The Province of Alberta has initiated a strategic review of post secondary education in the province,  Through an RFP process McKinsey and Company were selected as the lead consultants for the review.

The intent is to use the output of the review to create a ten year strategy for province wide post secondary education.  The report is due in the first calendar quarter of 2021.

Implementation

The province plans to begin implementation of the strategy in mid 2021.  Although this is billed as a ten year strategy there seems to be some urgency to begin formal implementation of the associated tactical initiatives.

Even before the strategy is collaboratively developed through consultation with all key stakeholders the government has slashed post secondary budgets in the province in a conscious effort to shift the cost burden to students.

Additionally the lower cost of providing the education should make providers more efficient and improve quality.  At least that is the theory.

This pro-active approach to  fiscal constraint seems to me a bit like putting the cart before the horse.  That is, these tactics are in support of the yet to be developed strategy.  It makes the long term strategy development seem like a bit of a farce as it is already pre-ordained.

Added Complications/What a Mess

Across the province post secondary institutions are reacting to the budget cuts with restructuring and process improvement initiatives. These are entirely reactionary to the budget cuts.

This backward approach has numerous significant tactical changes being put in place by universities, colleges and other seats of higher learning, in parallel to the strategy development.

Seriously, it does not take much effort to see this approach is a disaster waiting to happen.

The goals are noble and personally I believe change is needed.  Unfortunately this out of sequence approach to  seeking needed improvements is more likely to end in great disappointment.

.