For reasons of security, licensing, etc., people and resources will need unique identities that are properly authenticated and authorized for access. Since application users will connect with people and resources at both local and remote campuses, both campuswide infrastructures and inter-campus communication mechanisms will be necessary. For this reason, growth has been phenomenal among the manufacturers and consulting firms that provide higher education with systems for human resources, financial records, and student information. Each of them has an unprecedented number of implementation projects under way at colleges and universities worldwide. This means that a bonanza of data is available on the cost, both predictable and hidden, of new system implementations.
Enterprise systems cover a lot of territory.
Increasingly, new students come to our campuses prepared with a broad range of computing skills and viewing computing as a tool fundamental to their education. Furthermore, the use of network and distance learning technologies are helping higher education create an anytime, anywhere, interactive, and collaborative learning environment. While these new technologies hold promises, we urgently need new planning and service models and funding strategies to support student expectations in these areas. Distributed Learning and Distance Education Challenges More higher education institutions are getting serious about reaching out beyond their walls and providing distributed learning or distance education opportunities. There are many factors fueling this redefinition of education as distributed learning.