Partnering with industry via your advisory board

Many schools and programs have advisory boards that function as little more than a fundraising pool or an audience for the reading of the annual report. Ideally, an advisory board should team with the school to drive the strategic direction while providing advice on various important issues. Having the right group of people on the board is a key factor in determining how effective it will be. But, who are the “right” people? And, how should they be organized? According to many academic leaders, the board should be made up of a small, select group of people with a variety of experiences. This variety of people and experience makes the meetings much more productive and the board much more effective. Finding and attracting the right outside advisors is not as easy as it seems. Regardless of who is on your board, it is important that they can be relied upon for good advice and direction.