COMPUTING & IT
Security is key to protect sensitive information and to maintain trust on a school level.
• Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): Adding a multi-factor authentication (MFA) to login processes is very much to the benefit of preventing unauthorised usage. Most schools have added free MFA integration, particularly for educational accounts.
• Endpoint Security: Endpoints must be protected and viruses and malware must be kept safe. An additional layer of security is provided by centralised antivirus solutions, often with educational discounts.
• Infrastructure Monitoring: Real-time monitoring tools of your IT environment across all platforms (on-prem, virtual, hybrid/cloud) can signal to IT staff suspicious activity.
• Security Training: Regular training for staff and students promotes cyber awareness and prevents common pitfalls like phishing scams. Frequent, engaged education lowers risk generally.
We need to be sustainable in education for environmental reasons, as well as in the real sense that costs have to be lower in the long run. From procurement to out-of-the-box implementation to destruction, every step of your IT decision making may be informed by services such as: • Energy-Efficient Equipment: The use of equipment with energy certifications saves energy costs and reduces the carbon footprint of the school.
• Device Lifecycle Management: Building a computer or hardware for long term uses so the use of a machine or hardware to be updated and repaired is maximised, in terms of the amount invested in a prior computer project. Most institutions are converting elderly machines to use them for labs or community initiatives.
• Cloud Migration: Services can be moved to the cloud without the consumption of power-hungry local servers (large scale centres, that is, big centres of data use are largely more resource efficient) and the switching from these services.
• Print Management: Digital workflow and print management tools enable users to reduce the need for paper consumption, resulting in reduced paper consumption supporting the green and cost savings.
In order to take budgets a step further, universities and colleges can implement a number of savings strategies. • Free, open source: Free versions of popular software (open source products) can help to replace expensive commercial programs with free or free versions to support daily operations, such as word processing, email handling and learning management. Often the support communities offer much help and resources.
• Academic Licensing – Technology providers often provide excellent discounts or free access to educational products for many. Staying current on deals and programs can save you major money.
• Service sharing: Collaboration with other organisations to share IT resources among multiple parties (internet, storage and expertise) brings down cost.
• Timely IT Audits: Regular IT asset audits can find out what is unnecessary or obsolete software and hardware, for schools that want to cut them, and to get spend where it’s needed most.
The strongest of all-inclusive IT systems have made strong IT systems which allow schools and universities to win by leading the charge in research and teaching. Institutions should maintain their focus on resilience, security and sustainability to maintain quality. When using the right tools and services they will be able to meet their own special requirements on top of that. For some, cloud research platforms are great value, for others a more modest but potentially effective local infrastructure upgrade may be the aim. Budget limitations exist, but so too is an opportunity to refine IT through smart decisions. With the support of cloud providers and through the use of cloud, managed IT; open source solutions as well as sustainable, risk- averse solutions and sustainable practices educational institutions should be able to establish environments of technology at their campuses that are reliable, secure, and efficient and with power to both students and staff, where IT services powered and powered by cloud resources becomes a form of innovation. It is only by doing so with strategic planning, thoughtful investment and collaboration that schools can continue to flourish technologically – even if they don’t have the resources as well – that they will survive. The primary aim is the same: to enable growth and innovation in a sustainable, secure, and fiscally sound manner.
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www.education-today.co.uk
October 2025
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