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Changing student expectations are driving the need for transformation in higher education, yet the majority of colleges and universities are working with legacy systems that are 20 years old or older. Students today want to be able to register for classes, see their degree progress, pay their bill, accept their financial aid and many other critical student experience tasks using their mobile device.
Higher ed has a greater share of older workers than other industries. The median age for higher education staff is 45, above the U.S. workforce average of 42. As baby boomers approach retirement age and exit the workforce in the coming decade, they will be followed by Generation X — a much smaller generation. At the same time, by 2030, it is expected that nearly one in five workers will be over the age of 65. As workers continue toward retirement, it can create challenges in the IT department as knowledge leaves the institution. For individuals who stay, it creates a training need for people to learn new systems and processes and adapt to change.
The Avaap Higher Education team was thrilled to be back at the Ohio Higher Education Computing Council (OHECC) Annual Conference this year! After a two-year hiatus due to Covid-19, it was great to see Ohio higher education leaders in person again. This year’s conference focused on transforming for the future, with the use of technology on campus and the impact it has on student success dominating discussions.
For many higher education institutions, a cloud implementation is the largest initiative undertaken in 20 years or longer. However, a successful transformation project is more than modernizing technology. Success is measured on the level of adoption and use of the new system and takes careful planning. Bringing human resources, financial, and student systems together impacts the entire institution, and as with any widespread change, developing a robust communication strategy is vital to project success.
In the nearly two years following Covid-19, higher education has undergone an unprecedented uptake in digital transformation. Many higher education institutions are long overdue for modernization, having used the same technology for 20 years or longer. The digital revolution is moving forward and whether willing or unwilling, higher ed leaders know they need to get onboard and adapt.
For many institutions, it is time to undergo digital transformation. According to Educause, 38 percent of institutions are exploring digital transformation, and more have started a digital transformation project. Many digital transformation initiatives in higher ed are focused on the mission to improve student outcomes. Through transformation, institutions are able to adapt more quickly and enhance the employee and student experience.
At the height of the pandemic, schools sent students home, forcing a sudden shift to remote learning and other interventions to keep students, faculty, and staff safe. In addition to creating a different college experience than prior generations, the pandemic highlighted greater need for colleges to demonstrate the true value of higher education from the student perspective.
The amount of data created every day is staggering. According to industry sources, more than 181 zettabytes of data will be created by 2025. However, despite the abundance of data, many higher education institutions struggle with extracting value from their data. Driving value requires a culture change and a solution to make data accessible. Democratizing data, or enabling access to data for everyone across the institution, creates barrier-free access so leaders can make data-driven, effective decisions.
It’s an exciting time when a higher education institution decides to deploy Workday. A next-gen cloud ERP is transformational in and of itself, impacting how work gets done across the entire institution. Success with cloud ERP transformation depends on preparing the people leading and impacted by the change. However, getting everyone at the institution comfortable with change can be challenging. Here are some things to consider when readying your institution for a Workday project.
Digital transformation is top of mind for many higher education institutions. With pressures from boards, and an ever-changing student population, modernization is often a “make it or break it” point. With so many positive impacts of modernization, why hasn’t your institution started? If you need some help building the business case for why it’s important to modernize now, read on.