Many universities, colleges, and schools have service duplications, and these duplications increase waste. Lack of collaboration among IT units causes increased costs and reduced faith in the institution’s IT. Unifying IT requires accurate planning and efficient communication between participating organizations.
Our Advice
Critical Insight
- Individual institutions may fear losing autonomy. Some fear that sharing IT services will mean they are competing with other institutions to access services they need.
- Some organizations will block unification efforts because they are afraid of losing in-house or localized functionality.
- IT unification in education is not about centralizing IT around a single authority; it is about appropriately delivering services under a unified vision to the benefit of the institution’s financial health and academic wellbeing.
Impact and Result
- Convince key stakeholders that IT unification is in everyone’s best interest.
- Understanding the opportunity for IT unification extends beyond cost savings to greater harmony in a time of rapid change.
- Identify the best implementation plan based on their goals, needs, and services.