Education Resource Allocation

💰 🧮 💸 🎓 A common refrain I hear when talking to college and university trustees: budgets in higher ed are unlike anything in the business world. How colleges make and spend money remains mysterious even to those who've spent their careers in higher education. That's why in the latest installment of the Higher Ed 101 series on the Future U Podcast, Michael Horn and I took a deep dive into college budgeting with Rick Staisloff, a former college CFO and founder of RPK Group. Whether you're a board member, college professor, or tuition-paying parent, this episode offers valuable insights into college budgeting—what works and what doesn't. My three takeaways: 1️⃣ College budget buckets are too large. Most institutions don't really know where they're making money or where they're spending it. "We have to get into unit cost to really understand the financial health of an institution," Staisloff told us. Most colleges don't know how much it costs to graduate a biology major versus an English major, for instance. When enrollment was growing and public funding flowed freely, this approach probably wasn't fiscally responsible but it functioned. Now, when institutions need to be strategic, leaders need greater insight into resource allocation—otherwise they're moving pennies instead of dollars. In other words: show me where you spend your money, and I'll show you what you value. 2️⃣ The lack of transparency leads to lack of accountability. While colleges might set enrollment goals, their leaders often don't know what financial targets they should be hitting. "I'm always struck at the institutions we work with at how seldom deans, chairs, budget unit heads are given a clear sense of what good looks like and what they're supposed to be achieving," Staisloff explained. 3️⃣ It's business intelligence, stupid. My biggest takeaway: how little higher ed leaders know about their business. Part of this is cultural—campuses resist discussing ROI of individual programs. Part is technological—colleges have underinvested in ERP systems, leaving them flying blind in financial forecasting. This becomes increasingly problematic as we face an enrollment cliff and federal funding uncertainty. 🎧 Listen to the full episode here: https://lnkd.in/e8zV_PSy 📺 Watch highlights of this episode as well as select full episodes on our YouTube channel: https://lnkd.in/dRRBvpiR I'm biased, but this episode should be required listening for new board members:

For years, our “Education Finance Watch” report has been sounding the alarm about insufficient levels of investment in our children's education.     Today, more than ever, education is in crisis.    This year's #EFW2024 report, produced by The World Bank and UNESCO, confirms that spending on education per child has barely changed since 2010, leaving millions without the opportunity to learn.       And this despite an increase in total education spending by governments, households, and donors.    Here are the five key findings on the state of education finance:    1. While spending is rising, it is still not enough to tackle the learning crisis, especially in low-income countries.    2. More funding alone is not enough; we need to focus on efficiency and equity.    3. Although the absolute amount of education aid is high, its share of total development aid has declined.    4. Rising debt is putting a strain on education.    5. We need more and better data reporting.    https://lnkd.in/g6uva8hs 

EdTech Company - Applying for grants? Whenever I see edtech founders applying for grants or funding, they mostly focus extensively on the product. The grant proposal usually has a brief introduction to the problem and then they discuss in length about how the product works? how it's delivering awesome outcomes? how it will change the education landscape? I understand that you want to tell more and more about the product and discuss its features, but that's just one of the important criteria. Here are other factors that many ignore: 1. What's the demand of the product? Explain (in numbers and with research) what's the demand from the customers? 2. What's your motivation to solve this problem? How is the problem closely related to you? Why did you take up this problem and not anything else? Explain your motivation. 3. How's your team prepared to make this product reach its potential? A lot of grant proposals are sent by solo-founders. They discuss how they're doing everything for the company - building, coding, marketing, sales, etc. - which is great, but it doesn't give enough evidence on how the company will survive the tough times. You need a team comprising of members with different potential. 4. Is your product able to address equity? What extra-efforts have you taken as an edtech platform to make it inclusive for neurodiverse individuals? Make it part of the proposal. Remember, your proposal is examined on different parameters and not just the features of the product - make sure you build a comprehensive one! #edtech #education #research #equity #learning #priyankeducator

Union Budget 2024-25: Transformative Impacts on Higher Education Institutions My expectations from the Union Budget 2024-25 were published in the media, and you can read them https://lnkd.in/dftyS4Wq Let me now give a few insights from the Budget 2024 related to the higher education sector. The Union Budget 2024-25 has unveiled several key measures that will significantly influence the landscape of higher education in India. With a total education allocation of ₹1.48 lakh crore, the budget aims to enhance the accessibility and quality of higher education. The provision of higher education loans up to ₹10 lakh with a 3% interest subvention will make higher education more affordable, reducing the financial burden on students and their families. Additionally, the significant increase in research funding to ₹355 crore, a 69% rise, will provide a much-needed boost to research initiatives across higher education institutions (HEIs). The plan to provide internships for 1 crore youth in 500 top companies over the next five years presents an excellent opportunity for HEIs to strengthen their ties with industry, helping bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application, and enhancing employability. Moreover, the new skilling scheme targeting 20 lakh youth over five years and the Model Skill Loan Scheme offering up to ₹7.5 lakh for 25,000 students per year align with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. The focus on digital infrastructure and skills further underscores the government’s commitment to preparing students for the digital age. However, the significant reduction in the University Grants Commission (UGC) allocation by 53% to ₹2,500 crore poses a potential challenge for HEIs that rely on UGC grants. Institutions will need to strategically manage this funding cut to ensure continuity in their programs and initiatives, necessitating a careful re-evaluation of funding strategies and resource allocation to maintain the quality of education and research. The emphasis on vocational training and skill development also calls for a strategic realignment of curricula within HEIs. At Symbiosis International University, we are committed to adapting and thriving in this evolving landscape. By fostering industry partnerships, enhancing research capabilities, and focusing on skill development, we always provide our students with a comprehensive education that prepares them for the future. While the Union Budget 2024-25 brings several opportunities for enhancing higher education, it also presents challenges that require careful strategic planning. We will leverage new initiatives effectively while managing potential funding constraints to continue our mission of delivering excellence in education. #budget2024 #SIU #symbiosis

Big wins in education funding are worth celebrating—but only if we read the fine print. Texas just approved an $8.5 billion public education package. Headlines are calling it “historic.” And in some ways, it is. Raises for veteran teachers. More equitable funding for special education. Extra dollars for early learning and school safety. But here’s what’s keeping educators up at night: 😱 The base per-student allotment barely moved. Inflation-adjusted? Most districts are still operating in the RED. First- and second-year teachers—the most vulnerable to burnout—won’t see a dime in raise money. And while the state is cracking down on uncertified teachers, it’s not clear how they’ll backfill those roles in rural and high-turnover districts. This is progress, but it’s not a fix. ☑️ Real reform means ensuring every student has a certified, supported teacher in front of them. ☑️ Real reform means giving school leaders flexible funding to meet their community’s unique needs. ☑️ And real reform means valuing all educators—not just the ones who’ve hung on the longest. Now is the time to demand better, for teachers, for schools, and most of all, for students! What do you think? #FundPublicSchools #SupportTeachers #EquityInEducation #InnovativeEducationSolutions

After a challenging 2025, and with 2026 expected to bring similar pressures, the international education sector is navigating policy shifts, capacity limits, and rising competition. Yet the outlook is not uniformly bleak. We are already seeing strong momentum across Europe and Asia, and Spring 2027 is poised for an upward trend. By 2027, we expect the U.S. and Canada to stabilise and regain growth, creating a healthier balance across major destinations. In times like these, the role of a responsible study-abroad consultant becomes even more critical. Our focus remains unwavering: - Delivering accurate, knowledgeable guidance to students - Offering end-to-end support through applications, visas, and transition abroad For our institutional partners, this is a period to consolidate and strengthen fundamentals: - Invest in team capability and training - Ensure the right information on courses, policies, and destinations reaches students - Uphold a clear commitment to ROI and long-term student success The institutions and partners who stay aligned with quality, transparency, and genuine student-first practices will continue to thrive, regardless of market cycles. The next two years will reshape the sector. Those who evolve now will lead the future of international education.

We’ve always thought of school as a place and an institution that runs steadily, with planned breaks for a given number of days and hours.   However, with the effects of climate change now all too visible, this notion stands seriously challenged. Schools are closed many times during the year when it is too hot, or too cold, or too wet or too polluted. Teaching learning time was already challenged due to irregular attendance of teachers and students alike, and the high prevalence of multi-grade classrooms across the country. Where our curriculum assumes 200-220 days of school time, the actual number of hours that children get to engage in learning is dramatically short of this norm. And it shows repeatedly in all the various surveys of learning levels.   Climate-induced breaks now exacerbate this further. What children lose out is not just the teaching-learning hours, but also the opportunity to be with their friends, play and be physically active, practice their talents, and not dawdle over screens. Those from well-resource backgrounds may be able to deal with this uneven progression much better – which will increasingly widen the gap in educational gains between the haves and have nots.   Perhaps we need to re-conceptualise school – it is not just the building and what happens there when it runs, but also what happens at home, outside, in the community, in the digital space and over the airwaves. A framework and a continuum are needed where different stakeholders may facilitate learning, including teachers, parents, local volunteers, community, through in-person or online modes, using a ‘package’ with built-in redundance. That is, multiple formats of learning opportunities (including voice-based guidance for facilitators who may not be literate) are created for those involved to make use of, depending on the circumstances. And, of course, on some days the physical school may run for longer hours than it does usually while on others it is closed as it is too dangerous to keep it open.   It is only by unshackling the school from its rigid ties to time and teachers, and by re-conceptualising it as ‘always on in a flexible mode’ run by a community of implementers with support from teachers, that we may be able to ensure continuity of learning as climate events become more and more frequent.

The African proverb, “When the music changes, so does the dance,” is highly relevant to this situation, emphasizing the need for adaptability. In a rapidly evolving world, the ability to adjust is crucial, especially in management education, where traditional methods quickly become obsolete. Developing ‘adaptive capabilities’ is essential for staying relevant and thriving amidst constant change. As Charles Darwin famously noted, “It is not the strongest or the most intelligent who will survive, but those who can best manage change.” Leading business schools exemplify this adaptability by rapidly incorporating contemporary subjects like artificial intelligence, sustainability, and ethical leadership into their curricula. These advancements not only align with global trends but also cater to the specific needs of local ecosystems. A striking example of adaptive agility was seen during the recent pandemic, as top-tier business schools transitioned seamlessly to hybrid learning models. These institutions creatively combined virtual platforms with experiential learning tools, ensuring academic continuity without compromising quality. The crisis stimulated educators to adopt innovative approaches such as virtual simulations, flipped classrooms, and AI-driven learning analytics, effectively preparing students to tackle challenges specific to India’s rural markets, SMEs, and urban industries. Real-time learning initiatives, like Industry-Academia Labs pioneered by institutions, emphasize the critical importance of experiential education. These programs bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and its practical application in dynamic business contexts. Recognizing the need to refine skills, many institutions have invested heavily in digital infrastructure, cutting-edge pedagogical tools such as case-based learning, design thinking labs, and advanced simulation exercises to equip students with competencies demanded by Industry 4.0. Government policies like NEP-2020 emphasize holistic, interdisciplinary, and skill-based education, fostering lifelong learning. This adaptability parallels the resilience of organizations like Reliance Industries, Mahindra & Mahindra, and Amazon have successfully diversified into new domains, demonstrating the resilience captured by the idiom, “The bamboo bends but does not break.” Flexibility and innovation remain essential for long-term success. Management education must prepare students with adaptive capabilities to address both foreseeable and unpredictable challenges. By nurturing agility, innovation, and resilience, institutions equip future leaders to thrive in uncertainty and master the shifting dynamics of a globalized world. As the African proverb aptly notes, “When the music changes, so does the dance,” emphasizing that adaptability is not just vital for survival but is the cornerstone of sustained growth and leadership in the 21st century.

As we search for the right balance between technology, curriculum, and human teaching, we need to stop treating these elements as competing forces. To those who believe the future of learning is a fully personalized digital experience with minimal peer learning and student-teacher interactions, that’s likely a misguided and overly optimistic vision of the power of technology. Schools are not meant to be sterile, device-driven environments. But to those who remain enamored with traditional models of instruction that rely on a single educator to do everything—differentiate for a wildly diverse group of learners, deliver engaging lessons across multiple preps, and meet endless mandates while being underpaid and overwhelmed—it’s time to wake up to the moment. When used thoughtfully, technology can dramatically enhance learning. It can accelerate the feedback students receive on their work, surface student needs in real time, and enable truly precise academic interventions, all without losing the human connection that makes teaching powerful. The path forward isn’t binary. It’s about finding the intersection where technology amplifies great teaching rather than replaces it.

The proposed shift to using family income data, rather than Free School Meals (FSM) eligibility, as the trigger for disadvantage funding could be one of the most profound changes to school funding in years. As Schools Week reports (https://lnkd.in/e5vBWB7f), the plan is to break the long standing link between FSM and Pupil Premium (PP) and instead allocate funding based on actual household income alongside community level deprivation. This is a major reset in how the system identifies and responds to disadvantage. And it’s needed. FSM has become an increasingly unreliable proxy for poverty: eligibility often misses pupils who are clearly in low-income households, while Transitional Protections have distorted the picture further. Recent Education Policy Institute analysis shows that large numbers of children in poverty still fall outside FSM criteria meaning schools do not receive support for many pupils who need it most. If designed well, this new approach should give schools serving the most deprived communities more predictable and better-targeted funding. There’s still detail to work through but the direction of travel is encouraging. For context, I set out many of these concerns a year ago when arguing that FSM reform is essential to any credible social mobility strategy: https://lnkd.in/ebu8Mbtk