Higher education market research, campus planning, studens needs, feasibiliby study A higher education market research and strategic marketing group
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Higher Education Market Research and Strategic Planning
We are a strategic marketing group offering student need assessments,
branding market research, campus planning, and economic impact studies.

Higher Education is becoming more competitive from a variety of perspectives. Internally, institutions must manage costs, while at the same time there's a growing need to specialize and communicate a unique message to an expanding marketplace. From the applicant's vantage, student prospects are faced with more education options than ever before. A solid marketing strategy can, therefore, directly affect the bottom line of a college, university, or continuing education institution through measurement and understanding of its position in the marketplace and by eliminating weaknesses and building upon strengths.
In this section, we will discuss how Forward Analytics' products can unlock difficult, yet critical information necessary for your institution to compete and succeed in today's marketplace. The four primary studies we offer to higher education clients are branding market research, retention studies, student need assessments and economic impact studies.
Forward Analytics is a strategic planning and market research group that has substantial experience among higher education clients. Our inclusive education marketing research services span student retention and satisfaction studies, branding market research, student needs assessments, course feasibility and curriculum planning, site location and market analysis, economic studies of workforce and employment, and campus planning (including student unions, and dormitories). Through our expertise in survey questionnaire design we collect the quantitative and qualitative data needed to empower strategic decision-making. Below, please find detail regarding how these services can benefit your institution.

Student Retention:

We have dedicated an entire page explaining the importance of student retention techniques. Please click on the link above to see if this type of service fits your needs.

Image, Awareness, and Branding Market Research and Strategy

Forward Analytics performs education market research and strategic planning assignments to determine the image of an institution held by various constituencies (high school students, parents, guidance counselors, employers, alumni, donors, etc.) Our survey questionnaire design evaluates both internal and external awareness and perceptions. Moreover, as a professional marketing group, our findings are meant to be actionable and will also identify specific market opportunities and prioritize marketing channels.
While our marketing research consultants have an in-depth understanding of higher education marketing research and strategic planning, the company also has a wealth of knowledge gained from work with corporations and various industries. Such synergy provides valuable context to all the elements of our education market research products: questionnaire design, offline and online surveying methods, data analysis, findings and report recommendations. For example, Forward Analytics incorporates Customer Value Analysis, a complex and in-depth business strategizing tool, into our education branding market research and strategy product.
The Customer Value Analysis (CVA) technique is just one example of how Forward Analytics' distinguished products and services can unlock your full market potential. CVA provides remarkable insight as to how your institution is positioned against competitors on the attributes that drive positive image and perceptions of universities and their programs. While similar in appearance to traditional image, awareness and student satisfaction studies, Customer Value Analysis provides far more accurate and useable information for brand evaluation, strategic planning, marketing and positioning purposes.
Through the application of our branding market research and strategy product, we will be able to measure the relative importance to market audiences of the key attributes and sub-attributes that determine "quality" in higher education. Market research can benchmark the perceived position of the education institution versus competitors in the provision of customer value (a factor of both quality of educational services and perceived price of education provided).
Our strategic marketing group will work with you to design a comprehensive plan, enabling you to make positive tactical moves to improve the awareness of your education institution, enhance key audience satisfaction, build upon your strengths, exploit competitors' weaknesses, and quantitatively track image improvements and changes over time.
See the Customer Value Analysis page in our Products section for a more detailed explanation of this tool.

Student Needs Assessment and Course Feasibility

Forward Analytics has the research tools, techniques and experience required to provide higher education institutions with the necessary information for a successful strategic plan. Forward Analytics employs student needs assessments to determine course and curriculum feasibility and campus facility needs.
It's almost cliché to talk about how everything has changed, and yet this is precisely what institutions are discovering, as a new generation of college students is demanding diversified curriculum and more flexible facilities. What do students want, and how can your institution best meet their needs? In order to solve this equation, Forward Analytics utilizes methods that are both quantitative and qualitative in scope.
Forward Analytics establishes a customer (potential student) demand for specific areas of study, especially in the areas of career training, continuing education, and academic services for non-traditional student groups. Our student needs assessments are designed to:
  • Provide an independent assessment regarding how the institution is meeting the educational needs of current and potential students
  • Determine if the local community has adequate access to affordable higher education services
  • Identify which higher education needs are being met or undermet within the study area

Campus Planning and Facility Needs Assessment

Forward Analytics has the research tools, techniques and experience required to provide higher education institutions with information needed to make strategic decisions regarding the development of new campus facilities or deciding how to meet the changing needs of constituent groups (i.e., sports facilities, distance learning centers, and modern gathering and recreation areas.)

To assure the success of any new campus development, our strategic planning company evaluates a full range of factors, including:
  • A basic demographic study
  • Barriers to higher education needs
  • Competing higher education institutions
  • How the market views your current and planned programs
  • Attributes that prospects use when selecting a provider of educational services
  • Capacity of the current and emerging job market to meet the needs of graduating students
We also conduct facility needs assessments, market feasibility studies, and economic impact projections for on and off-campus facilities such as student housing, student unions, student recreation centers, research and technology facilities. If you are interested in a planning study and need to reach your core constituents, you may be interested in our Feasibility Study or even a New Product Development report.
In order to serve the needs of today's diverse student body, a campus planning project needs a design team with experience in survey questionnaire design and interpretation, and intimate familiarity with the modern campus. Forward Analytics often teams with architects and planners to bring the combination of experience and dedication that will make the planning process flow smoothly and produce accurate and meaningful results.

Economic Impact Study and Community Benefit Analysis

Forward Analytics' impact studies measure the many social, cultural, educational and economic benefits afforded to regions as a result of the presence and operations of higher education institutions and their research endeavors.
There can be no doubt that higher education is a major component of the U.S. economy. Estimates show that the nation now expends more than $221 billion annually on higher education provided through 4,182 colleges and universities, with over 2,400 being private institutions.
Within their communities, universities and colleges are usually among the larger economic engines. They employ local staff, recruit faculty and guests lecturers from around the world, attract education and research funds from external sources, bring students to the community and are often focal points for regional innovation and technology.
Forward Analytics analyzes the substantial effects of Universities or Colleges on their communities, counties and states. Our economic impact study will measure the direct and indirect business volume generated by the institution, as well as the government revenues. Our university economic impact study provides added momentum to the school's marketing and public relations efforts. Our research often creates a self-fulfilling loop where upon exposure of the benefits your institution is having on the community, the community then responds with marketing in kind. The presence and operations of your higher education institution may not be adequately or empirically communicated to shareholders in your region's retail, government, corporate, and non-profit sectors.
  • Exactly how much do you contribute to your region's economy?
  • How much per sector- Construction, Taxes, Hospitality?
  • Are you a magnet for enterprise?
  • Are you educating tomorrow's workers and promoting new industries?
  • How can you better serve your community, economically and socially?
From this list of questions, it should be clear that economic impact and community benefits research is not only valuable to the board of directors, but a resource that affects, and is ultimately incorporated into a community development plan.
As a strategic marketing group, Forward Analytics works hard to surpass its clients' expectations and deliver truly enlightening reports. If you think your institution would benefit from our survey questionnaire design expertise and education marketing research services including student retention and satisfaction studies, branding market research, student needs assessments, course feasibility and curriculum planning, site location and market analysis, economic studies of workforce and employment, and campus planning, please contact us at 412-207-2114


Health care, Pharmaceutical, Arts, Tourism, and Education Planning & Research
Our education services are geared towards unlocking the information needed to help your institution grow and be successful:

Student Retention

Brand Awareness

Needs Assessment

Campus Planning

Course Feasibility

Economic Impact