Top-10 IT Issues, Policy Implications, and Managing Risk

The 2013 Top-10 IT Issues list reflects the most current and pressing topics in higher education technology. The issues will likely come as no surprise to you, and are topics that EDUCAUSE has been focusing on in its programs this past year and beyond. Topics such as “improving student outcomes through an approach that leverages technology” (issue #2) have often been looked at through the lens of policy, seeing how accountability and student success systems are being called for by lawmakers in order to provide both effective and affordable education. 

With the explosion of IT not only as a support tool in higher education but an integral component of teaching and learning comes an equally important focus on information security, and the balance between infrastructure openness and security (issue #5).

Understanding how we might achieve that balance and reduce risk on our campuses is an area that Higher Education Information Security Council (HEISC) has been grappling with and providing effective practices and solutions for in its Information Security Guide, and is an area where EDUCAUSE will be putting more focus in the months ahead. Challenges in adopting online learning programs, adapting our technology approaches to accommodate the explosion of wireless devices on campus, and identifying ways to use analytics to support critical institutional outcomes are just a few of the other topics included in this list (issues 1, 7, 8, and 10).

Regardless of the issue, there will be implications for policy and questions of risk, and we hope the 2013 Top-10 IT Issues resources (www.educause.edu/itissues) will help you to become better prepared to evaluate the implications.