and grew their direct subscriber count by 50% over the past year. Udemy 5-year search growth: 223% Search growth status: Regular Year founded: 2009 Location: San Francisco, CA Funding: $311.4M (Secondary Market) What they do: Udemy is a platform with 130,00 courses on dozens of different topics, from marketing to singing. In addition to à la carte course offerings, Udemy also has a "Udemy for Business" plan. This a subscription service that allows unlimited access to 5,000 courses. Lingoda 5-year search growth: 900% Search growth status: Regular Year founded: 2013 Location: Berlin, Germany Funding: $79.1M (Private Equity) What they do: Lingoda is an online language school. The startup’s platform offers group or 1-to-1 classes in English, German, French, or Spanish. Also, Lingoda develops its own learning material in-house, which helps standardize the methodology. The company reports that they have 70,000 students and 1,400 teachers. GoStudent 5-year search growth: 4900% Search growth status: Regular Year founded: 2016 Location: Vienna, Austria Funding: $345.4M (Series C) What they do: GoStudent is an online tutoring platform. The website helps find tutors across 14 different school subjects, from math to English. The site claims to have more than 10,000 students. In November 2021, GoStudent became the highest valued K through 12 education technology platform in Europe with a valuation of $1.6 billion. Brainly 5-year search growth: 2000% Search growth status: Exploding Year founded: 2009 Location: Kraków, Poland Funding: $148.5M (Series D) What they do: Brainly is a social learning network. Users can ask questions about a range of different school subjects. And help their peers in order to receive points. The number of Brainly users grew from 150 million users in 2019 to 350 million a year later. Cuemath 5-year search growth: 300% Search growth status: Exploding Year founded: 2013 Location: Bengaluru, India Funding: $64.5M (Series C) What they do: Cuemath operates a live-class platform for learning math and coding. Classes are held on Cuemath’s own platform with access to video calls and personalized worksheets. Parents can track the progress of their child on the app, which updates after each class. Quizizz 5-year search growth: 1328% Search growth status: Regular Year founded: 2015 Location: Bangalore, India Funding: $47M (Series B) What they do: Quizizz is a gamified learning platform for children and employees. Teachers can create quizzes or use a library of existing content for student assignments. Employers can create polls or quizzes to support employee training (during presentations, onboarding, etc.). Reports are available in the product with instant feedback on class performance. Photomath 5-year search growth: 470% Search growth status: Regular Year founded: 2014 Location: San Mateo, CA Funding: $29M (Series B) What they do: Photomath is a mobile application for solving mathematical equations instantly. The app uses the smartphone's camera to scan math problems and provide solutions with step-by-step explanations. Photomath has more than 220 million downloads from App Store and Google Play. Mursion 5-year search growth: -38% Search growth status: Peaked Year founded: 2014 Location: San Francisco, CA Funding: $35.1M (Series B) What they do: Mursion is a VR training platform for workplace training. Specifically, developing "emotional quotient" (EQ) skills. Their product delivers personalized simulations with the use of AI and human specialists. The company has offers training programs for leadership training, healthcare, and more. SplashLearn 5-year search growth: 4900% Search growth status: Regular Year founded: 2010 Location: Gurugram, India Funding: $25M (Series C) What they do: SplashLearn is a gamified math learning product for elementary school children. Their content library includes more than 4,000 games designed to explain math concepts. RangeForce 5-year search growth: 700% Search growth status: Peaked Year founded: 2015 Location: Manassas, VA Funding: $18M (Series A) What they do: RangeForce operates a cloud-based learning platform for cybersecurity training. The startup's product offers a cyber attack simulator for employees to improve their skills. Managers can track the team's performance with reporting features. CoachHub 5-year search growth: 99X+ Search growth status: Regular Year founded: 2018 Location: Berlin, Germany Funding: $133M (Series B) What they do: CoachHub is a B2B digital coaching provider. This startup creates personalized talent development programs for employees to hone their skills and delivers them remotely via video. Employees and HR teams can measure performance within the application. CoachHub has more than 2,500 business coaches in its network. Conclusion That completes this list of 21 Edtech startups with significant growth in 2021. What stands out about many of these companies is the fact that they cater to completely different markets, from schoolchildren all the way up to executives that spend most of their time in B2B boardrooms.

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Education Technology

3 Inclusive Classroom Strategies to Use for Higher Student Enrollment

Article | May 21, 2022

In 2021, the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center reported that student enrollments were at an all-time low. Community college enrollment dipped by 11% while post-secondary enrollment saw a dip of 4.2% year-on-year. The impact of the last two years’ events clearly demonstrates the strain faced by all levels of educational institutions. The shift to the virtual classroom setup also saw parents and students recognize the importance of teaching and learning online. The significance of a virtual classroom is emphasized more than ever. It has forced schools to improve their online teaching infrastructure so that they can keep growing. But this has also affected inclusivity. According to UNESCO, school closures during the pandemic affected 1.2 billion children in 186 countries. In this article, we discuss why virtual learning is in dire need of inclusivity and inclusive learning practices. Why Does Inclusive Learning Matter in the Era of Zoom Classes? Edtech is a booming industry. In 2019, edtech investments reached a whopping US $18 billion. Further, the online education market is estimated to cross the $350 billion mark by 2025. There is no doubt that learning institutions are investing heavily in online learning. But inclusivity is still lagging far behind. The OECD’s Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) found that 25% of secondary school-aged students from underprivileged backgrounds lack a computer. The writing on the wall is clear. Virtual learning is bound to widen the divide, and its impact will be felt most by underprivileged students. For educational institutions, delivering a positively inclusive learning experience online is essential to attracting students who do have access to educational technology. “In the higher education space, most schools were, and still are, predominantly focused on that in-person campus visit to do all those same things, but it’s expensive and it means only students and parents who travel to campus can get that real-life feel and experience.” - Matthew Pellish, Vice President of Strategy and Business Development at CampusReel Bringing Personalization to the Virtual Classroom Although virtual learning has stripped away the human touch that accompanies a classroom setting, there are ways to make it more engaging and meaningful. Engage students even before the class starts. This can be done by setting an agenda for the session beforehand and asking students to send in their queries and expectations from the session. Turning the greeting into a short discussion is a great way to engage everyone right off the bat. Tools like Zoom make it simpler to personalize every class with features like backgrounds and notes. Use the chat feature generously. Teaching and learning online has to be a one-sided flow of information for it to be effective. However, the chat feature empowers teachers to break the monotony. The best way to keep students attentive is through personalization. Attentiveness can be achieved by asking many questions, even if they are simply yes-or-no questions. It enables teachers to keep a check on engagement and pivot when needed. Simulating a Sense of Community A discussion on an inclusive learning environment is incomplete without mentioning student community building. Online teaching and learning is limited in its ability to provide a sense of community. Since students are physically separated from their peers, one-on-one connections are lacking. Despite the distance, there are a few solutions you can use to reduce the distance virtually. Identify the type of community you want to develop. Whether you’re offering synchronous or asynchronous courses, it is crucial to keep the student-peer-instructor link active. Create a loop of feedback between teachers and students to enable community building. Modern tools offer a number of ways to seek feedback that provides insight on teaching style and the general classroom environment. Create a classroom forum online. Forums offer the best of two-way interactions with a platform outside of the online class. This ensures constancy and inclusive learning even after the class is over. For those who weren’t able to attend due to technical difficulties or poor connectivity, they never lose track of what’s going on. Cultivating Two-Way Interaction Two-way interactions are an integral part of engaging learning experiences. Inclusive classroom activities online may not completely replace them, but much can be done to build a more involved form of communication. One way to design such activities is to use the Kanevsky and Keighly framework to engage students with the five Cs: choice, challenge, control, complexity, and care. Use screen sharing and remote access tools. Physical classrooms offer avenues for students to present to their peers. In a virtual classroom setting, this can be achieved with screen sharing. Empower students to retain better by making them present their perspective and understanding of different concepts. This gives other students the impetus to do the same. Initiate group discussions through your course management system. Inviting students to design the resources and collaborate on group projects will jumpstart in-depth discussions. Many course management systems allow students to share their notes with each other. This creates inclusive learning environment. Finally: Why Will the Online University Experience Will Attract More Students Although learning institutions are beginning to open up for the in-person learning experience, the effectiveness of a virtual classroom is undeniable. Like remote working, remote learning is gaining ground, and inclusive online teaching is inevitably important. A Cengage survey revealed that 68% of students prefer hybrid learning: a combination of online and offline course delivery. In addition, the Department of Education’s Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) found that the number of students who enrolled in online-only programs rose from 3.5 million during the fall to 5.8 million. Fostering meaningful, hands-on learning similar to that in a classroom is difficult. Even though student enrollment in online courses is rising, learning institutions are facing the challenge of delivering a highly engaging learning experience. But with an understanding of the learning outcome and the right tools, institutions can develop robust, inclusive classroom activities that every student will want to benefit from. Frequently Asked Questions Do students and teachers prefer online teaching and learning? According to a recent survey by Cengage, about 73% of students prefer some courses to be delivered fully online. In addition, 57% of teachers said they prefer teaching hybrid courses over online-only courses. Is online teaching and learning a growing trend? Yes. Online learning platform Coursera experienced a huge spike in enrollments. In 2021, enrollment increased by 32% and peaked at 189 million. What are the principles of inclusive education? The principles of inclusive education are: Togetherness Participation Acceptance Equality

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Crimson Consulting

Crimson Education empowers students to reimagine what's possible. Crimson helps students achieve their dream of getting into the top universities in the world. With over 20 locations around the globe and over 2000 advisors, Crimson provides customised admissions support for every student.

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Continuing Education

Venbrook Launches National Higher Ed Division To Deliver Complete Risk Management Solutions for Schools, Students, And Staff; Alison Myers At The Helm

PR Newswire | October 12, 2023

Venbrook Group, LLC ("Venbrook"), one of the largest independent insurance distribution and services firms in the U.S., today announced the formation of a national Higher Education division to bring a holistic approach to risk management solutions for K-12 schools, universities, faculty, staff, and students for all their insurance needs. The new division falls under Venbrook's Employee Benefits vertical, led by Alison Myers ("Myers"), Executive Vice President. Venbrook's new Higher Ed division will tailor customized risk management solutions for campuses across the U.S., helping schools identify insurance needs and relieve staff from the complexity and administration of policy implementation. The new division brings together the expertise of Venbrook's risk management team for all lines of coverage for K-12, community colleges, and private and public universities nationally. The Division will also employ a fully integrated technology solution to assist with implementation, policy, and claims management, as well as providing an accessible member-facing portal focused on engagement and care management. Assisting Myers is Mike Conway, long time industry veteran, who joins Venbrook as the new Head of Strategy & Business Development. Conway has more than 20 years of experience in student insurance and was part of the student insurance team at Aetna, as well as being part of Anthem's student division. Conway will focus on the strategic direction of the division and help grow the national footprint of the company's Higher Ed offering. In my experience, one of the biggest challenges facing schools is reaching students to connect them to the right health, wellness and insurance programs they need, said Conway. We want to make health and wellness a priority, alongside school staff, so students reach their academic goal of graduation. And we want to make sure campuses and their staff's insurance needs aren't overlooked. This new program will bring a whole campus solution to schools and I couldn't be more thrilled to join Venbrook and bring this program to market. "We are excited about the launch of our Higher Ed division and bringing Mike on board to grow our platform," said Myers. "The market is in need of a holistic approach to insurance for schools, students, and faculty. Our investments in infrastructure and the build out of our new technology platform will help alleviate the administrative burden for schools, while providing a seamless solution for students." About Venbrook® Venbrook Group, LLC is a holdings company with subsidiaries engaged in retail broking, wholesale broking, specialty programs, and claims services. Venbrook caters to a national client base across myriad industries with divergent needs. Venbrook's team of experts and industry specialists' partner with their clients to manage their risks, create security, promote growth and add value by delivering best-in-class insurance products and programs.

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Education Technology

Watermark’s Educational Impact Suite Unifies Disjointed Technologies in Higher Education

Business Wire | October 10, 2023

Watermark, a leading provider of software solutions for higher education, proudly unveils the Educational Impact Suite (EIS), a comprehensive and interconnected suite of tools that unifies organizational leadership, student success, and continuous improvement, serving as an institution's internal compass. Grounded in the ethos of Education Impact, the EIS will revolutionize operational strategies for leaders, administrators, and faculty to maximize engagement, impact, and institutional storytelling. While technological advancements have historically moved slowly in higher education, recent years have seen an unprecedented boom in education technology, forging an inescapable tension between tradition and innovation. The challenges of pandemic learning exemplified this, thrusting educational institutions into uncharted territories as they scrambled to facilitate remote learning amidst a global crisis. The urgency to adapt often overshadows strategic foresight, leading to disjointed and fragmented solutions. EIS seeks to transform institutions' overarching challenges into opportunities to adapt and evolve. “Higher education is at a pivotal juncture, where the fusion of tradition and innovation is essential,” said Erin Shy, CEO of Watermark. “The Educational Impact Suite is the bridge that connects data with process. That bridge simplifies internal operations to provide a clearer view for faculty, staff, and leaders. With this clarity, we're facilitating learning environments where insights drive action, ensuring that institutions' strategies are as impactful as they are intentional.” Digital sprawl leads institutions to spend most of their time collecting data rather than understanding it. By connecting all of Watermark’s solutions together and establishing strong integrations with top LMS and SIS systems, the EIS breaks down data silos to help institutions uncover actionable insights. At launch, the EIS is focused on: Comprehensive Integration & Efficiency: The EIS encompasses a range of tools, each honed to deliver distinct insights and optimize workflows. When harnessed collectively, institutions unlock exponential value, break down data silos, and bolster cross-functional coordination to amplify their impact. Data-Driven Insights in Context: With EIS, analytics are not just numbers on a screen. They're carefully curated, placed in the context of daily workflows, and designed to highlight areas for improvement, thereby supporting institutional effectiveness and student success. This distinguishes EIS from all point solutions in the market. Student-Centric Vision: From curriculum development to course performance assessment and faculty impact analysis, the student's experience remains at the forefront. EIS is built with the institution's influence on the student journey as its core focus. "The confluence of insights and impact becomes the backbone of transformation,” said Alex Leader, Chief Impact Officer at Watermark. “When insights are not just gleaned but acted upon, they become the very footprints of impact. By meticulously curating and connecting data across an institution, the EIS will build connective tissue between Institutional Effectiveness and Student Success teams to drive support structures that are informed and holistic. This ensures that every initiative contributes to an institution's lasting impact on its students and empowers that legacy to be meaningfully communicated.” For more information about the Watermark EIS, visit www.watermarkinsights.com/solutions. About Watermark Watermark gives higher education institutions the tools they need to easily track, manage, and examine their data. For over twenty years, colleges and universities have used Watermark solutions to complete assessment and accreditation requirements, capture and analyze student feedback, showcase faculty accomplishments, and improve student engagement. Watermark's Educational Impact Suite (EIS) puts data into context so faculty and staff can focus on what really matters: institutional and student success. Learn why Watermark is trusted by over 1,700 colleges and universities to support continuous improvement at www.watermarkinsights.com.

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Continuing Education

Ellucian Partners with Portare Solutions to Accelerate SaaS Transformation of UK and Ireland Higher Education Institutions

PR Newswire | October 05, 2023

Ellucian, the leading higher education technology solutions provider, today announced a strategic partnership with Portare Solutions, a leading change management consultancy in the United Kingdom with more than 32 years of experience, to accelerate, support and enhance the transition to Software as a Service (SaaS) student information systems for higher education institutions in the UK and Ireland. Portare Solutions has extensive experience in leading change associated with student information system projects, and has designed a framework with Ellucian to focus on cultural change. It will play a pivotal role in transforming institutions' business processes to ensure they make the most out of new technology solutions, supporting staff in adapting the way they work and de-risking projects. We're thrilled to partner with Portare Solutions, a standout leader in change management support. Their expertise and unique approach will play a crucial role in managing the change associated with student information system SaaS projects, said Jeff Dinski, Chief Strategy and Corporate Development Officer, Ellucian. This partnership underscores our commitment to providing the best possible service to our customers, helping them navigate transformation, support their staff, and get the most out of their technology investment. "We are delighted to partner with Ellucian, a global leader in higher education SaaS solutions, to help institutions achieve their goals," said Krissi Sanft, Co-Founder and Managing Director, Portare Solutions. "This partnership is a natural fit, as we share a common vision for the future of higher education. We are confident that together, we can make a real difference in the lives of students and faculty." "Through the partnership, Ellucian and Portare Solutions will together provide institutions with the tools and resources they need to leverage the best from new technologies," added Tilden Lamb, Co-Founder and Managing Director, Portare Solutions. For more information about Portare Solutions, visit: https://portaresolutions.com/. For more information on Ellucian solutions, visit: https://www.ellucian.com/ or contact matt.searles@ellucian.com About Portare Solutions Portare Solutions is a leader in change and transformation helping organisations to mature change capability and management processes to enable strategic evolution. We are committed to tangibly assisting our clients to achieve the best results and put strategic initiatives into action. Everything we do is centred around change and transformation and we have significant experience in the implementation of education technology in the higher education sector. As well as this, we support our clients across a number of connected business areas including business technology and data strategy, organisational design and operating model, portfolio and programme design and delivery, change as a service, assurance services and we can help to build flexible and permanent skill sets and teams. We work through partnership and we live by our values; trust, integrity and transparency. About Ellucian Ellucian powers innovation for higher education, partnering with more than 2,900 customers across 50 countries, serving 22 million students. Fueled by decades of experience with a singular focus on the unique needs of learning institutions, the Ellucian platform features best-in-class SaaS capabilities and delivers insights needed now and into the future. These solutions and services span the entire student lifecycle, including data-rich tools for student recruitment, enrollment, and retention to workforce analytics, fundraising, and alumni engagement. Ellucian's innovative solutions, vast ecosystem of partners and user community of more than 45,000 provides best practices leading to greater institutional success and achieving better student outcomes.

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Continuing Education

Venbrook Launches National Higher Ed Division To Deliver Complete Risk Management Solutions for Schools, Students, And Staff; Alison Myers At The Helm

PR Newswire | October 12, 2023

Venbrook Group, LLC ("Venbrook"), one of the largest independent insurance distribution and services firms in the U.S., today announced the formation of a national Higher Education division to bring a holistic approach to risk management solutions for K-12 schools, universities, faculty, staff, and students for all their insurance needs. The new division falls under Venbrook's Employee Benefits vertical, led by Alison Myers ("Myers"), Executive Vice President. Venbrook's new Higher Ed division will tailor customized risk management solutions for campuses across the U.S., helping schools identify insurance needs and relieve staff from the complexity and administration of policy implementation. The new division brings together the expertise of Venbrook's risk management team for all lines of coverage for K-12, community colleges, and private and public universities nationally. The Division will also employ a fully integrated technology solution to assist with implementation, policy, and claims management, as well as providing an accessible member-facing portal focused on engagement and care management. Assisting Myers is Mike Conway, long time industry veteran, who joins Venbrook as the new Head of Strategy & Business Development. Conway has more than 20 years of experience in student insurance and was part of the student insurance team at Aetna, as well as being part of Anthem's student division. Conway will focus on the strategic direction of the division and help grow the national footprint of the company's Higher Ed offering. In my experience, one of the biggest challenges facing schools is reaching students to connect them to the right health, wellness and insurance programs they need, said Conway. We want to make health and wellness a priority, alongside school staff, so students reach their academic goal of graduation. And we want to make sure campuses and their staff's insurance needs aren't overlooked. This new program will bring a whole campus solution to schools and I couldn't be more thrilled to join Venbrook and bring this program to market. "We are excited about the launch of our Higher Ed division and bringing Mike on board to grow our platform," said Myers. "The market is in need of a holistic approach to insurance for schools, students, and faculty. Our investments in infrastructure and the build out of our new technology platform will help alleviate the administrative burden for schools, while providing a seamless solution for students." About Venbrook® Venbrook Group, LLC is a holdings company with subsidiaries engaged in retail broking, wholesale broking, specialty programs, and claims services. Venbrook caters to a national client base across myriad industries with divergent needs. Venbrook's team of experts and industry specialists' partner with their clients to manage their risks, create security, promote growth and add value by delivering best-in-class insurance products and programs.

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Education Technology

Watermark’s Educational Impact Suite Unifies Disjointed Technologies in Higher Education

Business Wire | October 10, 2023

Watermark, a leading provider of software solutions for higher education, proudly unveils the Educational Impact Suite (EIS), a comprehensive and interconnected suite of tools that unifies organizational leadership, student success, and continuous improvement, serving as an institution's internal compass. Grounded in the ethos of Education Impact, the EIS will revolutionize operational strategies for leaders, administrators, and faculty to maximize engagement, impact, and institutional storytelling. While technological advancements have historically moved slowly in higher education, recent years have seen an unprecedented boom in education technology, forging an inescapable tension between tradition and innovation. The challenges of pandemic learning exemplified this, thrusting educational institutions into uncharted territories as they scrambled to facilitate remote learning amidst a global crisis. The urgency to adapt often overshadows strategic foresight, leading to disjointed and fragmented solutions. EIS seeks to transform institutions' overarching challenges into opportunities to adapt and evolve. “Higher education is at a pivotal juncture, where the fusion of tradition and innovation is essential,” said Erin Shy, CEO of Watermark. “The Educational Impact Suite is the bridge that connects data with process. That bridge simplifies internal operations to provide a clearer view for faculty, staff, and leaders. With this clarity, we're facilitating learning environments where insights drive action, ensuring that institutions' strategies are as impactful as they are intentional.” Digital sprawl leads institutions to spend most of their time collecting data rather than understanding it. By connecting all of Watermark’s solutions together and establishing strong integrations with top LMS and SIS systems, the EIS breaks down data silos to help institutions uncover actionable insights. At launch, the EIS is focused on: Comprehensive Integration & Efficiency: The EIS encompasses a range of tools, each honed to deliver distinct insights and optimize workflows. When harnessed collectively, institutions unlock exponential value, break down data silos, and bolster cross-functional coordination to amplify their impact. Data-Driven Insights in Context: With EIS, analytics are not just numbers on a screen. They're carefully curated, placed in the context of daily workflows, and designed to highlight areas for improvement, thereby supporting institutional effectiveness and student success. This distinguishes EIS from all point solutions in the market. Student-Centric Vision: From curriculum development to course performance assessment and faculty impact analysis, the student's experience remains at the forefront. EIS is built with the institution's influence on the student journey as its core focus. "The confluence of insights and impact becomes the backbone of transformation,” said Alex Leader, Chief Impact Officer at Watermark. “When insights are not just gleaned but acted upon, they become the very footprints of impact. By meticulously curating and connecting data across an institution, the EIS will build connective tissue between Institutional Effectiveness and Student Success teams to drive support structures that are informed and holistic. This ensures that every initiative contributes to an institution's lasting impact on its students and empowers that legacy to be meaningfully communicated.” For more information about the Watermark EIS, visit www.watermarkinsights.com/solutions. About Watermark Watermark gives higher education institutions the tools they need to easily track, manage, and examine their data. For over twenty years, colleges and universities have used Watermark solutions to complete assessment and accreditation requirements, capture and analyze student feedback, showcase faculty accomplishments, and improve student engagement. Watermark's Educational Impact Suite (EIS) puts data into context so faculty and staff can focus on what really matters: institutional and student success. Learn why Watermark is trusted by over 1,700 colleges and universities to support continuous improvement at www.watermarkinsights.com.

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Continuing Education

Ellucian Partners with Portare Solutions to Accelerate SaaS Transformation of UK and Ireland Higher Education Institutions

PR Newswire | October 05, 2023

Ellucian, the leading higher education technology solutions provider, today announced a strategic partnership with Portare Solutions, a leading change management consultancy in the United Kingdom with more than 32 years of experience, to accelerate, support and enhance the transition to Software as a Service (SaaS) student information systems for higher education institutions in the UK and Ireland. Portare Solutions has extensive experience in leading change associated with student information system projects, and has designed a framework with Ellucian to focus on cultural change. It will play a pivotal role in transforming institutions' business processes to ensure they make the most out of new technology solutions, supporting staff in adapting the way they work and de-risking projects. We're thrilled to partner with Portare Solutions, a standout leader in change management support. Their expertise and unique approach will play a crucial role in managing the change associated with student information system SaaS projects, said Jeff Dinski, Chief Strategy and Corporate Development Officer, Ellucian. This partnership underscores our commitment to providing the best possible service to our customers, helping them navigate transformation, support their staff, and get the most out of their technology investment. "We are delighted to partner with Ellucian, a global leader in higher education SaaS solutions, to help institutions achieve their goals," said Krissi Sanft, Co-Founder and Managing Director, Portare Solutions. "This partnership is a natural fit, as we share a common vision for the future of higher education. We are confident that together, we can make a real difference in the lives of students and faculty." "Through the partnership, Ellucian and Portare Solutions will together provide institutions with the tools and resources they need to leverage the best from new technologies," added Tilden Lamb, Co-Founder and Managing Director, Portare Solutions. For more information about Portare Solutions, visit: https://portaresolutions.com/. For more information on Ellucian solutions, visit: https://www.ellucian.com/ or contact matt.searles@ellucian.com About Portare Solutions Portare Solutions is a leader in change and transformation helping organisations to mature change capability and management processes to enable strategic evolution. We are committed to tangibly assisting our clients to achieve the best results and put strategic initiatives into action. Everything we do is centred around change and transformation and we have significant experience in the implementation of education technology in the higher education sector. As well as this, we support our clients across a number of connected business areas including business technology and data strategy, organisational design and operating model, portfolio and programme design and delivery, change as a service, assurance services and we can help to build flexible and permanent skill sets and teams. We work through partnership and we live by our values; trust, integrity and transparency. About Ellucian Ellucian powers innovation for higher education, partnering with more than 2,900 customers across 50 countries, serving 22 million students. Fueled by decades of experience with a singular focus on the unique needs of learning institutions, the Ellucian platform features best-in-class SaaS capabilities and delivers insights needed now and into the future. These solutions and services span the entire student lifecycle, including data-rich tools for student recruitment, enrollment, and retention to workforce analytics, fundraising, and alumni engagement. Ellucian's innovative solutions, vast ecosystem of partners and user community of more than 45,000 provides best practices leading to greater institutional success and achieving better student outcomes.

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