Pre-conference Research Workshop: Agility in Action: Decision-Making for Today's Higher Education
The aim of the workshop is to introduce participants to the principles of agile decision-making and explore how they can be applied to challenges faced by higher education institutions. A short theoretical introduction will be combined with interactive and collaborative hands-on activities through which participants will experience different aspects of decision-making, teamwork, communication, problem-solving, and adaptation under uncertainty.
Special attention will be given to decision-making biases and traps, and to how they may affect individual and organizational decisions. Participants will also explore decision-making styles, with particular emphasis on the situational decision-making style, and will have an opportunity to identify and reflect on their own dominant decision-making style.
The workshop will connect these concepts with current challenges in higher education through the analysis of real-world cases and strategic decision-making scenarios, including decisions related to the adoption and application of artificial intelligence in higher education. Through discussion and practical activities, participants will consider how agile thinking can support innovation, organizational resilience, and continuous improvement within their own institutions.
The workshop is highly interactive and is designed for participants interested in higher education management, strategic planning, decision-making, institutional development, and educational innovation. No prior knowledge of agile management or decision-making methods is required.
Keywords: agile decision-making, higher education, decision-making biases, decision-making styles, strategic planning, artificial intelligence
Participation: Open to all CECIIS conference participants (up to 30 participants); registration is required.
| Time | Event | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 10:00 – 13:30 | Startup.score Research Workshop (Closed Event) | This closed research workshop is organized within the Startup.score project and is intended exclusively for invited experts participating in the research activities. The workshop will begin with presentations of the project's ongoing scientific research and two doctoral research proposals. These presentations will be followed by an interactive research session focused on collecting expert input and validating research concepts. The presented studies explore the relationship between the support programmes offered by startup support organizations—such as incubators, accelerators, technology parks, and similar institutions—and the success of startup companies. Participants include experienced startup development professionals, managers of entrepreneurial support organizations, technology scouts, and other experts with extensive knowledge of startup ecosystems. |
| 13:30 – 14:30 | Dissemination Event: Updates from the Centre for Pre-Incubation in Smart Industry | This dissemination event will present the latest developments, achievements, and future activities of the Centre for Pre-Incubation in Smart Industry in Varaždin. Participants will gain an overview of the Centre's current initiatives, opportunities for collaboration, and its role in supporting innovation, entrepreneurship, and knowledge transfer. |
| 14:30 – 15:45 | Lunch Break | |
| 16:00 – 19:00 | Agility in Action: Decision-Making for Today's Higher Education (Open to all CECIIS conference participants, registration required) | Today's higher education institutions operate in increasingly dynamic and uncertain environments, requiring leaders and educators to make informed decisions while adapting quickly to changing circumstances. This interactive workshop introduces participants to the principles of agile decision-making and agile management in higher education. Following a concise theoretical introduction, participants will engage in a series of collaborative, hands-on activities designed to demonstrate how agile approaches can improve decision quality, teamwork, communication, and problem-solving under uncertainty. Within the workshop, decision-making biases such as the status quo, the sunk-cost trap, and the anchoring trap will be discussed. Examples of strategic planning and decision-making regarding the application of AI in higher education will also be analyzed. The workshop will further emphasize decision-making styles, particularly the situational style, and determine the dominant decision-making style for each participant. The workshop concludes with the analysis of real-world higher education case studies, encouraging participants to reflect on how agile thinking can be applied within their own institutions to support innovation, organizational resilience, and continuous improvement. |
| 19:00 – 20:30 | Dinner | |
| 20:30 – TBD | Warm-up event |