EDUCAUSE Research Notes - EDUCAUSE Review

Building Institutional Resilience to Adapt and Thrive in Times of Uncertainty

A framework developed by members of the community can help guide the work to make colleges and universities more resilient.

EDUCAUSE QuickPoll Results: Data Modernization and Management

As higher education institutions recognize the strategic value of data, many are still grappling with barriers that slow or complicate modernization efforts.

EDUCAUSE QuickPoll Results: Institutional Resilience in Uncertain Times

Higher education institutions are continuously navigating uncertainty and change. Identifying strengths and gaps in institutional resilience is a critical first step in building the capacity to anticipate, respond to, and adapt to future challenges—even unexpected ones.

EDUCAUSE QuickPoll Results: AI-Related Procurement

AI-related procurement is challenging due to the complexity of AI governance and the rapid pace of change of AI technologies. Procurement professionals can succeed by aligning practices with institutional AI strategy and working with solution providers committed to transparency.

EDUCAUSE QuickPoll Results: Technology Budgets and Staffing

As institutions face a multitude of challenges and anticipate budget reductions and resource shortages, data for benchmarking and decision-making and the affordances of new technologies can help illuminate paths forward.

EDUCAUSE QuickPoll Results: Sustainability in Higher Education

Higher education institutions are investing in sustainability initiatives, but their specific goals and challenges remain unclear to many. Student and campus community engagement continues to be a key force in advancing these efforts.

EDUCAUSE QuickPoll Results: The Varied and Compounding Effects of Institutional Debt

Technical debt is widespread across higher education, introducing both risks and benefits to the institution. Cybersecurity supports are lagging, and smaller institutions in particular may be weighed down by compounding debts.

EDUCAUSE QuickPoll Results: Solution Provider Partnerships

Collaborative partnerships between higher education institutions and technology solution providers are strengthened by focusing on great communication, shared vision, and top-notch expertise.

EDUCAUSE QuickPoll Results: AI in Communications Applications

Institutional constituents hope to see improved efficiency and support for users across campus from the use of AI tools in communications applications.

EDUCAUSE QuickPoll FastFact: Should Cybersecurity and Privacy Functions Be Integrated?

In a recent Cybersecurity and Privacy Program evaluation survey, EDUCAUSE asked IT professionals whether cybersecurity and privacy functions should be integrated or kept separate.

EDUCAUSE QuickPoll Results: Advancing Analytics

Institutional leaders want and plan to advance their use of analytics in many functional areas across campus, but doing so will require overcoming numerous challenges that call for new strategies and technologies.

EDUCAUSE QuickPoll Results: Third-Party Risk Management Practices in Higher Education

Implementing a formal third-party risk management process can help institutions manage the increasing volume and complexity of risks associated with third-party products and services.

EDUCAUSE QuickPoll Results: Leadership Transitions

Any leadership transition can be hard for an institution, but CFO/CBO transitions appear to be especially challenging for technology teams. Early and frequent communication with new leaders, as well as strategic alignment, can help.

EDUCAUSE QuickPoll Results: A Growing Need for Generative AI Strategy

The use of generative AI in higher education shows no signs of slowing, and the need for supporting resources and processes means institutions should be focused on creating strategies to set themselves up for success.

EDUCAUSE QuickPoll Results: Positioning Higher Education IT Governance as a Strategic Function

Although most colleges and universities have established IT governance practices, the approaches differ, with varying levels of effectiveness.

EDUCAUSE QuickPoll Results: A Sense of Belonging for Workforce Retention

A sense of belonging is essential for a positive and productive workforce, and it can be eroded by experiences of discrimination, inflexible work environments, and unsupportive leadership.

EDUCAUSE QuickPoll Results: Growing Needs and Opportunities for Security Awareness Training

Higher education institutions face many cybersecurity threats and should be thinking of ways to improve the effectiveness and design of their security awareness programs.

EDUCAUSE QuickPoll Results: Risks and Opportunities in Higher Education Accessibility

Many institutions may be facing legal action or investigation for accessibility, but proactive investments in staffing, key supports, and leadership buy-in can help mitigate risks.

The EDUCAUSE Technology Solutions Market Dashboard: Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Systems

Researching new enterprise technology solutions can be a lengthy, time- consuming exercise, often resulting in lack of essential information to drive progress and decisions. The EDUCAUSE Technology Solutions Market Dashboard enables institutions to explore details on more than 50 unique Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system products, all in one platform.

EDUCAUSE and WCET QuickPoll Results: Current Trends in Microcredential Design and Delivery

Microcredentialing programs remain nascent at many institutions, but interest continues to grow. As the demand for flexible learning experiences increases, stakeholders might find renewed interest in and uses for microcredentials.

EDUCAUSE QuickPoll Results: Adopting and Adapting to Generative AI in Higher Ed Tech

As more higher education stakeholders discover and use generative AI, intentional staffing and governance will ensure that institutions adopt these technologies effectively and appropriately.

EDUCAUSE QuickPoll Results: Third-Party Service Agreements and Contracts

Colleges and universities increasingly rely on third-party services. With recent changes to the regulation of these services, institutions will need to review and possibly update their contracts and outsourcing practices to ensure compliance.

EDUCAUSE QuickPoll Results: (Re)organizing Data Functions for Today’s Analytics

How institutions structure their data functions is as imperative as the data itself. To achieve a data-driven culture, and enable data-informed decision-making, some institutions are evolving their structures to adapt to the data and analytics needs of their stakeholders.

EDUCAUSE QuickPoll Results: Did ChatGPT Write This Report?

Generative AI is arriving in higher education, but stakeholders are uncertain about its potential opportunities and challenges. One thing is clear: there is work to be done, and there’s no time to waste.

EDUCAUSE QuickPoll Results: Adapting to Change and Disruption in Higher Education

As institutions continue to experience change and disruption across campus, improving training, flexibility, and cross-functional relationships and collaboration will be necessary to continue to adapt in the “new normal.”

EDUCAUSE QuickPoll Results: Impacts of IT Supply-Chain Disruptions

As institutions and technology units continue to experience supply-chain disruptions that fall beyond their control, integrating flexibility into planning and procurement processes can enable the development of creative solutions to these challenges.

EDUCAUSE QuickPoll Results: Software, Software Everywhere! How Do Institutions Manage Their Assets?

Software asset management (SAM) tools can help institutions streamline their software management, reduce wasteful spending, and maintain compliance with licensing agreements, but few institutions are currently using these tools.

EDUCAUSE QuickPoll Results: Senior Technology Leaders' Impressions of DEI Efforts

As stakeholders translate intention into action, data indicate that senior technology leaders feel more optimistic about diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) progress than do middle management and frontline staff.

EDUCAUSE QuickPoll Results: Transforming Teaching and Learning with a Digital Learning Strategy

EDUCAUSE is helping institutional leaders, technology professionals, and other staff address their pressing challenges by gathering and sharing data. This report is based on an EDUCAUSE QuickPoll. QuickPolls enable us to rapidly gather, analyze, and share input from our community about specific emerging topics.

EDUCAUSE QuickPoll Results: Institutional and IT Resilience

As institutions and IT units increasingly focus on building resilience, leadership training and cross-unit collaboration will be critical for success. Resilience in higher education as a whole will depend on greater equity across institutions.

EDUCAUSE QuickPoll Results: Learning Spaces Transformation

The transformation of learning spaces is ubiquitous among higher education institutions. IT leaders can provide essential support for driving transformation toward more inclusive and effective learning spaces on their campuses.

EDUCAUSE QuickPoll Results: Leadership and Action for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

The majority of higher education institutions and the units within them have now developed strategic plans and goals related to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Stakeholders are asking leaders to move from aspiration to action, translating intentions into tangible outcomes.

EDUCAUSE QuickPoll Results: The Workforce Shakeup

A sizable wave of staff departures is headed toward higher education. Staff cite either institutional or personal reasons for staying or leaving, suggesting a range of institutional strategies for attracting and retaining talent.

EDUCAUSE QuickPoll Results: Using Analytics to Advance Equity Goals

Campus leaders are beginning to explore leveraging analytics as a vehicle for supporting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Critical steps include identifying barriers and engaging in collaboration that brings together experts across disciplines: DEI, analytics, data literacy, and strategy.

EDUCAUSE QuickPoll Results: XR Technology

Extended reality (XR) adoption in higher education is expected to increase, both as a strategic priority for institutions and as a response to broader market growth for these technologies. Alignment to institutional missions and partnerships with faculty will be key for successful XR implementation.

EDUCAUSE QuickPoll Results: Flexibility and Equity for Student Success

Students’ experiences with educational technology underscore the importance of creating flexible and equitable learning environments. Leveraging recent surges in digital transformation can help higher education get there.

EDUCAUSE QuickPoll FastFact: Vaccination Tracking

In a recent QuickPoll survey, EDUCAUSE asked IT professionals about vaccination-tracking plans for faculty, staff, and students at their institutions for the 2021–2022 academic year.

EDUCAUSE and CUPA-HR QuickPoll Results: The Misalignment of Preferences and Realities for Remote Work

Many higher education HR and IT employees would like to continue working remotely but might not be permitted—a situation that could have dire implications for recruitment and retention.

EDUCAUSE QuickPoll Results: Institutional Engagement in Digital Transformation

Digital transformation in higher education has accelerated throughout (and partly because of) the COVID-19 pandemic. Improved cross-institution collaboration can help institutions maintain their digital transformation momentum into the future.

EDUCAUSE QuickPoll Results: Artificial Intelligence Use in Higher Education

Despite the visibility and energy surrounding artificial intelligence, higher education is taking measured steps toward incorporating this technology.

EDUCAUSE QuickPoll Results: The Cybersecurity Workforce

As cybersecurity professionals venture into a future of remote work and virtualized services, they must build on today’s skills and develop new competencies for the future.

Predicting Levels of Student Satisfaction during COVID-19

Three undergraduate student researchers at the University of St. Thomas share the results of their study on students' experiences and perspectives during a global pandemic.

EDUCAUSE QuickPoll Results: COVID-19 Vaccination Requirements

As the fall term approaches, college and university leaders are weighing a range of fluid and sometimes competing factors as they decide whether and how to require vaccinations.

EDUCAUSE QuickPoll Results: Student Success Technologies

The pandemic has prompted important changes in how higher education faculty and staff use—and budget for—technologies that can support student success.

EDUCAUSE QuickPoll Results: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Discrimination continues to be a challenge for the higher ed IT profession, but the events of the past year have raised awareness of DEI and may present opportunities for concerted action.

Effective Use of Technologies in Student Advising: Is There a Yellow Brick Road?

In pursuit of identifying promising practices in technology-mediated student advising, we offer theory-of-change and program-logic models that integrate theory and existing research to promote planning, implementation, and testing of assumptions related to student advising transformation.

EDUCAUSE QuickPoll Results: Assessment and Learning Design

Faculty engagement with instructional resources has increased and will likely persist in coming academic years. Whether larger institutional changes persist will rely on key investments and increased cross-departmental collaboration.

EDUCAUSE QuickPoll Results: Privacy and the Remote Workforce

Colleges and universities and their IT staff have generally adapted well to the various layers of privacy considerations that arise when IT staff work from home.

EDUCAUSE QuickPoll Results: Post-Pandemic Plans for Remote Work

Remote work for IT staff is evolving from a temporary adaptation to the pandemic to a permanent circumstance. The IT workforce is enthusiastic. CIOs are preparing to lead a distributed workforce and are adapting culture, management, policies, and engagement practices accordingly.

EDUCAUSE QuickPoll Results: Stress in the Workplace

Staff have experienced, and will continue to experience, increased levels of stress at work. Awareness of the contributing factors and the mitigating supports can help institutions and leaders better ensure staff well-being in the future.