The university experience has been transformed by recent events and the rising prevalence of remote learning, and it will only continue to evolve as technology advances. Here are the top ways unified communications and collaboration solutions will benefit higher education in the coming academic year.
1. Improved Campus Safety and Emergency Response – The safety of students, faculty, and staff is vital on and off campus. UC solutions go beyond emergency call boxes by integrating notifications, video surveillance, and mass communications. Administrators can quickly disseminate critical information during emergencies, facilitating swift response and evacuation procedures. UC enables mass notifications on various channels: students on their phones, professors on their laptops, and facilities staff on their walkie-talkies. With additional features like geofencing, messages can be sent using location information for targeted on- and off-campus alerts.
2. Streamlined Admissions and Enrollment Processes – Admissions and registration are two of the most essential functions of universities and colleges. UC tools enable institutions to connect with prospective students and conduct remote interviews, eliminating geographical barriers and saving time and resources. Online registration helps students enroll in the classes they want while streamlining scheduling. The seamless integration of UC technology into administrative systems and apps simplifies behind-the-scenes tasks like scheduling and managing financial aid. Virtual assistants quickly answer routine student questions, transferring more complicated cases to human agents. AI analytics provide insights to accelerate decision-making and improve the overall admissions experience.
3. Better Remote and Hybrid Learning Models – Even though students have returned to the campus, remote and hybrid models still play a pivotal role in making education more accessible to everyone. With conferencing capabilities, virtual classrooms, and digital collaboration tools, UC systems allow students and instructors to engage in interactive and immersive learning experiences regardless of physical location. Whether collectively editing a shared document or planning a presentation on a video call, students can efficiently work together. Staff and faculty can connect from multiple campus sites to coordinate research, manage course sections, or update grades.
4. Relief of Financial Pressures – Operational costs are rising for universities and colleges, even as public funding becomes tighter. Balancing budgets while providing high-quality instruction and maintaining innovative research programs is a significant challenge for many educational institutions. Institutions can make the most of their investments with cost-effective collaboration technology that integrates with their existing systems and applications like Microsoft Teams. Another way organizations can benefit from quality products and competitive pricing is by participating in a cooperative purchasing agreement like SourceWell’s contract with Mitel.
5. Real-time Technological Advances – Colleges and universities, especially research institutions, are expected to be cradles of knowledge and innovation, so keeping up with the rapid pace of technological advancement is crucial. They must continually update their infrastructure, educational tools, and teaching methods to keep pace with emerging technologies like artificial intelligence, virtual reality, and online learning platforms. Subscription-based UC models can be updated easily, so IT administrators can rest assured that their systems are always running the newest technology.
Make the Grade with Modern Communications Technology
CTS and Mitel offer educational institutions the technological tools to facilitate connections between students, faculty, and staff. With customizable, scalable options, Mitel’s award-winning UC solutions increase productivity, enhance safety, and maximize IT investments for educational organizations of all sizes.
Learn how CTS can set up your campus for success with in-person and remote unified communications and collaboration systems.
Contact one of our educational experts today at 800.787.4848 or email: jnolte@ctsmd.us.