In higher education, strategy is about the big picture. Strategic thinking is more than just preparation and timeliness. Colleges and universities are well past the triage period of the early pandemic and are thinking about the permanent changes and technological improvements they will take away from the experience for the eternal success of their institutions.
EDUCAUSE has identified the top 10 higher IT issues for education for 2022, taking into account many of the lessons these institutions have learned over the past two years. The list begins with developing a shared vision and strategy that guides the digital transformation of an institution. It addresses student success as institutional success, noting that investments in digital equity have a lasting impact on the student experience. Finally, the list outlines how proactive risk management strategies can help support a sustainable university.
Universities Are Actively Planning for Long -Term Success
In this issue, we share stories about colleges and universities that are thinking strategically to reach their long-term goals. At North Central Missouri College, a digital transformation project modernized its network, streamlined its data center and improved physical security as part of the college’s five-year strategic plan. The University of Florida has partnered with NVIDIA to build a network fast enough to support the largest supercomputer in higher education, called its home campus.
Cross-departmental and cross-campus approaches contribute to the overall success of the university. Higher education institutions will also benefit when they establish cloud centers of excellence as part of their overall cloud adoption strategy. At Arizona State University, the team established CCoE early in its journey to help align priorities across the university. And institutions like Virginia State University and Utah State University use the IT service management platform ServiceNow to coordinate department-wide operations, beyond IT.
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The approach also extends to the student experience. Networks of schools in Idaho and New Mexico are coming together to share coursework through online consortiums. While many schools are working to bring together online programs at the height of the pandemic, these partnerships are thinking of strategically building the infrastructure needed to support them in the long run.
By prioritizing IT spending to support campus modernization, research efforts, service management and the student experience, these schools are setting themselves up for success.
The landscape of higher education is constantly changing, and colleges and universities are constantly being asked to shift gears on the fly. In times like these, having that forward-thinking strategy can only be an asset.
Ryan Petersen
Editor in chief
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