1. Challenging Thinking
for Challenging Times:
Board Retreats &
Campus Presentations
“
At a time when many colleges and Our executive
universities stand at the crossroads, relies on Ken for
and higher education faces the an amazing birds-
prospect of unprecedented political, eye view of the
”
economic, social, and technological PSE landscape.
change, a new perspective can
stimulate innovative thinking and
out-of-the-box decision-making.
More than 8,000 subscribers get a daily dose of Facilitation for:
Ken Steele’s perspective through Academica’s
Top Ten, a daily round-up of news, trends, and Board Retreats
research findings shaping the Canadian higher- Strategic Planning
education sector. Ken has become a fixture at Enrolment Management
dozens of regional, national and international Academic Strategy
conferences, delivering keynote addresses that Marketing Committees
put the broader sector in context and weave
together emerging trends and data from a wide
Program Review
variety of sources. In recent years, campus PD Day Programs
leaders across Canada have benefited by adding Department Meetings
Ken Steele’s perspective and provocative ideas Conference Keynotes
to board retreats, academic planning sessions,
enrolment management committees, and other
strategic and professional development events.
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2. “
Provocative ideas that
Current Topics challenge existing
”
paradigms.
Every meeting, retreat, and conference is unique,
and Ken works with you to customize his
presentation and the day’s agenda to suit your
institution, your group, and your current
Market Research
priorities. Still, the following 5 topics are For 15 years now, Academica Group has
perennial favourites, and Ken is continually conducted the most comprehensive survey of
revising and updating his material, which postsecondary applicants in North America, the
includes vibrant multimedia. Each topic can be UCAS Applicant Study. With hundreds of
tailored to between 1 and 3 hours in length, and questions and millions of data points, Ken can
Ken frequently presents 2 or 3 talks to a variety present relevant market data on a wide range of
of campus audiences in the course of a single topics, and interpret it with insight and humour.
day. Often, a presentation acts as the opening If your institution has participated in the UCAS or
keynote to a half-day or full-day strategic other Academica Group studies, Ken can present
planning retreat. and interpret your own institution-specific data.
Otherwise, Ken can present high-level findings
on a range of intriguing findings from
“Emerging Trends” Academica and other research sources.
Ken presents a fast-paced, wide-ranging
synthesis of the latest research on the higher
education marketplace, trend forecasts, new
PSE Branding
strategies and emerging trends including: Institutional reputation, strategic positioning, or
economic pressures, government funding shifts, brand strategy – whatever you call it, higher
budgeting strategies, labour unrest, education brands are becoming more
demographic projections, gender balance, professional, focused, and assertive. Ken has
immigration patterns, student diversity, helped dozens of institutions develop a campus-
internationalization, Millennial students, wide consensus about branding, a data-driven
helicopter parents, rising careerism, increasing understanding of their current institutional
competition, student guarantees, aggressive reputation, and a strategic approach to creating
marketing tactics, media evolution, social media a strong differentiated position that attracts
strategies, multinational for-profit and online students and faculty from a distance. Ken can
competitors, emerging “open” models of speak on institutional positioning theory, trends
education, celebrity lecturers, and much else. in college and university branding in general, or
The “Trends” presentation is a synthesis of 4 guide a strategic retreat or summit to resolve
years worth of news from the Top Ten. your institution’s positioning strategy.
PSE “AdSpotter” Social Media
Communications and public affairs practitioners
Over the past 15 years working with hundreds of
often encounter significant campus resistance to
colleges and universities, Ken has seen first-hand
the use of social media tools, because of
many innovative marketing efforts and best
perceived legal, political, and reputational risk.
practices, and of course volumes of market
Academica Group’s technology division has
research. He has also made a hobby of gathering
consulted with leading colleges and universities
hundreds of unique, shocking, and/or inspiring
for years on social media strategies, and the
samples of higher education advertising from
UCAS Applicant Study has explored student
Canada, the US, and worldwide – many of which
perceptions and attitudes toward social media
are available at his YouTube channel,
platforms and interactions with schools. Ken has
www.YouTube.com/AcademicaGroup. Marketing
presented to conferences, faculty committees,
communications professionals can learn a great
communications and marketing professionals,
deal from those that have gone before, and will
enrolment management teams, and senior
see some of the clear trends pointing to future
administration on social media, success stories
directions for higher education marketing.
and cautionary tales.
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3. “
True leader and
visionary… professionalism,
sage counsel, and lively
Background
”
discussion.
Ken Steele Academica Group:
Ken Steele is co-founder and Senior Vice- Academica Group is the leading source of
President of Academica Group Inc., which now research insight and marketing innovation for
has offices in London Ontario, Toronto, and North American higher education. With offices in
Boston. Ken’s area of consulting practice is Toronto, London, and Boston, Academica Group
institutional brand strategy and recruitment offers integrated services in four practice areas:
marketing, and he has led major projects in
RESEARCH: Our applied research division
recent years for Lethbridge College, the
surveys more than 250,000 college and
University of the Fraser Valley, Mount Royal
university applicants every year, on behalf of
University, and the University of Saskatchewan,
hundreds of college and university clients,
among others.
education ministries, and government agencies.
Four years ago, as a service to Canada’s higher 15 years ago, we pioneered the application of
education community, Ken founded a free daily consumer research to higher education
newsbrief, Academica’s Top Ten, which recruitment with the UCAS™ Applicant Study,
summarizes important events, emerging trends, which has grown into the largest and most
research findings and aspects of youth culture comprehensive international syndicated survey
for more than 8,000 subscribers, including of college and university consumers in the world.
college and university presidents and senior
CONSULTING: Academica’s consulting team
executives, government policy analysts, faculty,
facilitates institutional strategic planning,
high school guidance counselors, and national
positioning and brand strategy, strategic
media editors. (Ken is now very grateful to have
enrolment management, marketing audits and
a full-time associate news editor, Katherine
integrated marketing communications planning.
Fletcher, to ensure the Top Ten continues to be
Our international partnership with SEM Works
daily, despite his travel schedule.) Ken has
brings depth and breadth of Strategic Enrolment
written numerous articles and white papers on
Management consulting to our clients.
institutional marketing and strategy, a
syndicated column on graphic design, and a CREATIVE: Our creative studio develops award-
regular blog on higher education issues, and winning brand identities, print materials, online
now manages a YouTube channel featuring and offline marketing campaigns for clients
“
notable higher education commercials. ranging from the Ontario Ministry of Education
to the Smithsonian Institution in Washington DC.
Engaging, stimulating, and Academica’s creative director is a leader in the
Native American design community, and our
provocative… guaranteed to team has decades of experience in the education
and technology sectors.
make audiences think about
”
TECHNOLOGY: Academica’s technology division
the future of PSE. combines expertise in information architecture
and user interface design with an experienced
open source web development team. Our social
Ken is a “recovering academic,” who was an media strategists have worked with scores of
award-winning PhD candidate in English institutions, and experimented with the first
Literature at the University of Toronto, before cross-platform social media application for
leaving academia to found a regional advertising higher education applicants running on
agency in 1990. Ken and his team developing Facebook and MySpace. RealityCampus™ is a
branding, marketing, and advertising campaigns new turnkey solution to bring interactive video
for dozens of corporate, non-profit, and testimonials to a recruitment website or
education-sector clients throughout the 1990s, microsite.
before merging the agency to form Academica
Group in 2005.
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4. Testimonials
“Ken Steele delivers current and relevant insights
“Ken's unique perspective on the Canadian
into the world of higher education through a
post-secondary sector was evident at every
strategic enrolment management lens. He has
step -- in the one-day Positioning Summit he the unique ability to engage meaningfully
facilitated with more than 100 Mount Royal
with individuals at all levels in our
participants; the focused market survey
organizations — boards, senior management,
Academica Group conducted within our market;
faculty, administrators and staff — and his
and the results, analysis and recommendations
presentations are sure to be transformational
contained in his comprehensive White Paper.”
in any organization.”
- Dr. Dave Marshall, President,
- Stefanie Ivan, Associate Vice-President Student
Mount Royal University
Services, Grant MacEwan University
“Ken is an excellent speaker who can engage a
“Ken is a lively and engaging presenter who
variety of audiences from faculty through to
brings his material to life through anecdote
Board members on topics including emerging
and compelling visuals. More than that, though,
trends, branding, competitive marketing
he is an evangelist for university
positioning, etc. Ken always includes
communications and a subject matter expert.”
provocative ideas that challenge existing
- Richard Fisher, Chief Communications Officer,
paradigms and cause audiences to walk away
Development & Alumni Engagement, UBC
with lots to think about.”
- Tracy Edwards, President & CEO, “Our executive relies on Academica’s Top Ten for
Lethbridge College its succinct presentation of ‘stuff they need to
“
know’ – an amazing bird’s eye view of the PSE
landscape. No college exec has the time or
Ken Steele hurts my head resources to fly that high – so we’re very glad
”
of your wingspan and flight speed.”
— but it’s a good hurt. - David Sovka, Associate Director, College &
Community Relations, Camosun College
“Ken Steele has a truly remarkable command of “Ken is an energetic speaker who uses vivid
current developments in the world of post images and compelling data to stretch the
secondary education, both in Canada and thinking of his audience. His presentation
beyond. His presentations on such prompted engaging discussion about the future
developments are engaging, stimulating, and of our field and our place in it.”
provocative -- and delivered in a manner
- Tracey Taylor-O’Reilly, Director, Centre for
guaranteed to make audiences think about Continuing Education, McMaster University
the future direction of PSE and the ways in
which their own institutions might make the “Our positioning summit was thought-provoking,
most of them. I recommend him highly.” yielding great depth and greater clarity for the
- Provost and Vice-President Academic, senior management team. Ken and his team
An Ontario university are true leaders and visionaries. Their
professionalism, sage counsel, and lively
“In one word, Ken’s presentation was discussions were extremely well received. Not
‘OUTSTANDING.’ He was strategic, only did we benefit strongly from this exercise,
informative, engaging and entertaining. In our we enjoyed working with such a great team.”
formal evaluation of our planning session, Ken’s
- Kate McBrearty (Former) Director, Marketing &
presentation was ranked the highest, receiving Communications Office of External Relations,
an average score of 9.6 out of 10. We will Mount Royal University
definitely be using Ken’s services in the future.”
- Dr. Gordon Nixon, Vice-President Academic, “It’s not a Canadian university PR/marketing/
SAIT Polytechnic web conference without a @kensteele
presentation!”
– Ryan McNutt, New Media Officer,
Dalhousie University, on Twitter
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5. Recent Presentations
Every year, Ken makes more than 50 presentations – from keynotes and workshops at regional, national
and international conferences, to research presentations and professional development sessions on
college and university campuses. Some recent presentations include:
Board Retreats Campus PD Presentations
Red Deer College (Jan 2010) Grande Prairie Regional College (Aug 2010)
Carleton University (Oct 2009) Mohawk College (Jun 2010)
University of Regina (Oct 2009) Bow Valley College (Mar 2010)
Wilfrid Laurier University (Sep 2009) Lethbridge College (May 2009)
Concordia University College (Aug 2009) University of Western Ontario (Feb 2009)
University of Alberta (Jul 2009) University of Saskatchewan (Jan 2009, Oct 2008)
UOIT Board of Governors (Jun 2009) Alberta College of Art & Design (Oct 2008)
University of Saskatchewan (Oct 2008) Loyalist College (May 2008)
Strategic Sessions Conference Keynotes
SAIT Academic Division Planning (May 2010) Colleges Ontario Recruiters (Sept 2010)
University of Alberta (Jan 2010) Canadian PSE Web Conference (May 2010)
Grant MacEwan University (Dec 2009, Jan 2010) 2009-2010 SEMM Forums
(Toronto, Calgary, Halifax, Vancouver, Boston)
Laurentian University (Apr 2009)
CAUCE Deans & Directors (Ottawa, Feb 2010)
Algonquin College (Mar 2009)
CACEE Ontario (Toronto, Dec 2009)
University of Victoria (Jan 2009)
AACTI System Conference (Edmonton, Oct 2009)
St. Clair College (Dec 2008)
ICE Synergy III (Toronto, Sep 2009)
Brescia University College (Dec 2008)
COU Liaison Workshop (Aug 2009)
University of Calgary (Oct 2008)
WARUCC Conference (Edmonton, Jun 2009)
University of the Fraser Valley (Jul 2008)
AARAO (Charlottetown, Jun 2009)
Queen’s University (May 2008)
CALL Languages Conference (London, May 2009)
York University (Nov 2007)
NAUBCS Conference (Winnipeg, May 2009)
Sault College (Oct 2007)
COU Secretaries Conference (Toronto, Feb 2009)
Seneca College (Oct 2007)
OURA Conference (Ottawa, Feb 2009)
Cambrian College (Aug 2007)
CRALO (Oakville, Nov 2008)
Mount Royal University (Jun 2007)
ARUCC National Conference (Halifax, Jun 2008)
AARAO Interchange (Halifax, Jun 2008)
AARAO Annual Conference (Jun 2006)
CCAE Ontario Branding Workshop (Mar 2006)
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6. Details
Speaking Fee Scheduling
To be fair to all institutions and conferences, Ken’s travel schedule is often booked several
Ken’s per diem for speaking or facilitating has months in advance, so please contact him as
been consistently $3,500 plus HST, travel and early as possible to pencil in your board retreat,
accommodation expenses (although this fee may committee meeting or campus event. Ken will
be subject to future change). In special take into account travel schedules from London,
circumstances, where association conferences Ontario when determining feasible timing for
are concerned for example, Academica Group events – often it is advisable to arrive the
may consider waiving a portion of Ken’s fee in evening before to ensure that no travel delays
return for sponsor recognition at the event. create an emergency on the day of the event.
Included Services Technical Requirements
For a single per diem fee, Ken includes a
Ken makes extensive use of visuals and
preliminary call to discuss the audience and
multimedia clips in his presentations. For
priorities, up to 4 hours of preparation time,
optimal results, the institution or conference
travel time within Canada, and up to 6 hours of
organizer should provide a data projector, cable,
campus presentations.
and screen, dimmable lighting, wireless lapel
Facilitation of some retreats or strategy sessions microphone and audio connection for Ken’s
may require more extensive preparation and are laptop.
therefore estimated individually. Some sessions
benefit from the creation of a custom white
paper for circulation to participants in advance. Billing
Ken will provide a PDF of any presentations after Upon execution of a letter of agreement,
the fact, which can be distributed within your Academica Group will invoice your institution
institution, and institutions can opt to record his 50% of the total speaking fee to cover up-front
presentations for viewing by internal audiences. travel costs. The balance, including detailed
travel and accommodation expenses, will be
invoiced upon completion of the engagement.
HST or appropriate sales taxes will be included.
“
To discuss the possibility of scheduling
In one word, Ken’s Ken Steele at a conference, campus
presentation was event or board retreat, please don’t
hesitate to contact him directly:
‘OUTSTANDING.’
He was strategic, Ken Steele
Senior Vice-President
informative, engaging Academica Group Inc.
”
and entertaining. ken@academica.ca
Tel. 1.866.922.8636 ext. 205
Cel. 519.432.3600
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