The importance of collaboration in an evolving higher education IT landscape

A fireside chat with James Blair, Director of Development and Operations at the University of Stirling

AppsAnywhere’s Director of Marketing, Michelle Craig hosted a fireside chat session with James Blair, Director of Development and Operations at the University of Stirling at the UCISA CISG-PMCG Conference 24.

Shortlisted for the University of the Year (2024), the University of Stirling, is a campus university based in Scotland, UK, 18,000 FTE with an excellent reputation for student engagement and satisfaction.

Like many universities in the UK, the University of Stirling have had to challenge traditional operating models, balance increasing demands and technology advancements with budget pressures to meet students’ needs and expectations and adapt for the future.

During the session, we set out to explore the current state of HE IT, what are the key ingredients of an excellent student experience, and how has the recipe changed over the years? What are the challenges universities are having to deal with right now, what can make a difference in how we respond to them and what will it take to make that happen?

Here are the top 3, according to James:

1. ‍Adapting to post-Covid changes: higher education institutions are still grappling with the shift towards hybrid learning, evolving student expectations, and the need to integrate the physical and digital to create smart campuses.
2. ‍Balancing efficiency and experience: institutions face the challenge of implementing technological solutions that enhance the student experience while operating within constrained budgets and resources.‍
3. The power of collaboration: the importance of collaboration between institutions, and between institutions and suppliers, to share experiences, solve problems, and drive innovation will be fundamental in ensuring higher education success.

Key takeaways:

1. Enhancing the evolving student experience

Students expect seamless access to resources anytime, anywhere. To meet their expectations, universities must provide a consistent experience across devices and locations:

"Getting access to anything when and where they need it... You don’t need different kit for special software, with AppsAnywhere we managed to replace PCs with laptops."

This shift necessitates a move away from traditional computer labs towards providing access via solutions like AppsAnywhere and AVD:

"We are trying to remove all that and that includes standardising learning spaces, making all the tech the same."

2. Doing more with less

This is probably the biggest challenge for all institutions right now, that has become a national topic of conversation for higher education. It is about gaining operational efficiencies, leveraging existing resources more effectively and make strategic decisions about technology investments. It involves reducing unnecessary waste, increasing the productivity of teams, and about thinking long-term solutions rather than short-term fixes.

“We need to get better at using what we do have, and sometimes reduced budgets help with that.”

Security is also becoming increasingly important, with more resources going into prevention and rapid response. There is also the challenge of replacing old technology and legacy systems, with the sustainability and change management implications that this involves.

James emphasizes the importance of data-driven decision-making, using tools like AppsAnywhere to analyse software usage and eliminate unnecessary applications:

"It helps to understand what we are using, it allows us to try and make sure we only run the software we need."

3. Suppliers as partners

Suppliers need to become partners in helping institutions adapt to these challenges. They need to understand the context institutions operate in and work together in designing and implementing solutions that meet those challenges. A great example is the partnership between Stirling and AppsAnywhere, based on our commitment to the education sector and our mission to reduce barriers to student success.

What do institutions value in their suppliers?

Scalable and affordable solutions:

"Budgets do need to be in line with the sector… I've seen too many companies try to have the same cost when the solution is nowhere near as good as the big players."

Deep expertise and understanding of HE needs:

"AppsAnywhere is concentrated on education, and that’s the only sector you’re in, that’s great for us. We've seen other players in the market, the bigger companies trying to enter the sector by buying smaller suppliers who are quite good, and then that focus disappears.”

Collaborative approach, listening to institutions and responding to their needs:

"Collaboration is key, and if it feels like you [AppsAnywhere] listen and you have done something we asked for, so we are in! For example you understand the burden of packaging applications and now provide pre-packaged options to help make our lives easier."

4. Leadership and governance:

Strong leadership in fundamental in driving digital transformation. James’ advice is:

" Shift your mindset towards digital solutions... Embrace tech as a core asset, data-driven decision-making... Focus on student-centric design."

The need for effective governance around projects, clear communication strategies, and a cross-functional team approach.

5. Looking to the future:

To move forward, we need to learn from past experiences, particularly from the rapid response required during the pandemic. For Stirling’s IT team, there are still some risks that will need careful consideration, including:

1. Managing resource and time-intensive tasks such as packaging and outsourcing that where possible at a reasonable cost.
2. Resource planning and continuity: “There is currently only one person managing AppsAnywhere internally, so we can be exposed to small team risk. So, it’s great to know we are supported to continue to operate in case of an internal emergency. And we are looking for the same capabilities with SaaS providers.”
3. Sustainability is key, influencing purchasing decisions and supplier partnerships, but also as a wider consideration of positive social impact on our communities.
4. There is great potential in AI, but we must be aware of both its benefits, potential risks and costs.
5. Improving our use of data, carefully considering what is important to keep and what is not. Storing data costs money and has a negative environmental impact, so if you don’t need it, don’t store it.

Collaboration is key to evolution

It is becoming apparent that digital transformation is closely linked with making quicker decisions, trying new things and being agile. It also means taking risks and stepping out of our comfort zone. This can be scary and can prevent us from sharing information in the fear that things aren’t complete or perfect. But that dialogue is key to reflecting, iterating, correcting and making sure adapting to the future is successful.

We want to encourage more collaboration to better understand the ecosystem of universities, students and suppliers who are all ultimately invested and committed to a shared goal. Thank you to James for sharing his experiences and opinions. Does this resonate, reassure or help provide confidence in what you are doing in your own institution?

How is your institution navigating the challenges and opportunities facing HE IT departments in this rapidly evolving landscape? What examples of collaboration, strategic partnerships, and student-centric initiatives are making a difference in your university? We’d love to hear from you!

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