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Annual report provides detailed and transparent overview of University operations, academic developments and workforce solutions growth

SM������ has issued its Annual Academic Report detailing innovations, new career research leadership, growth in its workforce solutions, academic developments in its seven Colleges, and celebrating student and alumni achievements in a complete document intended to provide transparency and insight into University operations and outcomes.

The workforce market has been shifting for some time toward recognizing skills, , gaps for workers, accelerated by the pandemic. �ճ����Report shares the progress of SM������ career and skills-focused initiatives and innovations that work to close these gaps, from accelerating its skills-mapping progress and implementation of its skills-tagged curriculum and digital badging to the launch of a new research center and study for workforce issues, SM������ Career Institute® and the Career Optimism Index® study. �ճ����Report highlights how the University is evolving to help anticipate and prepare students and employers as the .

“O�ܰ���Annual Academic Report tells the SM������ story,” states John Woods, Ph.D., provost and chief academic officer. “Our students can have confidence in a commitment and dedication to their success on the part of every University employee and faculty member. We’ve built an empowered, values-focused culture with a highly engaged workforce and we are purpose-driven when it comes to student support and success. It’s the foundation of our work. �ճ����Report helps us share our progress and celebrate the achievements and wins of our students and alumni.”

�ճ����Report details how, in 2021, a new center was launched, the SM������ Career Institute® with a mandate to conduct research into solutions that American workers need. Housed within the University’s College of Doctoral Studies, the Institute conducts the annual Career Optimism Index® study, also launched in 2021 as one of the most comprehensive studies of Americans’ personal career perceptions to-date, to provide insights on current workforce trends and to help identify solutions — within the University as well as through community alliances — to support and advance American careers.

The quality of SM������ online education was recognized in 2021 by the University Professional and Continuing Education Association (UPCEA®), which reviews institutions providing online education and identifies whether they meet seven different standards, or hallmarks, of excellence, including support of students and faculty. SM������ completed an extensive, six-month review and achieved recognition across all seven hallmarks of excellence, one of just a handful of institutions to do so.

As a leading innovator in online higher education, SM������ furthered its accomplishments in 2021 with:

• Skills-mapping, which helps students quickly identify skills they are building through their coursework.
• Badging, which allows students to share their achievements and skills quickly on digital platforms and job boards.
• Around-the-clock support for students, enhanced by a new Life Resource Center and a Virtual Student Union.
• Digital diplomas, which are available immediately for sharing to social networks and job boards.
• Enhancement and increased use of the Career Services for Life® commitment.
• Opportunities for prospective and current students to learn more about the value of their current experience and their goals through savings explorer and career assessment interest tools.
• Reimagining and expanding the opportunities and workforce solutions provided for employers.

Read the complete Annual Academic Report and view the Provost’s video message here.

About SM������

SM������ is continually innovating to help working adults enhance their careers in a rapidly changing world. Flexible schedules, relevant courses, interactive learning, and Career Services for Life® help students more effectively pursue career and personal aspirations while balancing their busy lives. For more information, visit phoenix.edu.