Aspects of Strategic Planning and Strategy Implementation in Higher Education Institutions

Currently, the complexities inherent in higher education management are enormous. Many scholars agree that institutional environment related factors which are internally and externally driven affecting the performance of this day’s higher education institutions. Some of these factors involve massification and expansion of higher education system; reduced public funding; high quality concern; the requirement for more results with less resource (efficiency concern); fast developments in Information & Communication Technology; and effects of globalization. These all require visionary leaders who are able to make strategic changes and respond to their institutions internal and external environments by thinking, planning and implementing strategically. But this could not happen by miracles unless the leaders of this day’s universities understand clearly about the major aspects of strategic planning and strategy implementation. Thus, this article which focused on the theoretical review was intended to explore the key aspects of strategic planning and strategy implementation in higher education institutions. Because understanding the basic concepts and the major aspects of strategic planning and strategy implementation can be helpful in at least three ways. First, it helps the leaders of higher education institutions to be more proactive in responding to external pressures; secondly it helps them to guide the strategic planning team and other concerned stakeholders by creating an inspiring strategic vision during the strategic planning process; and finally it helps them to guide, follow up and monitor the strategy implementation processes with expertise.