Interview with Caroline Campbell, IDEA College Deputy Principal - Operations & Logistics
Career Background & Growth
Can you tell us about your background and what led you to your current role as Deputy Principal for Operations at IDEA College?
My career in the education sector began over twenty years ago, starting off as a teacher and gradually transitioning into teacher training and educational management, abroad and in Malta. This work experience provided me with valuable insights into the workings of different educational institutions before joining IDEA College nearly five years ago. The college’s dynamic nature and rapid growth have continually shaped and expanded my role. Throughout these years, I held several positions, including that of Programme Manager and Director of Studies. Despite my love for academic affairs, my keen eye for detail and strong organisational skills eventually drew me towards operations and logistics management. In this capacity, I focus on improving operational and logistical efficiency to enhance the overall student experience which, I feel, is crucial to ensuring their success. I strongly believe that my experience, passion for education and desire to bring positive change in education led me to my current role as Deputy Principal for Operations and Logistics at IDEA College.
Achievements
What has been your most memorable moment or achievement since joining IDEA College?
One of my most significant achievements has been forming a team of multicultural faculty members, consisting of lecturers with expertise from a broad spectrum of industries. This diverse blend of professional backgrounds not only enriches the curriculum but also provides students with a more dynamic and well-rounded academic experience. By bringing together such a varied group of educators, we have created a learning environment that fosters greater creativity, critical thinking, and real-world application, ultimately adding greater value to our students’ educational journeys.
Another achievement has been that of seeing our Certificate and Diploma in Health Science Nursing Studies programmes (Bridging and Conversion courses for Nurses) come to live. Together with my team, we have worked through the intricate planning and implementation of this programme, including finding faculty from the nursing field, building relations with healthcare professionals, setting up and organising simulation sessions for the nurses in our state-of-the-art simulation lab and liaising with several healthcare entities and institution to make work placement possible. Today, IDEA College can boast of having led many nurses to obtain their nursing warrant in Malta. We are now looking forward to the new challenge, that of, planning and implementing our new Bachelor (Honours) in Nursing Science programme which will see students all the way to achieving a qualification that will lead them to a nursing warrant.
Daily Responsibilities & Operations Management
Managing the intricate logistics of a college is no small feat. Can you walk us through a day in your life as the Deputy Principal of Operations at IDEA College? What are some of the most rewarding and challenging aspects of your role?
On most days I start off with meetings across the different departments that I oversee, including the Operations Team, the Healthcare Programme Coodinators and Programme Management Team, and the Registrar’s Office. These meetings are essential for setting weekly targets, developing action plans, and tackling any issues that the teams may be facing. Additionally, I regularly meet with the Academic Affairs and Student Advisory teams, to ensure inter departmental communication and collaboration. I also sit on multiple boards within Idea College which entails participating in several meetings. Throughout the day I ensure that I dedicate some hours to answering emails, mainly communicating with our faculty members.
My responsibilities include the recruitment of faculty, engaging faculty members for the delivery of modules and following up on the planning phase of all the programmes. My role requires constant communication and problem-solving, including seeing to the needs of faculty and staff members, planning and coordinating programmes and responding to unexpected challenges. A great deal of my time is dedicated to strategic planning and effectively communicating the action plans to my teams. I strongly believe that attention to detail is crucial, as even the simplest tasks can become complicated and lead to problems unless carefully thought out.
Much of the work involved in operations happens behind the scenes and often goes unnoticed, but the most rewarding aspect is its direct impact on the student’s experience, from the efficient registration process to the smooth running of the programme to the preparation of certificates and diploma supplement upon course completion. The biggest challenge, however, is balancing the immediate demands with long-term strategic planning, ensuring that the teams are not only working in the immediate but also preparing and planning for the future. Therefore, I ensure that a good amount of my time is dedicated to it.
Course scheduling and the registrar’s office are critical to student success. How do you ensure that these systems are not only efficient but also adaptable to the diverse needs of IDEA College’s students and faculty?
Throughout the student registration phase and the planning of programmes, we ensure that our approach is always student-centred. We do our best to anticipate students’ demands based on the specific courses they are applying for. Since we cater to a niche audience, we make every effort to tailor our registration process and programme schedules to meet the unique requirements of our students. Whenever possible, we offer students the flexibility to join their programme online but synchronously, accommodating students in their life circumstances as well as different learning styles, while staying aligned with the academic goals. Our primary focus is to continuously strive to support students throughout their educational journey, while maintaining operational efficiency and academic integrity.
Innovation & Technological Advancements
In the rapidly evolving educational landscape, how do you stay ahead of the curve in operational efficiency? Are there any innovative strategies or technologies that you have recently implemented to streamline operations at IDEA College?
Having within IDEA group a department that focuses on IT and AI, we have always sought to be innovative. For instance, IDEA College was fully equipped to provide synchronous online lecturing way before it became indispensable during the pandemic. The college has always had an efficient Learning Management System (LMS) which makes the delivery of modules and learning more effective and simpler, both for lecturers and students. It also provides students with online tools, such as an extensive online library, to facilitate their academic journey. Nevertheless, we keep looking ahead and constantly seek to be more operationally efficient. Currently, we are working on enhancing our Learning Management and Customer Relationship Management systems with the aim to streamline the communication among all the stakeholders, while increasing efficiency and productivity. These systems are also used for data analytics to help us anticipate our students’ needs and new trends, which allow us to optimise response time, planning and resource allocation both in the short and long-term.
With the rise of automation and AI, how do you see the future of operational roles in educational institutions? Are there aspects of your job that you believe will always require a human touch, despite technological advancements?
Automation and AI will certainly continue to play a huge role in the streamlining of repetitive tasks and enhancing decision-making processes. However, in my opinion, to maintain student-centredness, flexibility and effective communication with all stakeholders, the human touch will always be necessary. I firmly believe that students need to be able to interact with humans whenever they need guidance, support or mentoring. Although technological advancements can help IDEA College make more informed decisions, automate processes and work in a more efficient manner, students will still require human presence to build a relationship of trust with their education provider and enjoy a safe study environment.
Crisis Management & Stakeholder Coordination
Crisis management is a key aspect of your job. Can you share an example of a challenging situation you faced at IDEA College and how you and your team successfully navigated it?
Fortunately, I can confidently say that we have not had the need for any major crisis management operations. All the teams at IDEA College, try to anticipate and have contingency plans for any issue that may disrupt our processes. In cases when we do have a situation that may present a threat or some level of harm to IDEA College and its stakeholders, for instance, a power cut, we always try to catch the situation as early as possible. We immediately try to get to the source of what is causing the crisis and start implementing our contingency plan if needs be, to prevent the situation from precipitating. In my role, I often have a plan B which would lead to damage containment and help us bounce back to the usual operations as soon as the crisis is over. One thing I always keep in mind in such situations, is the stakeholders. I try to think how I would feel and react if I were at the other end. This helps me to decide in the stakeholders’ best interest while mitigating the damage for IDEA College. Once a crisis is overcome, I always try to evaluate the situation and reflect on how we can handle the situation better the next time round.
The role of Deputy Principal for Operations involves managing multiple stakeholders with conflicting interests. How do you navigate these dynamics to ensure that decisions are made in the best interest of the college as a whole?
I would like to think that all our stakeholders have one common ultimate interest, that of making the students education journey as smooth, enjoyable and successful as possible. However, several parties are involved in the process, and I understand that along the way some conflicting interests may arise. In such cases, I firmly believe that communication is key. I ensure that everyone is given the possibility to express their view and I listen carefully to what each one has to say. In most cases, decisions are taken in accordance with Idea College’s policies. For more complex cases, I consult with my colleagues and together we take decisions that are for common good.
Balancing Structure with Innovation
There’s a fine line between maintaining order and fostering innovation. How do you strike that balance at IDEA College, ensuring that the operational side does not stifle creativity or academic freedom?
At Idea College we strive to foster an environment where innovation is encouraged within a framework of clear policies and procedures. Our operational processes are regularly reviewed and updated to ensure they are flexible enough to accommodate new ideas and approaches. Our Academic Affairs team holds regular workshops with our faculty members to discuss and encourage the use of innovative teaching methodologies. In turn, the Operations team makes sure to provide the necessary resources to facilitate a culture of creativity. We also make sure that the students are brought up to speed with any changes that take place ensuring that their academic journey remains as smooth as possible.
Flexibility & Adaptability in Operations
With the constant evolution of educational needs, how do you handle the pressure of ensuring that IDEA College’s operational framework remains both robust and flexible?
Within a growing educational organisation like Idea College, to be able to cater for new and growing demands, it is inevitable to have to make frequent changes. When the need for an improvement or an adjustment is identified, I try as much as possible to involve my team and appoint the staff members who will be responsible for implementing the change. Clear communication is key in this process. I make sure that all the team members know about the change and its implications, and I define the timelines within which the change needs to be implemented. Additionally, I ensure that the team has access to the necessary tools, documentation and support to be able to implement the change and maintain it successfully.
Long-Term Vision & Evolving Needs
Looking ahead, what are your long-term goals for the operations and logistics at IDEA College? How do you plan to evolve the operational functions to meet the future needs of the college and its students?
Among my long-term goals is that of further enhancing the use of technology to maintain operational efficiency and continuously improve the student academic journey as IDEA College continues to grow. This will certainly involve the provision of ongoing professional development for our faculty and staff members to ensure that they remain up to date with the latest changes. Ultimately, my goal is to ensure that no matter how much the college grows, the operational practices remain efficient and effective and the student academic experience continuous to be a positive one.
Finally, if you had the power to change one thing about the way higher education institutions typically handle operations, what would it be? How are you working towards that change at IDEA College?
I believe that most educational institutions fail to create an environment where departments collaborate to bring about significant improvements within the organisation. This often leads to departments working in silos, hindering the growth and efficiency of the organisation. At IDEA College, we strive to have a more integrated approach where inter-departmental sharing of knowledge and resources and collaboration are encouraged. This allows us to provide a more holistic approach when supporting students and faculty, from the onboarding stage to the successful completion of a programme. I believe that by prioritising these collaborative efforts, IDEA College can continue to lead in providing high-quality education.