What You Need to Know About Working with Higher Digital
At Higher Digital, we help colleges and universities accelerate change through strategic consulting and purpose-built software. This FAQ page answers common questions about our services, approach, and how we partner with institutions to drive measurable results.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Your questions about Higher Digital — answered.
Who is Higher Digital?
Higher Digital is a full-service consulting and Strategic Portfolio Management (SPM) software company built exclusively for higher education. With clients across the US and UK, we help institutions accelerate digital transformation, align strategy with execution, and deliver measurable, lasting results through expert guidance and purpose-built tools.
What services does Higher Digital provide?
Higher Digital offers a comprehensive suite of services tailored specifically for higher education institutions navigating complex change. Our expertise spans strategy, execution, technology, and organizational transformation, with offerings that include:
Change Management (Project + Enterprise)
We help institutions build the capabilities and culture to support lasting change — at both the project level and enterprise-wide. Our approach blends higher ed expertise with proven frameworks (e.g., ADKAR, ITIL, SAFe) to reduce resistance, improve adoption, and increase the impact of transformation efforts.
Services include:
- Project-level change strategy and execution
- Stakeholder engagement and communication
- Enterprise change readiness assessments
- Leadership coaching and alignment
Staff Augmentation & Advisory Services
Need immediate support or leadership capacity? We provide interim CIOs, PMO leadership, change management experts, and technical specialists to augment your team. Our advisors embed seamlessly, providing both strategic counsel and operational support.
IT & Technical Consulting
We deliver hands-on support for technology initiatives, including:
- SaaS ERP/SIS readiness and vendor selection
- Integration and data architecture planning
- IT governance and operating model design
- Process optimization and tool rationalization
Strategic Portfolio Management (SPM)
We help institutions align their strategic goals with the projects and initiatives that will drive the most value — using a proven methodology and our higher ed-specific platform, (SEA)results®.
Key outcomes:
- Faster decision-making
- Increased visibility across initiatives
- Improved alignment between leadership, IT, and academics
Data Management
Our DMaaS practice helps institutions address fragmented data environments, governance challenges, and analytics gaps. Led by former higher ed CIOs, this service builds sustainable data practices while improving data access, trust, and security.
Management & Strategy Consulting
We work directly with institutional leadership to develop actionable strategies that are informed by experience, data, and practical implementation know-how. Whether it’s digital transformation, ERP/SIS modernization, or change management, we help bridge vision and execution.
Enterprise & Solution Architecture
Our architects partner with IT and business stakeholders to design technology ecosystems that are scalable, secure, and aligned with institutional goals. From cloud migration strategies to integration planning, we ensure the right foundation is in place for future growth.
Higher Digital’s engagements are always grounded in higher ed experience, shaped by data, and delivered with a focus on measurable outcomes.
What is Strategic Portfolio Management (SPM)?
SPM is a discipline that ensures your institution’s strategy, goals, and priorities are clearly reflected in the projects you choose to invest in — and that you have visibility into what’s working and what’s not. We help higher ed leaders establish sustainable SPM processes and tools to make smarter, faster decisions.
What makes Higher Digital different from other consulting firms?
We are 100% focused on higher education. Our team includes former CIOs, presidents, provosts, and edtech leaders who understand the complexity of academic governance and change. Our approach combines deep consulting expertise with modern software and a pragmatic, partnership-driven mindset.
What is (SEA)results®?
(SEA)results® is our Strategic Execution and Alignment platform — a higher ed-specific SPM tool that helps institutions:
- Prioritize and track initiatives
- Align work with institutional strategy
- Visualize capacity and risk
- Improve governance and transparency
It’s designed to support accelerate alignment and collaboration between leadership, IT, finance, academics, and operations.
Who typically works with Higher Digital?
We work with senior leaders across the institution, including:
- Presidents and Provosts
- CIOs and IT leadership
- CFOs and Business Officers
- Strategic Planning Teams
- Institutional Research and PMOs
We serve public and private institutions, systems, and international clients.
How do engagements typically work?
Each engagement is tailored to the institution’s needs, but most follow a phased approach:
- Discovery & Assessment
- Strategy & Prioritization (often in the first 90 days)
- Implementation & Training
- Ongoing Alignment through Quarterly Check-Ins
We blend hands-on consulting with software and coaching to ensure progress and sustainability.
Can we start with a smaller engagement?
Yes. Many clients start with a focused SPM readiness assessment, strategy workshop, or data maturity consultation. We’re happy to scope a right-sized engagement to meet your institution where it is.
How do I get started?
Schedule a conversation with us to explore your goals and challenges. We’ll walk you through how we can help and what a tailored approach might look like.
Where is Higher Digital based?
We are headquartered in Tysons Corner, Virginia, with a European office in Amsterdam. We serve clients globally, including institutions across North America, the UK, and Europe.