Cloud Computing in higher education can bring some positive changes in the coming years. To give a gist of it, cloud computing enhances the learning environments and develops efficient academic processes. Moreover, the adoption of cloud computing can offer myriad benefits to both institutions and students. It primarily benefits the users by enabling a remote learning environment. In addition to that, institutions and students get access to various online resources to exchange information. As a result, it reduced the cost to an extent. Here is the list of factors promoting the use of cloud computing in higher education.
Convenience:
Cloud Computing enables users to have information anytime they want. Thus, faculty and students get access to all the information related to classwork, projects, examinations, etc., through their devices. Furthermore, cloud computing also allows users to make real-time upgrades in the information and have it delivered to all the users. Thus, it reduces the workload and time spent through traditional methods.
Democratizing Education
Cloud Computing in higher education adds paramount value for the education providers and students. With cloud computing, teachers can have a hold on the entire database of the students’ growth. It allows instructors to closely monitor the performance of the students and save the data for future purposes. In addition, students also get hold of a variety of benefits, such as a safe environment, which was extremely essential during the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, cloud computing allows students to have the freedom to study anytime they want.
Privacy and Security:
Cloud technology provides institutions with complete information about the students. However, it increases the chances of data theft, and parents are often worried about data privacy. Thus, various acts and regulations have been announced to enhance the safety of students’ data. For instance, the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, also known as the Financial Services Modernization Act of 1999, has mandated institutions to ensure the safety of the data. According to this United States federal law, financial institutions are required to demonstrate how they share their customers’ nonpublic personal information (NPI) and maintain its protection. Thus, more such laws are expected to combat the problems related to privacy concerns. As a result, it will shape the future of cloud computing in higher education in the coming years.
Energy Consumption
Adopting cloud services can efficiently reduce the institution’s reliance on traditional methods, such as physical data centers. As a result, it can improve energy efficiency to an extent. Moreover, the technology enables flexibility which can benefit organizations with their IT systems.
Cloud computing in higher education benefits the users primarily by allowing flexibility because colleges and universities are often required to make amendments to their course offerings on short notice. In addition, other information related to class schedule, examinations, and professors change frequently in the education setup. Thus, it can help users add additional upgrades and eliminate the cost to an extent. Moreover, institutions can also optimize the cost through several strategies. For instance, identifying and consolidating computer instances to make use of 100% of the technology. Furthermore, a multi-cloud environment is also considered to be one of the efficient ways for better management of cloud spending.
Eco-Friendly:
Cloud computing is considered sustainable as various companies are making efforts in this revolution. For instance, Microsoft powers the maximum range of its operations through renewable energy sources such as wind, solar, hydropower electricity, etc. The firm aims to use 100 percent renewable energy in its operations by 2025. Moreover, the firm intends to be carbon-neutral by 2030. Simultaneously, other firms like Amazon Web Services have also introduced their aims to make their operations carbon neutral by 2025.
In addition to that, the concerns over carbon emissions are growing, which is expected to force institutions to adopt alternative methods. Thus, cloud computing in higher education is forecast to have a promising future in the coming years. According to a study by Astute Analytica, the global Cloud Computing in Higher Education Market is forecast to register a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 22% during the forecast period from 2022 to 2030.
Growing Offerings:
The strong potential of cloud computing is forcing service providers to develop more efficient services. Cloud computing has managed to cover a wide range of sectors, including education. Thus, service providers have also started including this sector in their offerings. For instance, Adobe Creative Cloud has added more than 20 industry-standard apps to its portfolio. These applications are specifically made for design, photography, video, and web purpose. Moreover, the firm also provides leading creative desktop apps along with connected mobile app services.
Microsoft is also maintaining a strong foothold in this sector. The firm offers a wide range of cloud computing services for education. In 2015, it company unveiled its Edu-Cloud, specifically made for institutions in India. In addition to that, Microsoft Education announced its new initiative in the education sector as it launched its weekly podcast, Leading Innovation, in April 2022.
