The state of the world the past few years has had a major impact on higher education. Students and professors were forced to re-think their traditional in-person classroom learning and shift to fully remote learning. Now, as colleges and universities adapt a hybrid model, it’s imperative to ensure IT alignment. In fact, on EdScoop’s PrioritiesEDU podcast, it’s noted that “aligning technology priorities with university business goals is essential.”
At Varsity, we believe that technology is instrumental in the college classroom, especially as higher education institutions become more vulnerable to cyberattacks. Our founder, Patrick Ciccarelli has years of experience seeing students transform their lives and institutions transform their infrastructure — both with the help of technology. From improved student learning to streamlined daily operations, technology can transform higher education for the better. If you’re a higher education professional who’s interested in seeing how technology can support you and your students, continue reading to learn more.
Improve The Student Learning Experience
Whether your college or university is in-person, fully remote, or a combination of both, technology can help streamline learning. Professors can create more engaging lesson plans, review assignments, and leave feedback easily, while students can learn at their own pace, upload assignments, and review course material on their own devices.
Support Quality Online Learning
Whether your institution is looking to implement micro-credential programs that focus on a specific skill set (such as boot camps, certificates, and licenses), or they are looking to invest in quality online learning experiences (such as virtual art galleries, campus tours, and assessments), technology can make learning more accessible for all. In turn, your institution can reap the lucrative benefits of having more diverse program offerings available to more students. Interestingly, micro-credential programs are becoming increasingly popular and are expected to double over the next three to five years. Having the right technology in place to support these opportunities is crucial.
Increase Productivity and Efficiency
Professors can increase productivity and efficiency by utilizing collaboration tools such as Google Drive and Dropbox. These important tools make tedious work like filing and reporting more manageable. Professors can easily share materials with other colleagues or students. Institutions can also benefit by reducing costs in physical materials and automating tasks with technology.
Reporting is another important aspect to colleges and universities. According to EdTech Magazine, “Universities and colleges are collecting troves of data. However, not many educators know how to interpret this data to improve learning outcomes and ensure IT alignment.” Technology is another useful way to manage, protect, and analyze important data, while saving time and money.
Stay More Secure
As technology needs increase, it’s critical to stay secure and keep your data protected. The higher education sector is particularly vulnerable because of the range of private and personal information they store — from student information to medical records. BlueVoyant reports that ransomware attacks on colleges doubled between 2019 and 2020, and that has only continued. Inside HigherEd even calls colleges a “juicy target” for cyberextortion.
How Varsity Can Help
Whether you’re interested in leveraging the latest cloud technology, improving your cybersecurity, or simply aligning your IT strategy with your institution’s goals, look no further than Varsity. We can provide:
- Cloud infrastructure components and management — from hardware and virtual machines to storage and network resources at the lowest cost possible.
- Top-notch cybersecurity services with three levels of ThreatWatch that build on each other to support growth and greater impact.
- A strategic technology plan that aligns with your high-level goals while meeting your immediate needs.
- Dedicated support to ensure your technology keeps evolving with you.
- And much more!
Contact us to see how we can help customize a technology solution for your college or university. We look forward to working with you!
