Enablers for success: Community trust

Irrespective of an institution’s purpose, size and shape, we think there are six enablers of success that every institution will need in the new normal: Financial flexibility and sustainability, Student-centricity; Vibrant partnerships and networks; Future-fit workforce; Tailored learning experiences; and Community trust.

Respecting and protecting communities’ trust in you as a higher education institution isare critical to delivering on your purpose, to making a difference to the social and economic wellbeing of our communities and to assuring government funding.

Social responsibility: Universities make a contribution to society through the pursuit, dissemination, and application of knowledge and expertise. They also champion and support delivery of national and state agendas such as connecting metropolitan populations to their regional neighbours, or improving social mobility and equity.
Ethical use of data: Data is fuelling the 21st century knowledge economy. It will be ever more important for universities, as knowledge holders, to champion and protect the rights of data owners. Similarly, universities who take their brand and social responsibilities seriously should develop and implement clear policies on the ethical application of research and technological discoveries.
Cybersecurity: As cyber attacks increase, the ability to protect research, intellectual property, and personal or confidential information using risk-based security strategies at a ‘whole of organisation’ level will be increasingly critical for universities.
Custodian of public funds: To secure additional funding, institutions should develop strong transparent practices that can demonstrate value for taxpayer funding. Every dollar must be traceable to the core activities of teaching and, learning, and research, and knowledge transfer.

The challenge

The level of threat that nations face from foreign espionage and malicious parties is unprecedented. In Australia, no sector is immune, but as one of the nation’s largest industries and holders of valuable intellectual property, the higher education sector is particularly at risk.

In 2019, the Council of Australian University Directors of Information Technology – a peak body representing the interests of all universities in Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and Papua New Guinea – embarked on a cybersecurity initiative (the Australasian Higher Education Cybersecurity Service) in 2019 to collectively safeguard and protect Australian universities from cybersecurity attacks.

Today the rapid shift to working from home in response to the pandemic has merely increased the risk of malicious cyber attacks.

The immediate response

implement good, basic security practices: patch and update all internet-facing software, operating systems and devices
improve authentication processes: ensure the right person has access to the right information or services
form strategic partnerships: no one can protect interconnected ecosystems on their own, so find partners to share ideas, resources and skills to do so.

The future

The new normal for higher education demands that cybersecurity measures be integrated into the way students, academics and professional staff work and study.

We need to create a cybersmart, positive culture in which everyone knows and takes their individual responsibility seriously when it comes to protecting and handling information that is sensitive, personal or that relates to their institution’s critical assets.