Learning Experience



Welcome to the EDUCAUSE Managers Institute, a place to optimize your management and launch the next stage of your leadership journey! Through this experience, you will gain a comprehensive understanding of what it takes to be a highly purposeful manager in higher education while putting into practice the tools and strategies needed to thrive in your role.

Throughout the program, you will engage in facilitated discussions, small group conversations, real-world interactive scenarios, and concise presentations from experienced leaders to deepen your learning.

What to Expect:

  • Learning Activities – Interactive discussions, group work, and scenario-based learning
  • Assignments – Practice exercises and real-world applications
  • Recommended Resources – Readings, videos, and tools for deeper exploration
  • Reflections – Structured time to consolidate learning and set actionable goals

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Agenda

To complete the program and earn the microcredential, learners will dedicate approximately 26 hours over two full days and two half days, including required attendance at 22 hours of live virtual sessions and four to five hours of pre-work and homework throughout the program.

Please Note: To get the most out of this Institute, we strongly encourage you to step away from day-to-day responsibilities and be fully present throughout the program.

All times listed in Eastern Time (ET).

Monday, June 8
9:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
Tuesday, June 9
9:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
Wednesday, June 10
9:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m.
Thursday, June 11
9:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m.

Institute Welcome

Leadership Mindset & Ethics

Leading Through Change

MID-DAY BREAK

Strategic Communication & Persuasion

Negotiation & Conflict Resolution

Team Development & Coaching

Delegation & Mentoring

MID-DAY BREAK

Budgeting Priorities

Budget Advocacy

Maximizing Resources

Stakeholder Management

Decisions Under Competing Demands

Organizational Agility

Institute Closing Ceremony

Homework
Approximately 1 hour of homework each night.
Homework
Approximately 1 hour of homework each night.
Homework
Approximately 1 hour of homework each night.

**Please note that sessions are not recorded. Dedicated break times are scheduled throughout.

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Competencies

Managing and leading both require a shift in mindset, responsibility, and influence. In this competency, you will assess your strengths and opportunities for growth through a leadership gap analysis, apply emotional intelligence to make ethical decisions that balance immediate needs with long-term values, and use change management strategies to guide teams through transitions with clarity, adaptability, and shared commitment.

By the end of this competency, you will be able to:

  • Distinguish between managing and leading, identifying the shifts in mindset, responsibility, and influence.
  • Conduct a leadership gap analysis to identify your current strengths and opportunities for growth and navigate the transition from effective manager to impactful leader.
  • Use emotional intelligence to make ethical decisions that balance operational demands with long-term vision and institutional values.
  • Apply change management strategies to lead teams through organizational transitions, innovations, and evolving priorities with clarity, adaptability, and shared commitment.

Management depends on adapting communication strategies to build trust, foster accountability, and align teams with institutional goals. In this competency, you will strengthen your ability to navigate conflict and competing priorities, use high-impact presentations to engage diverse audiences, and apply conflict resolution frameworks to address tensions constructively, maintain momentum, and support collaboration.

By the end of this competency, you will be able to:

  • Adapt communication strategies to navigate complex dynamics, support accountability and teamwork, build trust, and align with institutional goals.
  • Navigate organizational conflict by aligning communication strategies with institutional goals, maintaining momentum during periods of change, and balancing competing priorities.
  • Use communication techniques, including high-impact presentations and briefings, to engage diverse audiences, align with institutional goals, and influence, persuade, and negotiate in situations involving competing priorities or limited resources.
  • Apply conflict resolution frameworks to address tensions constructively, support accountability, foster constructive dialogue, and support trust.

Successful management requires developing teams through intentional delegation, coaching, and feedback. In this competency, you will empower team members through shared ownership, apply mentoring strategies to strengthen performance, and practice giving and receiving feedback that is timely and actionable. You will also build development plans that align expectations, support growth, and recognize strengths.

By the end of this competency, you will be able to:

  • Delegate with intention to empower team members, grow capacity, and foster shared ownership.
  • Use coaching and mentoring strategies to support individual growth, drive accountability, and strengthen team performance.
  • Give and receive feedback that is timely, actionable, and aligned with shared goals.
  • Build a team development plan that integrates performance expectations, ongoing support, continuous improvement, and recognition of strengths.

Strategic management requires using financial data and institutional priorities to align budgets with mission-critical outcomes. In this competency, you will interpret your unit’s financial approach, make informed resource decisions, and balance fiscal constraints with long-term goals. You will also identify opportunities for efficiency and innovation to stretch limited resources and increase impact.

By the end of this competency, you will be able to:

  • Use financial data and institutional priorities to align budgets with mission-critical outcomes and institutional financial goals.
  • Interpret your unit’s financial approach and apply it to make informed, strategic resource decisions.
  • Examine the impact of budget allocations and fiscal constraints on services and resources and learn to prioritize effectively through a future-focused lens.
  • Identify opportunities for operational efficiency and innovation to stretch limited resources and increase impact.

Strong management requires building stakeholder alignment through proactive engagement, clear expectations, and shared ownership. In this competency, you will apply prioritization techniques to manage competing demands, lead teams through ongoing change to build agility, and leverage data to monitor progress, allocate resources, and inform timely decisions.

By the end of this competency, you will be able to:

  • Build stakeholder alignment through proactive engagement, clear expectations, and shared ownership.
  • Apply prioritization techniques to manage competing demands, resource constraints, and shifting institutional priorities.
  • Lead teams through continuous change and shifting priorities to drive organizational agility and strategic impact.
  • Identify and leverage data to monitor project progress, manage people and resources, and inform timely decisions.