What Can You Expect to See at EDUCAUSE 2019?
Successfully navigating analytics, new student learning methodologies and experiences, digital transformation, enterprise IT, and cybersecurity will take center stage at EDUCAUSE 2019. Higher education is changing more rapidly than ever, and decision-makers must be confident in how they embrace new technology and processes if their institutions are to succeed. So, what can organizations expect to see at this year’s EDUCAUSE that will help them prepare for the future?
Data-Driven Decision-Making and Culture Shifts
There’s a lot of hype around data analytics—but what does it mean for higher education? Fundamentally, higher education institutions are in a unique position to harness the troves of information at their disposal, thanks to the number of systems and devices in use across the learning environment.
In fact, Ovum notes that nearly two-thirds of higher education institutions across the world have ranked analytics as one of their top priorities. But while the technology may be advancing, adoption rates have been slow to keep up, partially because organizations often don’t know which tools to use or they don’t have the time to gather and analyze data to make decisions; instead, they rely on their gut instincts.
Analytics as a technology has proven to be a worthwhile investment for higher education institutions, opening new paths to success by shedding light on areas of opportunity that were traditionally unnoticed or overlooked. Transforming a university’s culture, on the other hand, has proven to be more challenging, as users have different expectations; the status quo has changed.
EDUCAUSE attendees should expect this to be a topic of hot discussion at this year’s event in Chicago.
New Learning and Student Experience Expectations
Students are very tech-savvy today and most want their schools to be on the same page when it comes to using new technology. Mobile devices, remote classes, as-a-service capabilities, and more have changed the higher education experience.
Meanwhile, the students themselves are not necessarily recent high school graduates. Veterans, parents, part-time learners with full-time jobs, and other individuals now make up significant portions of the student body. As a result, higher education institutions are expected to cater to these new students by delivering exceptional experiences without a sacrifice in quality.
The demand for schools to support competency-based education (CBE) programs has been growing due to these changes. Instead of relying solely on seat time and grades, CBE focuses on progressing students based on their mastery of a subject. CBE models vary between schools and it’s not a new concept, but it is growing in popularity as the student body evolves and students want to apply prior learning and other factors to their progression in a field of study.
CBE, as well as the new student and evolving experience expectations, will likely be a topic of interest at EDUCAUSE 2019. Don’t miss out on learning about our thoughts on CBE!
The Digital Enterprise
Enterprise IT continues to blend into higher education. Cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and other innovative technologies are gaining traction in schools that want to successfully progress with their own digital transformation and gain a competitive advantage over schools that may still rely on paperwork and antiquated systems.
Meanwhile, the growing threat of data breaches—malicious or otherwise—across industries is encouraging higher education to place a greater emphasis on protecting the highly sensitive information on students and systems. Organizations are pursuing student information systems, ERP solutions, and other platforms with robust cybersecurity capabilities that can keep personal information safe without inhibiting processes that must remain agile and efficient.
And, like other industries, diverse, new partnerships are becoming more common in higher education. Institutions need to partner with trusted, experienced technology partners that can help them navigate uncharted terrain, unlocking new paths to success and opening revenue-generating, cost-cutting opportunities.
Meet with Jenzabar at EDUCAUSE 2019 to learn how technology in higher education is changing and opening new avenues for success.
