A case study in Co-Creation: The University of Adelaide Learning - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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Marketing Week 2012 CHANGE: Listen, Learn, Evolve

A case study in Co-Creation:

The University of Adelaide Learning Hub

Professor Pascale Quester

Deputy Vice-Chancellor & Vice-President (Academic)

The University of Adelaide Learning Hub

Life Impact The University of Adelaide

Background: The Higher Education Sector in Australia

• A large economic sector, both direct and indirect

– Large impact of fees (both domestic and international) – Direct link to productivity and economic growth

• A key export revenue earner

– Third largest export sector after mining and tourism...and growing! – In South Australia, a major exporter (150 million pa of foreign income for the University of Adelaide alone)

• A sector long neglected by government:

– Providers have been motivated to develop strategies to grow revenues – Universities cope with an impossible business model when they are research intensive (as the University of Adelaide is)

• A sector poised for reform and change!

The University of Adelaide Learning Hub

Life Impact The University of Adelaide

The 2008 Bradley Review

• The sector was to become demand driven:

– Caps are off! (this happened from this year) – Universities can recruit as many students as they want – Funding will now follow the students wherever they go... – A textbook case for greater marketing orientation!

• But, paradoxically, both consumer segments, product and price have remained

highly regulated – Universities must recruit at least 20% of their students from low SES – Overall, the sector must deliver its core program (Bachelor) to 40% of the population aged 18-24. – programs are also regulated: AQF, TEQSA and more! – = > we face a paradox of social engineering and free market enterprise!

• However, a clear implication: Student-centric thinking is critical even if it remains

a challenge given tight parameters.

• A useful perspective comes from an understanding that our graduates are

both customers AND our products!

The University of Adelaide Learning Hub

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The University of Adelaide Learning Hub Project

• Federal funding was obtained for a student space on campus ($15

million) as part of the Better Universities Renewal Fund (BURF)

• A location on campus (near the library) seemed a logical place, but...
• Property services did not know what or how to build!
• There was no brief or clear vision other than the need for more student

space that would not be dedicated to formal teaching activities but allocated to support informal ‘learning’.

• Meanwhile, in the Faculty of the Professions, the Executive Dean was

experimenting with a marketing approach to student space in response to the growth and increasing diversity of the student population in that Faculty.

• As a result, she was asked to champion the Hub Project and so the

adventure begun in 2009...

The University of Adelaide Learning Hub

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Co-Creation: A Marketing perspective

• From 2002 onwards, the marketing literature had been evolving, and in

particular, qualitative work was increasingly revealing the need for a more ‘shared’ perspective on brand meaning and values.. Eg. work by Cova, Edgar, Vargo and Lush, Kozinets, Kates, Ramaswamy etc...

• My own work on how subcultures work and how consumers build meanings

around brands (with Beverland and Farrelly) also suggested that the time for marketing control was well and truly over...

• Motivated by the increase in power given to consumers by the world wide web

and a capacity to communicate about - and congregate around - brands, directly and without censorship and control by marketers, researchers were starting to advocate a more inclusive approach to brand management, whereby brand meanings could become jointly created with consumers, as opposed to scripted and communicated to them by marketing or advertising.

The University of Adelaide Learning Hub

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Why Co-Creation for a Hub? A Marketing perspective…

• You may recall an earlier presentation of the challenges presented to

marketing by this shift in paradigm, using the case of Club Med and other traditional brands as they grappled with an increasingly militant and unruly consumer base...

• But the seeds for co-creation probably go back a little further, in the

industrial marketing literature where Van Hippel, as far back as 1976, described the critical contribution of customer firms in leading innovation and technological development.

• To make matters worse, in the case of the Learning Hub, we were facing:

– A hostile student body and especially the student union (who feared the University was seeking to maximise profit from establishing a shopping centre on campus); – Hostile academic staff (who thought this was a complete waste of money and that it should be directed to research labs); – Hostile professional staff who feared a complete overhaul of the administrative system; – Lack of trust and suspicion reigned supreme!

The University of Adelaide Learning Hub

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Background to the building project

The Strategic Plan (2008-2012) identifies as the primary education goal for the University to “provide a distinctive learning experience of high quality for our students”. The University of Adelaide Learning Hub will be the largest and m ost dynam ic student learning hub in Australia and will provide functional, flexible and engaging study, meeting, recreational, student services and food and beverage spaces.

The University of Adelaide Learning Hub

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Approximately 25,000sqm of space in heart of the campus

The University of Adelaide Learning Hub

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54 %

The University of Adelaide Learning Hub

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No Front Door

The University of Adelaide Learning Hub

Life Impact The University of Adelaide

The University of Adelaide Learning Hub

Life Impact The University of Adelaide

The University of Adelaide Learning Hub

Life Impact The University of Adelaide

The Academic Principles: The Four Pillars of the Student Experience

Student

Teaching Learning Support Social

The University of Adelaide Learning Hub

Life Impact The University of Adelaide

Learning

Student

Learning

Library Research Individual Spaces Group Spaces Technology

The University of Adelaide Learning Hub

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Support

Student

Support

Student Services

Academic + Administrative

Library Retail

The University of Adelaide Learning Hub

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Social

Student

Social

Comfortable places to meet, collaborate, talk, sit, eat and drink

The University of Adelaide Learning Hub

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Teaching

Student

Teaching

Lecture Theatres Tutorial Rooms Seminar rooms Informal Spaces

The University of Adelaide Learning Hub

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Bringing It All Together

Student

Teaching Learning Support Social

Hub

The University of Adelaide Learning Hub

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Building Project Vision

To provide the best on-campus experience within the Australian national tertiary education sector for all our students.

Project Objectives

• To transform student experience through the provision
• f suitable facilities and seamless services to support

their academic activities

• To improve attraction and retention rates, securing the

University’s position within the Go8. We will achieve this by placing a specific emphasis on the undergraduate experience within this project

• To actively engage with the Community at large to

support life long learning

The University of Adelaide Learning Hub

Life Impact The University of Adelaide

The University of Adelaide Learning Hub

Life Impact The University of Adelaide

LHECG Membership: VPS&R(Chair) TSE Chair Director, Strategy & Planning PVC(L&Q) Director, Infrastructure (P&T) LEARNING HUB EXECUTIVE CONTROL GROUP CONSTRUCTION PCG CAMPUS SERVICES AND OPERATIONS STAKEHOLDERS AND FUNCTIONAL DESIGN TECHNOLOGY RETAIL AND COMMERCIAL LEARNING HUB PROJECT MANAGEMENT TEAM

• Student Reference Group
• Learning & Teaching Reference Group
• Library Reference Group
• Services for Students Reference Group
• AUU Reference Group
• International Student Reference Group
• Communications /Engagement

TSE Membership: Exec Dean Professions (Chair) Programme Director PVC(L&Q) Associate Director, IT Architecture Mario Ricci (Health Sciences) Clara Barbieri (ECMS) Kieran McCarron(HUMSS Postgrad) Krista Schuurmans(Sciences Undergrad) Fletcher O’Leary (Undergrad) TRANSFORMING STUDENT EXPERIENCE TASK FORCE

Learning Hub – One Team

DESIGN AND DELIVERY MAJOR PROJECTS STEERING COMMITTEE PROGRAMME DIRECTOR

The University of Adelaide Learning Hub

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Stakeholder Groups

• Student Reference Group –

Faculty nominated students, AUU, International students, self nominated students

• International Student Reference Group –

8 International students

• Services for Students Reference Group –

Student Services, Faculty business representative, Library, CLPD, AUU, AGC, IT, Security

• Learning and Teaching Reference Group –

Faculty Associate Dean Learning & Teaching (or representative), recipients of awards for teaching

• Library Reference Group -

Senior Library staff

The University of Adelaide Learning Hub

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How to make the project truly Student Centric?

• 1. Student Reference Group and International Student Reference Group
• 2. Student Interns
• 3. Consultation Wall
• 4. Website, Portal & “Have Your Say”
• 5. Other Mechanisms

The University of Adelaide Learning Hub

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• 1. Student Reference Group and International Student Reference Group
• 2 day paid workshop during mid-February
• Meet at time determined by students (5-7pm alt. Monday &

Tuesday)

• Provide food and beverage
• Provide feedback on decisions from TSE, ECG (incl budget

discussions) & other Reference Groups

The University of Adelaide Learning Hub

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Social

The University of Adelaide Learning Hub

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Learning

The University of Adelaide Learning Hub

Life Impact The University of Adelaide

Learning

The University of Adelaide Learning Hub

Life Impact The University of Adelaide

• 2. Student Interns – John & Juan
• Over 380 fans on

Facebook

• Over 70 posts
• More than 100

responses and comments

• Provided 30 posts
• And 16 detailed comments of

discussion and suggestion

• 244 hits in one day

The University of Adelaide Learning Hub

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• 3. Consultation Wall

Over 400 student comments!

The University of Adelaide Learning Hub

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• 4. Website, Portal & “Have Your Say”
• Launched in O’Week 2010
• Link provided on AUU webpage April 2010 (a real sign of

transformed relationship with the Union)

The University of Adelaide Learning Hub

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• 5. Other Mechanisms
• General workshops were held in late 2009
• Interviews with students were conducted in 2009 and 2010
• Forums with prospective students from USC and Bradford
• Regular meetings with the President(s) of the Adelaide University Union as

well as their managers.

• Fortnightly meetings to catch up, discuss matters and concerns in an
• pen, non confrontational manner
• Ad hoc surveys whenever the TSE was confronted with a choice, the

answer to which it felt the students should provide, eg.:

• Choice of food outlets
• Name of the Hub on completion (Hub Central)
• Opening hours and kitchen design

The University of Adelaide Learning Hub

Life Impact The University of Adelaide

L3, L4, L5 Axonometric Plans

Design Principles

The design principles that informed the decision making process for the hub interior design included:

• Flexibility
• Connectivity and transparency
• Inclusivity
• Student orientated
• Liveable and habitable (not corporate and cold)

The University of Adelaide Learning Hub

Life Impact The University of Adelaide

The University of Adelaide Learning Hub

Life Impact The University of Adelaide

The University of Adelaide Learning Hub

Life Impact The University of Adelaide

Level 4

Western Drive Hughes Building Elder Hall

The University of Adelaide Learning Hub

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Level 3

Hughes Lecture Theatre Flentje Lecture Theatre

The University of Adelaide Learning Hub

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L5 Mezzanine

The University of Adelaide Learning Hub

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Artists impression of the Learning Hub

The University of Adelaide Learning Hub

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Courtyard area along Western Drive

The University of Adelaide Learning Hub

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L4 looking toward the L5 Mezzanine

The University of Adelaide Learning Hub

Life Impact The University of Adelaide

• Measures of engagement in the process:
• Over 9000 individual student hours of consultation
• Over 3000 hours of staff participation and discussions
• Over 700 Facebook friends (from 6 when we started!)
• Self regulation when under attack (eg, the Carvery debate: a lesson in

how to let the consumers debate the issue)

• Observations on opening day (12 September 2011)
• Full occupancy (no computer seats available at midday on 13th)
• Students from all Faculties attend
• But the proof of the pudding, as they say...

The University of Adelaide Learning Hub

Life Impact The University of Adelaide

• Measures of use and effectiveness

– Daily occupancy on all levels averages around 1,100 people per day Monday to Friday – with a peak of 1,600! – Overnights still remains strong with an average of 100 people at midnight and 20 people at 4 am (more before exams!) – Unique Wi-Fi connections average 3,800 per day (M-F) and 500 per day (S-S), with unique users of hardwired computers averaging 2,800 per day (M-F) and 800 per day (S-S). – Project room bookings remain very high with an average of 80% of slots booked between 10am and 10pm and 100% booked between 11am and 6pm. – The use of Level 4 for major events such as Graduation Photos, Careers Week, Study Abroad Fair, Mid-Year Orientation and, in coming weeks, ClubsFest and SportsFest, has been a great success with strong positive feedback. – The Mezzanine continues to be well used for functions and events with 25 functions held over the past 3 months and 20 already booked for the next 4 months.

The University of Adelaide Learning Hub

Life Impact The University of Adelaide

The University of Adelaide Learning Hub

Life Impact The University of Adelaide

83% 11% 5% 1%

What do you think about the Hub now?

Positive Negative Indifferent Not sure 64% 20% 12% 4%

What did you think about the Hub as a student space before it opened?

Positive Negative Indifferent Not sure

The University of Adelaide Learning Hub

Life Impact The University of Adelaide

The Future of co-creation at the University of Adelaide

• The Hub is still evolving: Flexible floor plan and fluid design means that we can

adapt and change as opportunities arise...

• ...But we must remain true to the ‘doctrine’ of co-creation: When Microsoft

approached us with a 500 million offer to develop a Tech Lounge, we consulted the students before allocating some space to it, and designed the space together to suit.

• The trust and engagement we have achieved is delivering benefits to all: The

Student Union is now running the convenience store within the Hub and they are just as committed to making it work, with us, as we are!

• The TSE has been retained, as are the regular meetings with the Union President

and other student representatives, to tackle all future projects relating to the student experience: – Student e-Experience project is now under way to deliver the virtual hub – The allocation of the new Student Amenity Fees was discussed in a spirit of partnership and trust – The focus is now on student learning outcomes, and the way we can all support them – A new portfolio has been created around student experience (as opposed to teaching)

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Thank you for your attention! Questions?