University of Vermont, Vermont, US

Customer Spotlight

The University of Vermont, officially The University of Vermont and State Agricultural College, is a public and grant research university in Burlington, Vermont. With approximately 13,900 students they strive to make work accessible, affirming, and action-oriented to help ensure excellence is inclusive of everyone.

UVM recognizes the importance from both the university and students’ perspectives that the education provided and received is at its optimum level of quality. When the pandemic hit in 2020, it made this balance increasingly difficult and forced universities to react momentarily and implement a solid solution to provide remote learning in a brief period. UVM successfully managed to do this thanks to their determination and drive to provide an online solution to their students. 

The principle focus for UVM is to make technology accessible as a means to educate their students but also to use the technology to make research and discoveries possible.

University of Vermont's AppsAnywhere Journey

Digital Equity

When UVM reviewed their digital deferred maintenance strategy they considered their entire ecosystem, which included both the physical and digital maintenance of the campus. This highlighted the need to keep the digital aspect firmly on the institutional roadmap including research computing which continues to grow.

As a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic students and staff were not able to access the physical campuses resulting in more attention required on the digital side.

Learning Space of The Future

Previously UVM had the very traditional way of delivering software via managed computer labs based on campus or having students contact faculty to get access. With its obvious downfalls, they looked to several solutions including a virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) and a ‘homegrown’ application where students could download software. However, this solution required a lot of work due to issues such as lacking in features and functionality.

Instead, the answer is a formula of solutions that enables BYOD and remote learning. In UVM’s case, it was the combination of their existing VDI solution and AppsAnywhere.

The marriage between the two platforms produced a delightful experience.

Prior Planning

UVM’s commitment to their students via their digital strategy is clearly seen in how they implemented AppsAnywhere so quickly. In-fact their entire implementation process was within 30 days. Unlike other institutions they had the forethought ahead of the pandemic to create a virtual learning environment, meaning that AppsAnywhere slotted in nicely with their existing solution.

AppsAnywhere quickly rose to the top of products that did really exactly what we wanted, in terms of providing a modern state-of-the-art software portal. It tied really nicely into our existing VDI environment.

On a Final Note…

Implementing any software within 30 days and having your entire campus adapt is a tall order for any organization, however, UVM has shown that it’s doable.

UVM is clearly committed to their ever-evolving digital strategy to ensure digital equity to both students and faculty. This is seen in their actions such as regularly speaking directly with students as well as the Student Government Association, Deans, and faculty members for feedback. Moving forward, their perseverance to provide equity of access to technology will continue to keep up with their students’ demands.

Their hard work and commitment is remarkable and has certainly resulted in a digital transformation, the future for UVM will continue to evolve and innovate.

AppsAnywhere x University of Vermont