Adapting to the Rapis Changes in the Education Industry

Harald Rotter, CIO at the University of St.Gallen

Harald Rotter, CIO at the University of St.Gallen

Major Challenges and Trends Impacting the Education Sector

The way a university functions (freedom of teaching and research, few to no desired restrictions) makes it easier for attackers to achieve their goals. Conversely, it makes it more difficult for the respective IT departments to defend themselves adequately.

The current prominent topic is generative AI / ChtatGPT and other representatives. Here, we see challenges in the area of teaching examinations but also in data protection. In data protection, especially in the area of official secrecy, intellectual property, etc.

Major Predicaments in the Education Sector that Keep You Awake

Keeping awake would be an exaggeration. However, the question is constant in the area of ransomware attacks. When does it hit your own organization, and to what extent? Then, how quickly can we ensure an orderly operation again?

Latest Project Some of the Technological and Process Elements Leveraged to Make the Project Successful

We are establishing ServiceNow as a business platform. That means not just an IT/ITSM Tool. It means all needs should prove first to ServiceNow and second against another tool. We would like to reduce our tool landscape, media breaks and end-to-end process support in case of digitalization.

Exciting Technological Trends in the Education Sector

For sure, the current trends in generative AI. I think that will change our work and interact from human to technology dramatically.

‘Every position was, in the end, a highlight and brought me to my current position.’

In general, all areas of AI (machine learning, deep learning) and XR (augmented reality, artificial reality), and for sure some existing tech like RPA, cloud computing, high-performance computing, as well as improvement of existing classical hardware, will also be a key role in the future too,

Brief Overview of Your Career Path

Every position was, in the end, a highlight and brought me to my current position. You can find my whole career on LinkedIn.

Important things for me are.

Learned woodworking in Austria, shifted to Switzerland, gained experience in CNC programming (production area), and changed professions to an IT engineer (including a lot of time in foreign countries, working as a consultant, and working as CIO in Education. Different areas, different countries and cultures have different views about IT (intern, external, customer, consultant).

Adapting to the Rapid Evolution in the Industry

Fast and rapid growth is part of IT. If you're not willing to constant and life-long learning, IT is the wrong place. But the art is to find out which technology really has a future and which will remain in the valley of tears. There is no general advice. It depends on the instinct, and sometimes, you bet on the wrong horse. That is also part of it. Fail almost as it is called in software development.