Swot Analysis for Vancouver Island University Academic Plan - Essay Example

The management and stakeholders can track the financial position of an organization and the threats faced by the business so as to make resolutions on the necessary measures to take. This paper defines the meaning letter in the acronym SWOT and its application to the Vancouver Island University Academic plan.
            Vancouver Island University has an academic plan, which was created with an aim of focusing the University's academic goals on the continued progression of the institution. This academic plan was drafted by a selected committee to serve as a directive for the development of institutional academics. Consequently, internal and the external contexts of the university and the views of members and other stakeholders had to be put into consideration during the making of the plan. The document is made to act as a blueprint for the institution on certain priorities and provides recommendations.
SWOT analysis for Vancouver Island University academic plan.

            Strengths
            The strengths of a plan are its strong points that give the institution a competitive edge over others and make the plan appropriate for the foundation (Hosseini-Nasab, Hosseini-Nasab & Milani, 2011). The Vancouver Island University academic plan has enjoyed the support of the community since launching to current, enabling institutional development through different stages. The program is directed towards the development of the community, which helps address the educational, social, and cultural needs of the community. In addition, the plan supports scholarships for students and is focused on the ever-changing need for education, therefore making it suitable for future planning.

            Weaknesses
            The academic plan like other organizational programs has its weaknesses, which are the shortcomings of a plan, disadvantages, or limitations that reduce the chances of effective performance (Ronen & Coman, 2009). Most of the planned goals require money to implement and hence the institution's budgets have to be stretched. It is a lot of jobs to maintain the operation of the academic plan and at the same time manage the sustainability of the university goals. As a result, this plan also needs a lot of labor force in people to manage the developments and hence the institution pays more.

            Opportunities
            Opportunities are situations in which the institution benefits from using the plan. Consequently, the Vancouver Island University academic plan focuses on an open education system for all students. The plan is also made with a variety of entry and exit, which are a form of addressing the needs of different students. Evidently, it supports professional development and puts more emphasis on the interaction between faculty and students. In addition, it supports different forms of programs that enable the admission of different types of students in the institution. The document is referred to as living and allows for the admission of more students and the growth of the institution.

            Threats

            Threats are the internal or external environmental factors that will put the survival of the plan at risk. These include competition where other institutions also have their plan hence Vancouver Island University should keep reviewing its plan to make sure it is ahead of others. The plan might become outdated due to changes in the need for education by people and therefore needs to be amended now and then to fit the changing educational trends.

            In conclusion, SWOT analysis is a crucial tool for the development of businesses and institutions as it helps to identify the organization's status and the intended destination. It is also used as an evaluative tool for project performance and future progression (Hosseini-Nasab, Hosseini-Nasab & Milani, 2011). Vancouver Island University can use the model to determine the performance of the academic plan and its sustainability.