SOFTWARE IN SCHOOLS
How fabric networks improve the UK student experience
have too many priorities elsewhere to justify spending above the minimum on their network foundations.
However, that’s set to change.
Universities and schools in the UK now share the challenge of adapting to the world’s digital and technological revolution on a shrinking budget; capped tuitions, record inflation, and soaring energy bills mean schools could face a £2 billion funding shortfall.
This puts enormous pressure on IT departments to find affordable, secure, long-term solutions. Their first stop to solving this challenge should be the network infrastructure, establishing a secure fabric network to facilitate the creation of an innovative, modern campus.
But what does that mean, and how does it work? The rise of tech F
or our Software in Schools feature this month, DAHWOOD AHMED, Regional Director UK&I at Extreme Networks, takes a look at how fabric networks are changing the education landscape.
There’s a saying in the technology industry: ‘Nobody cares as long as it works’. This is particularly true for networks. Unless a significant portion of users demand more than the basics of connectivity, schools and universities are rarely interested in exploring the potential of high-quality network infrastructure. They
The rise of tech in schools and universities is about more than preparing students for the future. Technology shapes education itself; how we think about, interact with, and use knowledge. It’s a core part of the student’s learning journey. Think personalised digital learning platforms, high-quality streaming, digital social interactions, immersive VR lessons, simulations, reliable distance learning, online assessments, and more.
However, a connected campus’s digital tools and omnichannel experiences must be integrated to deliver a seamless experience everywhere – from learning management systems and
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classrooms to research labs, libraries, lecture halls, athletic venues, and student housing. That’s easier said than done on a traditional network.
In fact, it’s nigh impossible. All the above technologies require a rapid, low-latency, stable connection. This is hard enough for a traditional network to achieve in an isolated space with a few devices, let alone amid a vibrant student campus with waves of traffic spikes and hundreds, sometimes thousands of devices.
The fall of budgets
All this technological development also needs to be done on a budget. And one that’s shrinking. This began in 2017 with the freezing of tuition fees for domestic students at £9,250, which means inflation has brought that value down to around £6,000 at 2012–13 prices. It’s a significant decrease in the value of funding per student.
To address the shortfall, universities began to rely on the recruitment of international students, who did not have a tuition cap and, therefore, paid substantially more than British students for the same degree.
However, stricter visa regulations have led to a sharp 33% decline in foreign student enrolment compared to the previous year. A separate UK survey of 70 universities discovered that enrolments in postgraduate taught courses had fallen by over 40% since January.
The result of all this is that funding per student is at its lowest level in over 25 years.
June 2024
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