10 Reasons Why You Need to Attend TDU Global 2018

Kerry Geffert
Product Evangelist, Terra Dotta

Within five years of the founding of Terra Dotta, it became clear that a gathering of those who use the software, together with Terra Dotta development and support staff, would be beneficial to all. And so, the first TDU User Conference was held in 2006, bringing together TD staff and 26 clients (two of whom went on to join the Terra Dotta team!) to share best practices, discover new benefits of the latest version of the software, and provide feedback for future development.

Each year’s user conference has been enhanced to provide up-to-date training on the various Terra Dotta solutions, as well as to connect with TD staff. Within six years, over 200 users attended the annual conference, and by last April, registrations had grown another 50% to over 300 users – approaching the size of some NAFSA regional conferences. For 2018, even greater enhancements are planned to make our user conference one of the don’t-miss gatherings of the year. The conference’s new name – TDU Global – reflects the global nature of our software, in use by clients in 10 countries. Read about the other enhancements planned for TDU Global 2018 here.

We know, however, that TDU Global attendance may compete for limited conference/training funds. We know that making those decisions about which meetings to attend can present a dilemma for many managers. But we also know that TDU Global is valuable training that supports your software investment. Therefore, to aid you in your decision making, here are 10 reasons why you will want your institution represented at TDU Global 2018:

Make the most of your investment – Your institution made both a financial and personnel investment when it decided to purchase Terra Dotta software. Learning all you can about your software supports that investment by using it to its fullest. It business terms, training increases your ROI.
Improve office efficiency – As your staff learn more about your software, they learn how to use it better. Increased efficiency certainly benefits all users of the software, but also has a significant “knock-on” effect through increased productivity and a more positive environment.
Improve job satisfaction – Few of us prefer to become stagnant in our jobs. Student development theory that embraces challenge and support may also be applied to our work environments. Staff members who are challenged to learn new tasks, complimented by appropriate training (i.e., support) will be happier in their jobs.
Improve morale and motivation – Sending staff for training sends the message that you value them and are willing to make an investment in them. An environment where staff feel valued and trusted will have a better overall morale, leading to greater productivity and innovation.
Provide reasons for staff to stay – There can be many reasons for staff departure, with lack of growth opportunity being a key reason. Training provides growth opportunity, and thus is closely linked to job satisfaction and morale. Fulfilled employees tend to stay, so would you rather spend your budget on training or replacing a departed employee?
Succession planning – Even in the best office environments, change can occur. Families move; new opportunities arise. What happens if that change involves your “superuser,” that person who has become very familiar with all your software can do? Sending multiple staff members – when staffing permits – protects your office and your procedures from a sudden, perhaps unforeseen, knowledge gap.
Improve customer satisfaction – Let’s face it; all the efforts by your staff as software administrators mean little if your end users, e.g., your students and faculty, are unhappy with your product. But with training, happier and more knowledgeable administrators will feel motivated to develop a system that works for both their office requirements and the needs of the end users. Happier end users are more willing to use your software, increasing engagement with your office and likely increasing participation.
Improve best practices – International education continues to evolve. New regulations are promulgated while health, safety and risk management increasingly affect your program planning. Your software changes, too, as improvements are made to adapt to professional needs. Routine training aids your staff with keeping on top of software enhancements, meanwhile maintaining your office’s alignment with the latest in best practices.
Increase innovation – Training in a group setting encourages the sharing of challenges and solutions. Whether through sessions or conversations over dinner, ideas are explored, benefiting from a variety of experience and perspective. Participants at TD user conferences often report returning home with new ideas to implement on their campuses. The chances of those innovative ideas occurring while home alone in the office are much less.
Improve institutional profile – Students talk; it doesn’t matter if they are your international students or students going out on study abroad. The better they feel about their experiences in your TD software, the better their evaluations of your office and your institution. In an increasingly competitive market for students – foreign and domestic – it benefits your office and your procedures to be one of the shining stars.

Keeping abreast of technology is essential for today’s international education office. However, the best technology loses its value if your staff do not receive training on how to best utilize the software. TDU Global is designed to provide training that engages and challenges your users. Participants learn about their systems and the latest developments while immersed in a setting that promotes sharing of knowledge among both users and TD staff.

Make the investment in your staff and your system by attending TDU Global 2018 next April in Pittsburgh. Like many of our attendees, you will want to make this an annual training opportunity. Register now!