Navigating the ‘IT Reset’: IT Buying and Procurement Trends in Higher Education

By Amber Walters - Community Success Coordinator, Internet2 Industry Engagement

Estimated reading time: 2 minutes

Earlier this year, the Center for Digital Education, in partnership with Internet2, surveyed higher education IT leaders to better understand IT priorities and challenges after the pandemic as institutions focus on leveraging technology for long-term solutions. 

Internet2 members can request a copy of the market intelligence white paper authored by the Center for Digital Education and watch the members-only webinar of the survey results with Ben Fineman, Internet2 director of Industry Engagement, recorded on July 6, 2022. 

The white paper provides a detailed look into the top priorities and key factors that influence IT leadership decisions about selecting and investing in new services and solutions. 

The lack of staffing, resources, and expertise, followed by identity and security, are some of the most common challenges participating higher education institutions identified in the survey. 

The white paper highlights the importance of collaboration. Non-IT leaders are identified in the survey as decision makers involved in technology procurement with IT leaders making the final decision. 

Respondents reported engagement within the research and education community as the most important way to learn about new technologies and solutions. Industry partners can also play an important role in building consultative relations to help higher education institutions overcome the challenges of IT procurement. 

More about the survey: The Center for Digital Education conducted a national survey of 77 higher education leaders in January and February 2022. Respondents represented a broad range of institutional types and sizes, with the majority split among faculty (30 percent), IT leadership (20%), other IT managers and support staff (19%), and non-IT leadership (13%) roles.