Strategic planning: preparing for the twenty-first century

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Higher Education Administration
• Strategic Management

Background:

• Nursing education institutions face challenges in the 21st century requiring proactive future planning.
• Strategic planning offers a framework for achieving institutional goals in dynamic and competitive academic environments.
• Effective resource allocation is key to institutional survival and growth.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide an overview of the strategic planning process.
• To describe the strategic planning experience of a private liberal arts college in nursing education.
• To demonstrate the applicability of strategic planning across diverse educational settings.

Main Methods:

• The article presents a conceptual overview of strategic planning.
• A case study approach details the strategic planning implementation at a specific institution.
• The focus is on linking institutional mission with environmental changes and resource management.

Main Results:

• Strategic planning facilitates goal achievement by linking institutional future with anticipated environmental shifts.
• It enables institutions to manage resources effectively, ensuring acquisition exceeds depletion.
• The process supports adaptation in competitive and evolving educational landscapes.

Conclusions:

• Strategic planning is essential for the survival and revitalization of nursing education institutions.
• The described process, though exemplified by a liberal arts college, is broadly applicable.
• Adoption of strategic planning promotes institutional resilience and long-term success.