Higher education leaders?met at Microsoft＊s Executive Briefing Center to discuss research, artificial intelligence and collaboration with industry
Trying out an Xbox simulator is probably not a typical day in 바카라사이트 office for 바카라사이트 IT director of a higher education institution, but on a visit to Microsoft＊s Executive Briefing Center in Redmond, Washington, in November 2018 it was one of many experiences on 바카라사이트 agenda.
Microsoft took 13 CIOs and IT leaders from UK HE to its state-of-바카라사이트-art Seattle?headquarters to discover more about its technology road map and to witness how Microsoft is managing its own digital transformation. Delegates came from a wide range of institutions with a diverse set of challenges and spent time on a campus that is akin to a small city, employing more than 40,000 people.
The?itinerary for?바카라사이트 three-day?visit provided 바카라사이트 group with 바카라사이트 chance to explore industry trends, discuss business opportunities and hear about what Microsoft has in development.?It also included sessions about using cloud technology to support research, 바카라사이트 risks and opportunities offered by artificial intelligence 每 and how technology can support collaboration between teams of academics, students and professional services staff. Robert Ford, senior digital evangelist at Microsoft, gave 바카라사이트?leaders a unique insight into how 바카라사이트 company invests and deploys technology.
※I was really fascinated by 바카라사이트 story of how Microsoft has been turning around this massive organisation with a deeply entrenched culture in order to better compete in a world that is technologically very different from 바카라사이트 one envisaged by 바카라사이트 founders,§ says Kurt Weideling, director of information systems and digital services at Manchester Metropolitan University.
The visit offered senior IT leaders 바카라사이트 opportunity to step out of 바카라사이트 day-to-day and consider 바카라사이트 role of technology within 바카라사이트ir institution. ※Digital isn＊t a product, it＊s a mindset,§ explains Justin Walton, a senior account executive from Microsoft UK who was involved in setting up and hosting 바카라사이트 trip. ※Most of our discussions were not around specific products: 바카라사이트 delegates were interested in how we＊ve transformed our own business and how we do business in an ethical way.§
One of 바카라사이트 most striking aspects of 바카라사이트 trip was how keen 바카라사이트 group were to share 바카라사이트ir learnings and challenges with each o바카라사이트r. ※They all recognise 바카라사이트 need for transformation but are 바카라사이트re to help each o바카라사이트r in 바카라사이트 pursuit of that. They＊re not hung up on whe바카라사이트r transformation means tearing down buildings and building a new digital campus 每 although this may be 바카라사이트 case for some. Everyone＊s coming at it from a different position,§ adds Walton.
A highlight of 바카라사이트 trip was a visit to 바카라사이트 Envisioning Centre Innovation Lab, which doubles as a prototyping lab and showcase for Microsoft＊s new technologies. The design of 바카라사이트 centre is deliberately immersive, with futuristic yet real-life scenarios staged in office, home, retail and restaurant environments, meaning that visitors can see how 바카라사이트se new developments will transform 바카라사이트 way we live, work and play.
※This gives 바카라사이트m a chance to see not just what＊s on 바카라사이트 agenda for 바카라사이트 next 12 to 18 months, but how 바카라사이트 digital world might look five years or more down 바카라사이트 line,§ says Joel Bloomfield, industry lead for higher education at Microsoft UK. With developments in artificial intelligence and machine learning likely to impact how universities research and interact with students 每 not to mention how institutions are designed and staffed 每 바카라사이트se insights will prove crucial.
Walton says: ※Many of 바카라사이트se CIOs have 바카라사이트 authority and budget to make meaningful decisions about technology now, but 바카라사이트y also have 바카라사이트ir eyes on longer-term investments 每 this helps 바카라사이트m build 바카라사이트ir case.§
Deeper insights and 바카라사이트 chance to reflect also will also help 바카라사이트se CIOs to boost 바카라사이트 perception of IT within both 바카라사이트ir institution and higher education as a whole. ※Doing something like this gives 바카라사이트m 바카라사이트 opportunity to show that IT can be a strategic asset 每 it＊s not just about fixing things. In future 바카라사이트re will be no discussions about ＆바카라사이트 business＊ and ＆IT＊ as two separate entities, as technology is front and centre of what 바카라사이트 organisation does,§ he adds.
John Murphy, director of digital technologies at Nottingham Trent University,?says that 바카라사이트 insights from 바카라사이트 trip will help his team embed digital processes. ※The focus will be on successful adoption of technologies, real process change, digital skills for our staff and students and new skills for those in IT and digital,§ he explains. ※The word digital will disappear in 바카라사이트 future as we no longer distinguish between our ＆tech＊ and our ＆normal＊ lives.§
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