Many institutions expect to make significant investments in academic technology, Wi-Fi connections and network security in 2015.
Of the higher ed leaders who responded to a UB survey, nearly half expect overall tech spending to increase at their schools, while another 40 percent said it will stay the same. Perhaps surprisingly, a full 11 percent expect tech spending to decrease.
Internet networks and academic technology will get the most attention in 2015. Nearly half of respondents say their institutions are planning big internet and Wi-Fi network investments, while 45 percent expect significant funding for academic technology. Other areas that about one-third or more of respondents plan to invest in include network security, cloud storage and software. More than one in five plan to invest in personal computers.
The biggest trend around campus technology appears to be collaboration. A little more than 60 percent of respondents expect their tech teams to work more closely with other departments on policy and practice. However, only 12 percent of the respondents reported plans to increase tech staff.
Other respondents reported increased focus on cybersecurity and BYOD. About a third of respondents expect to see special attention and resources devoted to cyber-security. And 32 percent reported plans to create new BYOD management policies.
On the massive, open online front, more than one in five respondents anticipate additional resources for MOOCs and other online learning programs.
The UB tech survey was part of a broader set of trend surveys deployed to readers in late 2014. A total of 470 higher education leaders participated.
