Schools conduct IT improvements to boost online education

Schools conduct IT improvements to boost online education

As an increasing number of academic institutions around the nation are offering online education programs, the demand for latest IT applications is growing as colleges and universities begin replacing their systems.

The main goals of these technological upgrades are to increase operational efficiency, scale up to accommodate a growing number of students and meet the changing needs of diverse academic communities.

Among the schools that have recently undertaken similar steps are The Nevada System of Higher Education which consists of two universities, a state college, four community colleges and one environmental research institute and has just completed the first phase of its iNtegrate project to replace a 20-year-old legacy system.

It has already improved the student experience by launching the new admissions module at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and Truckee Meadows Community College, as the first step toward providing seamless, user-friendly and cost-effective student services for all its institutions.

Steve Koporec, vice president of applications at Oracle Higher Education, says that "higher education institutions continue to invest in [IT upgrades]" in order to better "adapt to the changing higher education environment by standardizing data systems, optimizing their existing IT investments and making strategic decisions for the future."

As the technological enhancements continue, it will be even easier and more convenient for non-traditional students, such as busy parents or working professionals, to obtain online degrees in order to maximize their earning power.