Dr. Sarver has been invited to participate in the panel entitled “How Transformation Initiatives at Academic Institutions are Shaped, Formed & Executed? Who are the trusted Advisors?” at the Annual Post-Secondary Grantee Convening, held in Seattle from September 18-20, 2013.

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Number of employees: approximately 980
Asset trust endowment: $33.5 billion

Dr. Mark Sarver, CEO of the award-winning eduKan Consortium, will be a panelist at the convening covering the theme of “The Future of Higher Education: Is It Time for Transformation?” which be at the annual gathering of grantees of the Post-Secondary Success program of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation being held in Seattle from September 18-20, 2013.  Covening expects about 300 people to attend with grantees, Post-Secondary professionals and foundation staff.

The panel Dr. Sarver has been asked to participate on is entitled “Where to begin? How transformation initiatives at academic institutions are shaped and executed (and helped by trusted advisors).” Moderating the panel is Anne Keehn, Entrepreneur in Residence & Fellow, Postsecondary Success, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, joining Dr. Sarver as panelists include Christine Geith, Ph.D., Assistant Provost & Executive Director, MSUglobal Knowledge & Learning Innovations, Michigan State University; Nathan Simon, Associate Director, Kennedy Consulting Research & Advisory (Digital Strategy Consulting), and Elizabeth DeVito, Associate Director, Kennedy Consulting Research & Advisory(Change Management Consulting Market). Dr. Sarver will share how he has worked effectively with intermediaries and change agents, both internal and external, to drive innovation and change across his consortium along with ideas on how attendees can do this in their organizations.

About the Gates Foundation Convening for Post Secondary Success

This convening, The Future of Higher Education: Is It Time for Transformation?, is an annual gathering of grantees of the Post-Secondary Success program of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.  Each panel consists of 3-4 senior leaders from diverse academic institutions undergoing significant transformation (i.e. community colleges & 4 year publics) and how these worked constructively with intermediaries and change agents to drive innovation and better performance across their organization. For more info please visit: http://www.gatesfoundation.org

About eduKan

eduKan provides access to quality higher education, including ELL courses, via college degrees, certificates, and individual courses, with affordable online classes. eduKan was founded in 1998 as a cooperative effort between member colleges to offer courses via the Internet. eduKan’s consortium schools are all accredited Kansas learning institutions with excellent reputations and long histories of providing degrees in traditional settings, as well as through online courses. eduKan Consortium member institutions are: Barton Community College, in Great Bend; Colby Community College, in Colby; Dodge City Community College, in Dodge City; Garden City Community College, in Garden City; Pratt Community College, in Pratt; and Seward County Community College/Area Technical School, in Liberal. For more information, please visit http://www.edukan.org.

Dr. Sarver will share innovation tactics and tips to help Higher Education Institutions be more innovative by changing thinking and creating an environment that welcomes and inspires action during a pre-conference workshop at NUTN 2013 in New Mexico.

Dr. Mark Sarver, CEO of the award-winning eduKan Consortium, will be leading a pre-conference workshop entitled “Innovation Tactics and Tips for You and Your Institution,” at NUTN Network 2013 conference in Albuquerque, New Mexico on Monday, September 16^th from 9 AM to 11:30 AM prior to the official conference opening. The NUTN Network conference is in its 31^st year and is designed to cover trends and issues in Higher Education as well as give attendees the opportunity to network with their colleagues to have more open discussions. This format change will enable the leaders in the field of technology-facilitated learning to brainstorm on new ideas as well as look at challenges with fresh eyes.

About the 31^st Annual NUTN Network Conference

The conference brings together innovative leaders in teaching and learning and will be held from September 16^th -18^th, 2013 in Albuquerque New Mexico at the Hyatt Regency. The conference also honors individuals and institutions for their successes with an awards ceremony. Last year, eduKan was honored to have received the NUTN 2012 Distance Education Innovation Award. Topics covered at the conference will include assessment and accreditation, state authorization and regulation, student retention, prior learning assessment, post traditional credit hours, assessing student learning in distance-based education, competency-based models, low-cost degree programs, MOOC’s, mobile learning, analytics and Latino issues in education. For more information visit www.nutn.org/network2013

About NUTN

National University Technology Network was founded in 1982 and is headquartered at the Dallas County Community College District’s R. Jan LeCroy Center. The National University Technology Network (NUTN) is a consortium of higher education institutions and provides a networking and professional development arena for the advancement of teaching and learning. http://www.nutn.org

About eduKan

eduKan provides access to quality higher education, including ELL courses, via college degrees, certificates, and individual courses, with affordable online classes. eduKan was founded in 1998 as a cooperative effort between member colleges to offer courses via the Internet. eduKan’s consortium schools are all accredited Kansas learning institutions with excellent reputations and long histories of providing degrees in traditional settings, as well as through online courses. eduKan Consortium member institutions are: Barton Community College, in Great Bend; Colby Community College, in Colby; Dodge City Community College, in Dodge City; Garden City Community College, in Garden City; Pratt Community College, in Pratt; and Seward County Community College/Area Technical School, in Liberal. For more information, please visit http://www.edukan.org.