2 types of program cannibalization—and how to anticipate them

To effectively steward institutional resources, finance and academic leaders must consider how new academic program proposals will impact enrollments in existing programs. Not only must leaders consider whether proposals may cannibalize existing program enrollments, they must also consider the net impact of cannibalization on institutional enrollments. Importantly, many campus stakeholders mistakenly assume that cannibalization is either always positive or always negative. In reality, there are two types of cannibalization—unhealthy and healthy.