New CT Leadership Summit: Innovation in IT

• By Rhea Kelly
• 10/01/21

There's no question that agility and flexibility have been key survival skills in IT in recent years. And now — faced with the evolving learning landscape, operational pivots, demands of remote work and more — all aspects of IT have been forced to innovate and stretch in new ways. On Nov. 3, the Campus Technology Leadership Summit will explore innovative technology practices in higher education: Join us for this free, one-day virtual event as education and IT leaders share how they are planning for the unexpected, identifying efficiencies and utilizing technology to help their institutions excel in these challenging times. On the agenda:

Rethinking Campus Spaces for New Learning Models
Nothing has stretched the definition of a "classroom" more than the current pandemic. With students taking courses online, on-campus or alternating between the two, their physical and technological requirements for learning and study — both indoors and outdoors — have dramatically changed. In this session, Julie Johnston, director of learning spaces at Indiana University, will share ways institutions are literally thinking outside the box for classroom design, considerations for supporting new modes of learning, IT challenges to overcome, and more.

Making Flexible Work Policies Sustainable for the Long Haul
The idea of remote work is nothing new at Ohio University, which introduced a flexible workplace in the IT organization even before the pandemic, as a measure for recruiting and retaining really great employees. But maintaining a flexible scheduling model while helping people maintain work/life balance and reduce stress is an ongoing challenge, especially in the midst of continuing to deliver the IT services, availability and collaboration expected by the university. In this session, two OHIO leaders share their experiences and insights on embracing flexibility both within IT and across the institution.

Seizing the Opportunity for Digital Transformation
One silver-lining impact of the pandemic in higher education has been the way it accelerated digital efforts on campus: Countless processes and services were forced to move online, and institutions embraced innovations in technology to ensure the continuity of both operations and strategic mission. Yet can colleges and universities sustain these online services in the long term? In this session, a panel of higher education leaders will discuss the challenges and opportunities of delivering student services online, how to move from solving one-off problems to a more strategic approach, and new models for better supporting students in the future.

Planning for the Future in the Face of Uncertainty
In this era of constant change, the uncertain future can seem like a roadblock to strategic planning. How can institutions anticipate every possible contingency? In this session, futurist Bryan Alexander, author of the forthcoming book Universities on Fire: Higher Education in the Age of Climate Crisis and host of the weekly Future Trends Forum, will explore higher education's medium- and long-term futures and share forecasting tools that can help inform planning efforts. He will outline techniques such as horizon scanning, trends analysis and scenario work, including the distinct strengths and limitations of each, examples of such work and highlights of research findings. He'll also offer practical ways a campus unit can implement such forward-facing planning, both internally as well as in collaboration with other groups. The session will conclude with an open floor for discussion and questions.

The Campus Technology Leadership Summit will take place online on Wednesday, Nov. 3 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. PT. For more information and to register, visit the CT Summit site.