Lessons Learned: The Top 10

Higher Education's Top IT Issues for 2022, was the opening keynote address at Educause 2021 on Thursday, presented by Susan Grajek (abstract).

Grajek set the stage by illustrating the current state of Higher Education. Higher Education is growing, there are more options and learning paths then ever before, which increases the importance of cybersecurity. Higher Educations is constrained, as institutions are often called upon to do more with less. But it is also strengthened by an increased focus on EDI and developing strong relationships with students. Higher Education is collapsing, not only funding, but student data is often seen as a commodity, and research is becoming politicized. Higher Education is transformed, with anyone, anywhere being able to attend classes. Mental health of students is improving as institutions put more focus on humanized education. Yet we are also seeing an increased demand for privacy of information as much of the workforce has moved to home offices.

Grajek stated that other trends in higher education include: decreased funding, hybrid teaching, environment volatility, surveillance, demand for new workplace skills and a renewed focus on racial justice.

It is not what we had, but as Grajek stated several times, the higher education that we deserve. We must collectively realize that no institution can be successful unless student success is the central goal.

Grajek stated that institutions must also have an "understanding [of] how and why to equitably incorporate technology into learning and the student experience".