Cloud Computing in Higher Education

Abstract

With significant budget cuts in higher education coupled with growing demand for information technology (IT) services, institutions are quickly considering and adopting cloud computing strategies to meet their needs. Although there are still challenges with the cloud computing model, the potential benefits appear to greatly outweigh the risks. These changes also necessitate a new type of IT leadership and IT workforce. As this model matures and the risks are mitigated, it is expected that greater numbers of institutions will implement and scale cloud computing services more extensively as an alternative to current IT practices and services. This paper describes the reasons for the rise of cloud computing in higher education, its evolving definition and models, examples of cloud computing in higher education today and its potential in the future.