Understanding the Education Cooperative Definition: What Is a Cooperative Supplier Relationship?
Tight budgets and bigger workloads it may not be the best way to work, but it has become more than the norm at academic institutions. Rising costs, decreased staff, and an increased emphasis on cost control are turning an already challenging job into a nearly overwhelming experience for many procurement teams. With the pressure to […]
How Suppliers Can Thrive in Education Cooperative Ecosystems
Working with a group purchasing organization (GPO) helps suppliers achieve economies of scale. Instead of having to submit customized RFPs for multiple organizations and negotiate individual contracts, suppliers can dramatically reduce their acquisition costs by entering into cooperative agreements with GPOs. By reducing the cost of sales and generating a larger volume of sales, suppliers […]
Educational Cooperatives in Action: Spotlight on Successful Business Partnerships
Forming successful business partnerships with suppliers can produce big benefits for universities.. When you work together with suppliers, you can develop innovative solutions and drive efficiency. By aligning goals, this collaboration generally produces better solutions and value compared to a strictly transactional relationship. Cooperative Contracts in Action What is an example of a cooperative relationship […]
Maximizing Opportunities: How Education Cooperatives Reshape Business Landscapes
To say the education landscape has changed dramatically over the past few years is an understatement. Forget about the jolt from the pandemic; that’s yesterday’s news. Today, most schools are dealing with even tighter budget constraints, rising prices, technology challenges, fewer staff, and shifting enrollment. Ensuring schools, colleges, and universities have the goods and services […]
The Tangible ROI Benefits of Educational Cooperative Agreements
It seems like everyone working in education is being tasked with doing more with less. Smaller budgets, fewer staff, and yet an increased workload. Sound familiar? Procurement teams are being asked to balance quality, volume, and cost while working within tight budget constraints and a mandate to reduce spend. At the same time, prices are […]
Cybersecurity in Higher Ed: How Education Cooperatives Help
Higher education is a highly lucrative target for cybercriminals. Within a school’s network, there is a wealth of valuable information, including financial and research data. There are also connections to state and federal government networks, providing potential pathways to do further damage. After two years of high-profile cyberattacks, most colleges and universities have increased their […]
Choosing the Right Education Purchasing Cooperative to Combat Cybersecurity Threats
When students at the University of Michigan returned to class in the fall of 2023, they didn’t have internet access for the first week because of a data breach that exposed student, faculty, and staff data. About 230,000 people were affected. Social Security numbers, names, driver’s license numbers, payment card numbers, and health information may […]
Building Stronger Cybersecurity Programs: How Educational Cooperatives Can Support Higher Ed
Because cybercriminals have typically focused on large companies with a wealth of data, these companies have largely improved their cybersecurity measures over the past few years. Attackers are now shifting their approach to more vulnerable targets, such as educational institutions. Cyberattacks against schools have increased 37% over the past year. This comes on the heels […]
Sustaining Cybersecurity Efforts in Education: How Education Cooperatives Can Support Your Institution
“Cyber incidents are so prevalent that, on average, there is more than one incident per school day.”—The Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) Despite the constant and growing threat, a significant number of colleges and universities do not have the proper cybersecurity protection. While businesses invest in cutting-edge cybersecurity tools and tactics, many schools rely […]
Building Stronger Schools Through Education Purchasing Cooperatives and Enhanced Cybersecurity
IT teams in schools have a big job that seems to constantly expand. Keeping equipment running properly, managing complex networks, and constantly monitoring and troubleshooting. When you factor in the significant challenges of recruiting and retaining qualified staff, and tighter-than-ever budget constraints, the job can be overwhelming. And then, you hear the two words that […]
