New Leadership Masterclass from Plaid Analytics: Asking "What if?": Working with Scenarios in Enrolment Forecasting
TLDR: we're excited to announce a new leadership masterclass on working with scenarios in enrolment forecasting. Learn more and register here.
Over a decade ago, I began working in enrolment forecasting.
It’s a fascinating discipline - not just because it helps universities and colleges plan for the short, medium, and long term, but because it reveals how decisions are made: the trade-offs institutions wrestle with, the assumptions they hold, and the priorities they believe best serve learners, faculty, and the broader community.
When we talk about enrolment forecasts, it’s easy to get lost in the weeds.
Why does Program A grow in 2029 while Program B stalls - even within the same faculty?
Those questions matter, but they’re only part of the picture.
🟣 Internal context - admissions, retention, progression, graduation.
🟢 External context - government policy, funding shifts, applicant behaviour, new competition.
Staying on top of that context helps leaders challenge assumptions, explore alternatives, and make more credible plans.
But the practice of enrolment forecasting itself is changing.
When I started, forecasts lived in a single spreadsheet and were updated once a year. Today, new technologies make it possible to explore multiple scenarios at once and revisit assumptions far more frequently. Advances in public data, third-party sources, and emerging analytical approaches (including AI) have made it more realistic than ever to incorporate external context into planning.
At the same time, the policy environment has been shifting at an extraordinary pace. Over the last two years alone, international enrolment policies have changed dramatically across many countries. Funding models are evolving. Financial aid systems are shifting. Demand for education remains strong, but the landscape of options available to learners is expanding quickly.
That’s why we’ve launched a leadership masterclass focused on working with scenarios in enrolment forecasting.
The workshop is designed for leaders who want to move beyond the once-a-year spreadsheet model and build the capability to test assumptions, explore alternatives, and respond more quickly as conditions change.
Participants will engage with scenario modelling leaders from Plaid Analytics and peers from across the sector. Every institution receives a Forecasting Maturity Assessment, and those participating as a Leadership Team or Executive Team also receive a customized Strategic Roadmap outlining practical next steps.
If this resonates, you can learn more - including dates, pricing, and registration options - on the workshop page.
If this resonates, you can learn more - including dates, pricing, and registration options - on the workshop page.