Managing security in higher education institutions is becoming more and more complex due to several factors. Advancements in technology and the need to maintain open and safe learning environments are contributing to this complexity.
According to Transparency Research, such attacks and other various factors are expected to boost the growth of this vertical. The introduction of cost-effective security systems is also propelling the growth of the market.
“Moreover, increased investments in infrastructure is also fueling the growth of the school and campus security market,” the research firm said in a report. “Factors such as thefts, vandalism and intrusion are also expected to drive the demand for school and campus security during the forecast period. Government regulations pertaining to enhance the security levels are also impacting the school and campus security market positively.”
These factors collectively are expected to impact the growth of school and campus security market positively from 2015 to 2023.
However, managing security in higher education institutions is becoming more and more complex due to several factors. Advancements in technology and the need to maintain open and safe learning environments are contributing to this complexity.
Challenges in the Process
Just as security solutions have evolved over time, so have the threats that are associated with universities. While the conventional security concerns still remain, experts point out that one of the major concerns at the moment in institutions of higher education is the threat to intellectual property.
“If we specifically look at the challenges that are present in 2017, it would have to do with cybersecurity” said Steven Kenny, Business Development Manager for the A&E Program at
Axis Communications. “When you speak to universities and look at their activities, I think one of the areas to look at is the intellectual property that requires protection.”
But other challenges still cause serious concern. Speaking about a project at the University of Birmingham, Thomas Schulz, EMEA Director Marketing and Communications at
ASSA ABLOY, pointed out that university residence halls present complex access control challenges.
“Accommodation blocks house large numbers of students, whose population is in a constant state of change,” Schulz said. “Students arrive and leave all the time, and rooms are not secure if the previous occupant still has a key. Students also tend to lose physical keys, compromising site security and causing time and money to be wasted every time locks have to be changed. Finding a solution without mechanical keys was a priority. Electronic access control with real-time monitoring enables security managers to stay in control of the site — another increasingly important demand. Then adding this functionality cost-effectively is yet another challenge.”
“University administrators must increasingly do more with less, supporting growing enrollment, facility expansion and new services while still using obsolete, vulnerable campus ID card systems that have a restricted range of functions,” said Brett St. Pierre, Director of Education Solutions at
HID Global. “The best approach to making campuses safe and secure is to gradually replace legacy technology with ‘one card’ solutions that improve end-to-end issuance while supporting new, more secure services and capabilities in the future. This approach solves a number of problems with legacy magnetic stripe technology that has been used by universities for several decades and relies on older security technology that lacks the cryptographic capabilities of smart cards, making them susceptible to cloning and counterfeiting.”
At an east coast US university, the security director identified security as the biggest reason to replace their magstripe technology with a “one card” solution. Flexibility was also important.
“He said that campus stakeholders wanted a single ID card that could be used for meal payments, the library, using the gym, and accessing parking and other facilities,” St. Pierre continued. “This concept of ‘one card’ simplicity would enable a single system to serve many different needs. Users would only need to carry one card for many different services, purchases and other campus activities. University administrators must increasingly do more with less, supporting growing enrollment, facility expansion and new services while still using obsolete, vulnerable campus ID card systems that have a restricted range of functions. The best approach to making campuses safe and secure is to gradually replace legacy technology with ‘one card’ solutions that improve end-to-end issuance while supporting new, more secure services and capabilities in the future. This approach solves a number of problems with legacy magnetic stripe technology that has been used by universities for several decades and relies on older security technology that lacks the cryptographic capabilities of smart cards, making them susceptible to cloning and counterfeiting.”
But to some, it all boils down to the cost factor. “The biggest point for me was affordability, we had systems in place that were costing us thousands with reoccurring over the top licensing fees, close behind was scalability and all new systems had to be open source,” said James McCarthy, Director of Public Safety at George Mason University.
“My first year was spent researching and working with various vendors including Arecont Vision who were very helpful in helping me develop specifications and guidelines for future expansion. There were a vast number of different providers that were available, especially with VMS systems. It was a vetting and elimination process which looked at different values which we put in place from the beginning and what we could use with the present hardware that was already in place. Again, money was a big factor, the reoccurring costs had to be low,” added McCarthy.
Brian Sweet, General Manager at Convergint Technologies, pointed out that the fact that university facilities are spread out over large spaces, which is a challenge for them. “We prefer to meet with key stakeholders to understand what their business drivers are, so that we can align their security technology in accordance with their legal liabilities, their risk, regulations, compliance, policies and procedures, as well as leverage best practices from the industry,” said Sweet.