Higher education is at a crossroads. Institutions are navigating declining enrollment, budget cuts, shifting workforce demands, and increasing calls for operational efficiency. Yet amidst these challenges, a powerful solution is gaining momentum—systemization.
Systemization is no longer just a behind-the-scenes strategy. It's becoming a transformative force that's reshaping how institutions operate, collaborate, and serve students. Ellucian's newly commissioned white paper, Scaling, Serving, Sharing, and Saving, written by Forbes contributor Derek Newton, explores this rising trend—and the real outcomes it's already delivering.
What Is Systemization?
Systemization refers to institutions working together—either through formal systems or informal partnerships—to achieve shared goals. This could mean statewide systems with centralized leadership, consortia of independent institutions pooling resources, or even tech-driven collaborations like shared data platforms. What unites them is a commitment to leveraging scale for smarter operations, stronger outcomes, and student-first impact.
Systemization isn't about sameness—it's about synergy.
What Does It Look Like Today?
Systemization takes many forms in today's higher ed landscape:
- Statewide Systems like SUNY and the California Community Colleges are aligning governance, streamlining data, and modernizing IT infrastructure across dozens—or even hundreds—of campuses.
- Consortia such as the Claremont Colleges or the Five College Consortium share services and academic programs while maintaining institutional independence.
- Mission-Driven Collaborations, like the HBCU Course-Sharing Consortium, are increasing student flexibility and institutional revenue through shared learning experiences.
- Even cross-country alliances, like the recent partnership between Antioch and Oberlin, are forming to extend program reach and cut duplicative costs.
These models prove that systemization is flexible—and increasingly essential.
The Impact: Six Critical Areas
Drawing from interviews with over two dozen higher ed leaders, the white paper identifies six areas where systemization is delivering meaningful results:
- Unified Data: Shared cloud-based platforms are improving analytics, unlocking AI capabilities, and enabling better decision-making.
- Student Experience: Institutions are streamlining admissions, transfer processes, and course-sharing to help students graduate faster and with fewer barriers.
- Community Outcomes: Coordinated systems are supporting local economies, boosting degree completion, and aligning with workforce needs.
- Compliance & Reporting: Standardized systems simplify regulatory reporting and improve transparency.
- Institutional Resourcing: Sharing resources like faculty, tech, and academic programs helps under-resourced institutions thrive.
- Cybersecurity: Unified IT strategies are enhancing data security and resilience across campuses.
Whether solving for efficiency, equity, or experience, systemization provides a scalable framework for addressing the most urgent challenges in higher education today.
The Time to Act is Now
Systemization isn't a future vision—it's happening now, and the institutions leading the way are already seeing results. If you’re exploring how to strengthen your system, simplify operations, or better serve students across campuses, this white paper offers guidance, inspiration, and proven strategies.
Download Ellucian's commissioned white paper—written by Forbes contributor Derek Newton—and discover how systemization can help your institution or system scale smarter, serve better, and drive lasting impact.
