ADVANCE YOUR EXPERTISE WITH AD ASTRA CERTIFICATIONS

Ad Astra's certification program is designed to equip you with skills to advance student progress and improve operational efficiency through curated, expert-led product and solution training. All participants who complete certifications will be awarded a digital badge. And this year, we're thrilled to debut three new certifications, offering even more opportunities to grow and succeed. Discover all six certification paths below.

Upgrade your events management process with the Essential Scheduling: Events Certification. This certification is ideal for event schedulers looking to maximize the benefits of the Essential Scheduling solution, from managing spaces and resources to handling event requests and invoicing.

Learning Objectives 

• Gain expertise in booking events, managing calendars, and streamlining workflows efficiently using Ad Astra’s Event Scheduling solution. 

• Learn to manage spaces, resources, user groups, and permissions while maintaining internal and external calendars. 

• Master event registration, invoicing tools, and fee collection processes for seamless public event management. 

Who Should Participate 

• Event Schedule Managers/Coordinators

• Student Affairs and Auxiliary Services Managers 

• Academic staff and leaders that are responsible for Event Scheduling

A MUST for campus power users, this certification provides the know-how required to effectively maintain and optimize the Ad Astra platform. Participants will develop a deep understanding of how system settings influence academic, room, and event scheduling processes in order to become their institution’s go-to resource for ensuring seamless system support and performance. 

Learning Objectives 

• Navigate and maintain Ad Astra settings 

• Create, edit, and maintain sections  

• Create and maintain events, including creating registrations and invoices  

• Learn best practices for maintaining the Ad Astra software

Who Should Participate 

• Academic schedulers  

• Event schedulers  

• Astra Schedule System Administrators

Because smart scheduling is an ongoing practice, this certification equips participants with the skills to reliably and efficiently create smart, student-centered academic schedules. Through hands-on training, participants learn to analyze data, identify improvements, and apply best practices to optimize course offerings, classroom use, and faculty assignments.

Learning Objectives 

• Understand the relationship between smart scheduling practices and student success outcomes 

• Turn data into action with smart schedules that prioritize student success while meeting institutional needs 

• Steer and implement impactful changes on your campus using student success and scheduling data with Ad Astra 

Who Should Participate 

• Registrars, Scheduling Managers, and Schedule Coordinators 

• Academics schedulers, staff, and Department Chairs responsible for creating course schedules 

Say goodbye to term-to-term scheduling! This certification equips participants with the skills to transition to annual scheduling in an efficient, accurate and equitable manner. Participants will gain hands-on experience in updating timelines, reviewing policies, mastering scheduling software, and balancing student needs with institutional priorities, becoming key contributors to academic scheduling excellence.

Learning Objectives 

• Understand the Annual Scheduling Cycle 

• Review Institutional Policies and Procedures 

• Utilize Scheduling Software Proficiently 

• Implement Effective Scheduling Practices 

• Promote Equity and Inclusion in Scheduling 

• Communicate and Collaborate Across Stakeholders 

• Evaluate and Improve Scheduling Outcomes 

Who Should Participate 

• Vice Chancellors 

• Provosts/Vice Provosts 

• Chief Academic/Instructional Officers  

• VP/AVPs of Academic Affairs/Instruction  

• VP/AVPs of Student Affairs 

• Deans & Chairs 

• Registrars 

• Academic Schedulers

The power to build schedules that promote student progress, align with academic pathways, and support institutional priorities is within reach. This certification focuses on structuring course offerings to facilitate seamless student progress, including meta-majors and micro-credentials. Participants will learn strategies to balance schedules with student needs, enhance equity, optimize funding opportunities, and implement practices like shortened terms and annual scheduling. 

Learning Objectives 

• Understand the impact of academic planning and scheduling on student success. 

• Analyze program vitality and student progress through key metrics: enrollment, financial health, and instructional capacity. 

• Identify scheduling tactics that reduce time-to-degree. 

• Optimize scheduling strategies, such as shortened terms and annual scheduling, to maximize funding and resources. 

• Align scheduling practices with institutional financial and equity goals. 

Who Should Participate 

• Vice Chancellors 

• Provosts/Vice Provosts 

• Chief Academic/Instructional Officers  

• VP/AVPs of Academic Affairs/Instruction  

• VP/AVPs of Student Affairs 

• Deans & Chairs

• Academic Advisors

Focusing on the academic schedule and integrated data, this certification teaches senior leaders to evaluate program pathways, track completions, and student progress metrics. Participants will gain the skills to use data-driven insights to improve program performance and resource utilization, while promoting student progress and program success. 

Learning Objectives 

• Assess enrollment data to identify opportunities for program growth and improved retention. Evaluate faculty workload to ensure alignment with academic goals and resource optimization. 

• Analyze and adjust program pathways to support timely degree completion. 

• Use financial data to enhance program sustainability and resource efficiency. 

• Monitor student progress metrics to develop interventions that improve outcomes. 

• Synthesize data insights to guide decision-making in scheduling and resource allocation. 

• Develop strategies to foster sustainable academic environments that align with institutional priorities.

Who Should Participate 

• Provost’s Office  

• Senior Academic Leadership  

• System Staff

CERTIFICATION FAQ

How many certifications can I earn at ASPIRE?

Attendees are free to choose which certification(s) and sessions they desire but are limited to obtaining up to two certifications. Due to concurrent schedule limitations, attendees have the following options to earn one or two certification(s):

• Essential Scheduling: Events
• Essential Scheduling: Admin
• Smart Academic Scheduling
• Annual Scheduling
• Scheduling for Student Progress
• Annual Program Performance
• Essential Scheduling: Events & Smart Academic Scheduling

Can certifications be completed outside of ASPIRE?

Unfortunately, not at this time. Ad Astra is excited to offer these certifications as an included benefit of attending ASPIRE25 based on prior requests for additional training. As always, we look forward to your feedback.

Do I need to bring my own laptop?

Yes. Participants must bring their own devices to follow along with instructions, guides, and demonstrate expertise in a demo software environment. Laptops are highly recommended, as the experience may be limited and unable to complete on smaller devices (e.g. tablets).

Is there an additional cost for pursuing certifications at ASPIRE25?

Certifications are free for all ASPIRE attendees.

What do I receive upon completion of my certification?

You will receive both a certificate and a corresponding LinkedIn badge for each certification.

I received a certification at ASPIRE24. Do I have to renew it? 

Nope! Moreover, you can explore our certifications for ASPIRE25 to add to your skill set!

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