PS Tech Vision: Education Leaders Wanted

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Technology Vision 2021 | accenture.com/technologyvision
From insights to action, the path to extraordinary value starts here.
#techvision2021
Leaders
Wanted
Masters of Change at a Moment of Truth
Higher Education
Technology Vision 2021

#techvision2021
Leaders don’t wait
foranew world,
they build it.
By engaging with the 2021 Accenture Technology
Vision trends, Higher Education institutions can
use technology to embrace different mindsets and
models for delivering on their mission.
The journey of reinvention for higher
education has only just begun- it’s a challenge
that demands a new kind of leadership.
Leading in the uncertain future will require
organizations to become Masters of Change.
100%
of higher education
respondents agree their
organization is
innovating with
urgency and a call to
action this year

#techvision2021
Stack
Strategically
Architecting a Better Future

#techvision2021
Stack Strategically
Invest in a strong foundation. An institution’s
ability to be successful is based on the
opportunities and limitations of their
technology architecture. Now is the time to
migrate to cloud, leverage AI, and take
advantage of next-generation intelligent
platforms; the architecture organizations built
today will determine their future.
Put student experience and mission at the
center of technology transformation. The
diversity of technology capabilities emerging
creates an opportunity for higher ed
institutions to employ unique, customized
digital solutions catered to their specific
desired outcomes around the student
experience and success.
Architecting a better future

#techvision2021
Stack Strategically
51%ofhighereducationemployeessurveyedreporttheirorganizationis
resilientinmovingforwardquicklywithnewdecisionsontechnologyapproaches
andabletoquicklyexecutechangesacrosstheorganization
96%ofhighereducationrespondentsagreeorstronglyagreetheir
institution’sbusinessandtechnologystrategiesarebecominginseparable–even
indistinguishable
69%ofhighereducationrespondentssaytheirorganizationisscalingcloud
thisyear

#techvision2021
Possibilities.
• Rotation to New IT - Technology leaders are implementing
new architecture layers that enable the IT organization to
become more flexible, intelligent and connected.
• Integrated ecosystems - Decoupled, agile, and future-ready
architectures are being widely adopted – resulting in agility
and operational cost savings.
• Nimble operating models - Institutions are shifting their
operating model to be more nimble and responsive to critical
institutional demands.
• CIOs + institutional value – Through technology innovation,
CIOs are working to enhance student experience and
engagement by releasing mobile friendly personalized
Student Hubs that target information real-time and connect
peers seamlessly.

#techvision2021
Possibilities.
• A multiplicity of new remote and interactive platforms should be
leveraged to ensure early student engagement during
recruitment. Enrollment teams need to serve relevant and often
short-form content at the speed of student demand.
• Automation enables institutions to deliver relevant information
using the prospective students' platform of choice to create
stronger connections.
• Layering AI to configure platforms not only enables interactive &
self-directed experiences and tailored content but also provides
institutions with valuable data insights that can be used to
continually refine campaigns across multiple channels

#techvision2021
Mirrored
World
Unlocking the Power of Massive, Intelligent,
Digital Twins

#techvision2021
Mirrored World
Unleash the Power of Data. When intelligent
twins are connected in mirror environments,
they are a powerful way to turn data into
actionable insights. But incomplete or incorrect
data will lead to false conclusions.
Analyze & Predict with Intelligent Simulations. As
institutions pivot toward the business of experience,
there are emerging needs for solutions that leverage
student insights gathered through digital twins to
recommend alternate learning paths and experiential
learning activities to drive student success.
Additionally, digital twins are being leveraged now
more than ever to manage operations and physical
assets sustainably and efficiently.
The power of intelligent digital twins
Intelligent twin simulation is about bringing the right data and the right AI models together to explore various operational
possibilities, student futures, and institutional strategies from the safety of a twin.

#techvision2021
Mirrored World
Useofdigitaltwinsisonthenearhorizonforhighereducation;38% ofhigher
educationemployeessurveyedsaytheirorganizationisexperimentingwithdigital
twinsthisyear,comparedto23%ofoverallpublicsectorrespondents
40%ofhighereducationrespondentssaytheirorganizationisplanningtouse
digitaltwinsoverthenextyeartoenableecosystempartnerships
Almosttwo-thirdsofhighereducationrespondentsexpecttheir
organization’sinvestmentinintelligentdigitaltwinswillincreaseoverthenextthree
years

#techvision2021
Possibilities.
• Predictive and prescriptive analytics drive additional value within
the institution and result in improved student success.
• Data streams from students, operations, and ecosystem partners
are being captured, maintained, and made accessible centrally to
drive systematic value creation within the institution.
• Virtual models are created from these insights to simulate real
world entities.
• Digital twins are used in student success studies to understand
potential alternate learning paths, tailored advisory services, and
experiential learning opportunities or networks.

#techvision2021
I,Technologist
The Democratization of Technology

#techvision2021
I, Technologist
Bypass the skills gap. Powerful technology
capabilities are now usable without highly
specialized skills. Natural language processing, low-
code platforms, and robotic process automation
(RPA) are just a few of the capabilities and services
making technology more accessible. Through tech
literacy training, leaders can use democratized
technology to put the skills gap in the past. Leaders
in the future will be the ones who rethink their
approach from “who can I hire?” to “how can I
empower?”
Reimagine the operating model. As technology
democratization grows, it will challenge the typical notions
of who “owns” technology in the org, how technology
strategy is done, and the role of the IT organization at large.
Additionally, the increased digital dexterity of the student is
demanding the availability of technology across the
education ecosystem driving digital equity to all students.
Right now, leaders have a chance to reinvent how their IT
and non-IT employees work together, breaking down silos
within their institution and in higher ed overall. They are
starting the shift toward an IT organization that provides
critical core services focused on accelerating innovation
and next generation technologies while enabling self-
service technology offerings to their constituents.
The democratization of IT

#techvision2021
I, Technologist
Nearly100%ofhighereducationrespondentsagreeorstronglyagreethat:
• Technology democratization is becoming critical to ignite innovation
• Digital transformation benefits will be amplified as employees increase
the use of technology democratization tools
Buthigheredemployeesarenotreadytofullycapitalizeontechnologydemocratization.
70%ofhighereducationemployeessurveyedreporttheirorganization’snon-IT/non-
technicalworkforceismoderatelyreadytoleveragethetechnologytoolsprovidedto
them

#techvision2021
Possibilities.
• The business of experience for everyone at an institution is a
priority.
• Student-driven innovation – Given the increased digital fluency of
the higher ed student population, combined with their consumer
centric mindset, make their voice critical to innovation.
• Crowdsourcing innovation - To decrease software lifecycle
development for new student facing digital products, universities
are crowdsourcing UX/UI designs and engagement applications for
clubs and organizations to the Student community by enabling
low-code tools.
• Waste reduction - Innovative methods and AI are being enabled
across the institution community to drive waste reduction
programs.

#techvision2021
Anywhere,
Everywhere
Bring Your Own Environment

#techvision2021
Anywhere, Everywhere
From patchwork solutions to permanent
strategy
Now that the initial rush to get out of the
office is over, it’s time to ensure that remote
work can be done seamlessly and securely.
CIOs can support the Future of Work efforts
in their organizations by shifting from a Bring
Your Own Device to a Bring Your Own
Environment workforce approach.
New workspace, new opportunities
It’s time for higher ed to transform remote
learning and work from an accommodation,
to an advantage. Hybrid learning models,
remote work and flexible work options can
give institutions the competitive edge they
need to diversify their revenue models and
access more of the best talent.
Bring your own environment

#techvision2021
Anywhere, Everywhere
100%ofhigher education respondents agreeorstrongly
agreetheremoteworkforce opensupthemarketfor
difficulttofindtalent,andexpandsthecompetitionfor
talentamongorganizations
73%ofhigher education employeessurveyed wantto
increase thepercentage oftimetheyworkremotely, and
institutions areresponding; 72%ofreport theirinstitution is
makinginvestments forremotework*
*Accenture, Public as a career of choice, 2020

#techvision2021
Possibilities.
Anytime, anywhere learning
COVID-19 has provided both faculty and students a crash-course in the benefits
and challenges of online education. While in-person learning is still very much in
demand, the vast majority of students and faculty still want the ability to leverage
flexible and online learning options and access to online learning materials and
lectures.
Institutions may consider creating new course catalogs to accommodate flexible
learning in the long term (hybrid courses, fully remote, fully in-person). To enable
these learning models, investment has accelerated in next generation classroom-
technology, digital worker and network capabilities to support learning and faculty
any time, anywhere.
Anytime, anywhere working
Most higher education employees expect to and want to be remote more of the
time. They expect to work a more varied set of hours to respond to student needs
of anytime service. Institutions are investing in the infrastructure and security to
make that happen. Doing so will result in more satisfied and engaged employees
and provide institutions with access to a nation-wide and more diverse talent pool.

#techvision2021
From Me
to We
A Multiparty System’s Path Through Chaos

#techvision2021
From Me to We
Setting ground rules: for higher education, multiparty
systems are becoming critical to operations as
institutional partnerships expand.
• Students expect lifelong learning, driving the need for
records that can be leveraged amongst different
platforms, networks and recruiters.
• Leaders are asked to share data by enabling
interoperable environments and trusted partnerships
that share data, reduce complexity and lower risk.
• As the ecosystem expands, regulations and
compliance are important to consider when pursuing
digital partnerships. Security, transparency and
accountability guidelines must be developed.
Preparation is key
Technology-based ecosystems are the foundation
for future growth and leadership, and you can’t play
the game if you don’t have the right equipment.
Even the most advanced multiparty systems can be
rendered ancillary by rigid architectures and bad
data. The most immediate action needed is to invest
in the right platforms to ensure they have the
foundation needed to participate in ecosystems.
A multiparty system’s path through chaos

#techvision2021
From Me to We
58%ofhighereducation employees surveyed reporttheycan
operateintheshorttermwithout multiparty systems, butwillneedto
buildtheseconnections inthelongterm
40%indicate theycannot operate, intheshortorlongterm,without
multiparty systems
Morethanhalfofhigher education respondents indicate multiparty
systems enabledbyblockchainwillenabledatamanagement tobe
moretransparent

#techvision2021
Possibilities.
• A single learner, across their learning experiences,
throughout their lifetime.
The journey of a learner spans decades and a multitude of
institutions and learning formats. Sentiment analysis has shown
that the student lifelong learning record is critical to their
student experience and post-graduation. An individual learner
record, supported by integrated data services and blockchain
technologies, can now be used to make learner transitions
seamless. Students can more fluidly work across multi-party
systems and learning providers to do things like transfer from 2
year to 4-year institutions, or participate in experiential learning
opportunities, internships, jobs and future skill certifications.
• Multi-party systems for university operations
Institutions are beginning to leverage multiparty systems to
provide data visibility into supply chain, building operations,
facilities and space creating pathways toward improving
sustainability, tenant experience and proactive maintenance.

#techvision2021

#techvision2021
Thank you
Read more at
Accenture.com/highereducation
Ryan Gaetz
Managing Director – Workday Education & Government
ryan.r.gaetz@accenture.com
Rocio Lopez
Senior Manager – Public Service, Education
rocio.lopez@accenture.com
Samantha Fisher
Managing Director – Public Service, Education
samantha.fisher@accenture.com
Alexa Jaegar
Senior Analyst- Research
alexa.jaegar@accenture.com
Jenny Brodie
Senior Manager - Research
jennifer.brodie@accenture.com

PS Tech Vision: Education Leaders Wanted

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