Digital Transformation at The University of Pretoria

The Scope

Digitising a long-standing industry is a daunting task. With so many practices and approaches already implemented in a manner that seeks no renovation, applying an innovative approach to streamlining tasks, administration and operations can only be done through the use of technology.

Universities and learning institutions are also faced with developing an adaptation to the digital environment with fluctuating circumstances, a growing student body and an operational method that must implement this growth fast and effectively.
 
Along with these changes, the status of education is consistently evolving along with advancements in teaching and advancements in technology. This was the case with the University of Pretoria where The Strategists were approached by educational leaders to develop a strategy that not only leverages the current resources at UP, but also paves a new way forward for the digital transformation journey of UP.

The Method

The purpose of this strategy was to enable anyone, in any location, at any time the ability to study through the university. At the same time, the ability to provide the same level and quality of education offered physically, it was a goal to do the same online and digitally. The impact of these digital transformations not only impacted the education of learners but the administration of employees and faculty, the retention and experience of students as well as the overall experience of staff and students online.
 
We developed a four-year plan to develop and integrate an online, learning and administration platform that boosts efficiency among all key stakeholders within and surrounding the university.
 
The Strategists aimed to incorporate rather than disrupt the current nature of education at UP. Through careful, internal strategic meetings and hackathons, we created a long-lasting solution for UP that not only integrates its current educational policies and achievements but does so in a manner that transfers these capacities into a digital and online world.
 
The Strategists always focus on providing innovative approaches that not only last in the present, but also in the future.

Our firm aims to create a strategic benefit that not only lasts in the now but also in the next, creating a forward-thinking and sustainable approach toward corporate strategy entirely.
 
The University of Pretoria is one such example where appropriating an approach toward the disruptive nature of technology can be utilised as a tool to achieve goals and satisfy a plethora of role-players in the education industry.