Across every sector, CIOs are being asked to deliver transformation everywhere, all at once. Modernise platforms. Introduce AI. Integrate systems. Reduce costs. Improve experience. Strengthen security.
It’s a long list, and those who try, rarely succeed.
We talk a lot about collaboration, but much of what passes for teamwork today is really noise. Endless threads, half-attended meetings, and long days spent replying digitally instead of deciding. Call me a rebel but perhaps it’s time to regain some space to think, to act, and to work together with intent.
Over the past decade, the role of the university CIO has steadily evolved from infrastructure leader to strategic partner. But as collaboration across the sector becomes more structured and strategically important, that role is expanding again.
Collaboration has long been part of Higher Education’s institutional DNA. Universities share research infrastructure, co-author papers across continents and form networks of expertise that transcend borders. Knowledge has rarely been confined to a single institution.
For years, cyber security in higher education has been focussed primarily on data – institutional research, personal information and systems. Yet for university CIOs today, the more pressing issue is broader and, increasingly, more human.
End-of-support moments often trigger defensive thinking. Get compliant. Keep the lights on. Minimise disruption. These are valid concerns — but they don’t reflect the potential value on the table.
Partnerships sit at the heart of how most organisations now operate. Whether it’s suppliers, delivery partners, or internal teams, very little is achieved in isolation. Yet partnership is also one of the areas where good intentions often outpace good design.
The best kind of change is often the kind you don’t notice happening. Systems run smoother, processes feel easier, people stop sighing at their screens – and suddenly everything just works a little better.
True modernisation is less about speed – and more about substance. We talk about modernisation as if it’s a race – a finish line you can cross and then move on. It isn’t.
