Empowering higher education with sustainable digital innovation

Conversations about the evolution of higher education campuses are no longer limited to brick-and-mortar structures. They now include digital infrastructure and how universities can develop and execute their IT strategies. The universities most likely to thrive in the face of rapid technological advancements will be those that successfully apply digital innovations – not only in teaching, learning and pastoral care but also in driving operational efficiency and reducing the administrative burdens on time-pressured staff.

How can universities best manage this shift, especially since digital transformation relies heavily on change management and organisational culture? The Macau University of Science and Technology (MUST) offers a compelling success story in this area. MUST has leveraged its IT expertise to develop a unified service platform, WeMust, which has transformed how staff and students engage with the university. Dr Tong Ka Lok, the university’s vice-president and director of the Information Technology Development Office (ITDO), says WeMust has been instrumental in making the university more accessible to staff and students.

“Information technology is a cornerstone in shaping modern campuses, significantly enhancing both campus operations and the quality of teaching and learning,” says Dr Tong. “The WeMust platform exemplifies this transformation by providing seamless access to classrooms, laboratories and administrative services digitally.”

MUST rolled out the first version of WeMust in 2017. Initially, the app was used to streamline everyday tasks such as classroom management and on-campus payments. It has since expanded to more ambitious use cases, such as convening classrooms over the cloud and managing research projects. It now serves as a platform for the university’s smart campus operations, integrating over 100 microservices to help students and staff navigate university life.

Since the platform was launched, the ITDO team has introduced a suite of support tools, including features powered by AI. “The app’s evolution reflects our commitment to continuous improvement and adaptation to emerging technologies,” Dr Tong says. “We measure its success through various metrics, including user adoption rates, feedback from students and faculty and the overall impact on operational efficiency.”

As with most systems, an effective measure of the platform’s success is how it supports the university during a crisis. MUST’s cloud classrooms allowed the university to offer uninterrupted learning during the Covid-19 pandemic, which was a significant indicator of the platform’s efficacy. However, the university regularly checks the health of the system by surveying its users and insight from performance analytics.

WeMust is more than just an ambitious IT project for the university. Its success stems from MUST’s culture of collaboration and innovation alongside its technical expertise. Engaging the wider university community in the development of a digital solution such as WeMust is an integral step towards ensuring its successful implementation across the campus. MUST has built a culture of transparency and inclusiveness to ensure stakeholder buy-in.

Communication and collaboration are crucial to creating a system that serves the diverse needs of all users and the university’s broader strategic objectives, Dr Tong says. User feedback is invaluable in achieving this. “By maintaining an open dialogue with faculty, students and staff, we ensure that our IT initiatives are both innovative and aligned with the needs of the university,” he adds.

“At MUST, we have established several strategies to facilitate open communication. We have a dedicated team within the ITDO that liaises with different departments to gather information and provide updates,” Dr Tong says. “Regular interdepartmental meetings and workshops are conducted to discuss ongoing projects and future needs. Collaborative tools are integrated into the WeMust platform to streamline communication and project management.”

The pace of technological change requires an agile approach to innovation. Developing and maintaining the WeMust app internally showcases MUST’s institutional culture and open attitude to embracing and integrating new technological tools into the university’s systems. “Encouraging innovation in IT involves creating an environment that fosters creativity and experimentation,” Dr Tong says. “We promote a culture of continuous learning and improvement within the ITDO. We provide our team with access to the latest technologies and training opportunities to stay abreast of industry trends.”

The ITDO’s approach to innovation revolves around being bold and experimenting. Testing is a vital stage in its innovation process. Once it has developed ideas for new WeMust features, the ITDO deploys them in pilot schemes to give the university an idea of how they will perform when they go live. The ITDO team is proactive and creative in its search for innovative ideas and promotes a culture of problem-solving and continuous improvement through hackathons and collaborative projects.

However, digital transformation does not rely on innovation alone. Governance is an essential component of a successful IT strategy. MUST has robust measures in place to safeguard privacy and data security. It ensures that third-party technologies are responsibly sourced by selecting its vendors through a transparent and competitive process.

“We take a multifaceted approach to governance,” Dr Tong says. “We have established a comprehensive IT governance framework that includes policies and procedures for evaluating new technologies. This framework ensures that all technological solutions are assessed on their alignment with our strategic goals, cost-effectiveness and potential impact on the university community.” This approach also ensures that digital innovations are sustainable, creating an environment that maximises their benefits.

“IT enhances the learning experience using advanced technologies such as AI-driven learning tools, virtual laboratories and online collaboration platforms, which cater to diverse learning styles and needs,” Dr Tong says. With a comprehensive strategy in place, universities have the opportunity to seize the momentum of technological progress and create better academic experiences for their students and staff.

Find out more about the Macau University of Science and Technology.