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Institute Strategy

Updated for Academic Year 2021-22 

Our Mission

The Middlebury Institute of International Studies educates professionals to advance understanding, promote peace, and drive change in pursuit of a more just world.

Our Primary Objective

Our alumni are actively engaged in careers and pursuits that advance global understanding and address the world’s most pressing challenges.

Our Strategy
2025 Objectives & Key Results (OKRs)

1) Effective Programs: How we educate professionals 

Objective: We provide the best mix of mission-aligned, career focused, and market-responsive offerings in the right modes, to the right populations, and in collaboration with the right partners.

Key Results:

  • Strong Learner Demand: An incremental 400 FTE (suitably defined) demonstrate that our programs have relevant curricula, top faculty, and clear employment pathways 
  • Diversified Formats, Platforms, Product Types: 50% of FTE participate in programs that might include one or more of the following: online/hybrid coursework, modular/stackable credentials, shorter degree programs, and more
  • Strategic Partnerships: Employer partnerships bring 100 students, and connect 50 career opportunities for graduates annually 
  • Connected Network: 25% of students engage at least two components of the Middlebury network during their studies 

2) Successful Learners and Alumni: How we foster achievement

Objective: Meaningful resources and opportunities set our learners up for success from initial inquiry through graduation, employment, and lifelong engagement with Middlebury.

Key Results:

  • Inspiring Learners: We attract and enroll learners that have the potential to contribute to the Institute’s mission and lead us to achieve our vision.
  • Collaborative Support: Learner success teams are integrated across departments and structurally linked to academic programs to provide optimal support so that all learners reach their academic and career goals 
  • Relevant Opportunities: A meaningful range of co-curricular activities, professional opportunities, and resources support individual, academic, and career success.
  • Integrated Technology: Integrated information systems support all learners for lifelong engagement with Middlebury.

3) High-Performing Organization: How we operate

Objective: Within 5 years, we operate at an annual financial surplus of $10M with efficient and transparent business functions that support evidence-based decision-making in pursuit of effective programs, learner success, and a thriving community.

Key Results:

  • Efficient & Transparent Systems: Coherent systems and processes support effective collaboration across the Middlebury network. Clear systems track relevant data for evidence-based decision-making at the campus and program levels.
  • Diversified Revenue: Multiple sources of revenue (30% of net revenue from sources other than traditional, on-site MA degrees: consulting fees, non-tuition academic fees, etc.)
  • Strong Enrollment: Integrated marketing and enrollment strategy attracts a diverse group of learners across all programs. Pricing model provides affordability and profitability.
  • Strategic Investment & Redeployment of Resources: Well-defined practice for investment and redeployment of resources, creates incentives for program development (growth in existing programs, development of new initiatives and sunsetting of no-longer relevant ones) and faculty development in new areas of expertise and new delivery platforms. 

4) Thriving Community: How we work together

Objective: Our diverse community is meaningfully connected through a clearly defined set of shared values and a culture of trust, innovation, collaboration, and inclusivity. People feel valued and integral to our collective success.

Key Results:

  • High Satisfaction: Ranked as a great place to work with competitive salaries, benefits, and opportunities for growth.
  • Meaningful Engagement: Clear communication pathways, transparent decision-making, and consistent opportunities for engagement, drawing from restorative practices.
  • Strong Culture: A clearly defined set of shared values guide our strategy, decisions, and daily behaviors.
  • Effective Collaboration: Employees feel meaningfully connected and able to collaborate and build relationships with colleagues across the broader Middlebury network.