Rachel Clay
Head of Education
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As the highly anticipated UCISA SSG event (Universities and Colleges Information Systems Association, Support Services Group) approaches (Wednesday 5 and Thursday 6 July), I wanted to share the important themes that will shape the discussions and inspire attendees. This blog focuses on the upcoming event, highlighting the themes of mental wellbeing and work-life balance in the digital world, as well as diversity and belonging within the IT sector. Additionally, it explores the thought leadership opportunities that will empower attendees to drive positive change within their institutions.
Mental wellbeing and work-life balance in the digital world
In the increasingly connected and digitally driven world, mental wellbeing and work-life balance have become crucial concerns. The UCISA SSG event acknowledges the impact of technology on individuals' lives and aims to explore strategies and best practices for fostering a healthy digital environment within higher education institutions. Themes we need to explore as an industry are:
- Managing digital overload
We need to learn and understand what tools are available for maintaining a healthy relationship with technology, ensuring a balance between work and personal life in an ever-connected world.
- Promoting wellbeing in remote work
With the rise of remote work and flexible arrangements, it is vital to understand how to support employee wellbeing and productivity in virtual environments.
Diversity and belonging within IT
Creating an inclusive and diverse IT community is paramount to driving innovation and success in higher education institutions. The UCISA SSG event recognises the importance of fostering a culture of diversity and belonging within the IT sector. As an industry we should collectively look at the themes below:
- Overcoming barriers
Recognising and addressing the barriers that hinder diversity and inclusion within the IT field is essential. We need to learn about the challenges faced by underrepresented groups and explore strategies to remove these barriers to foster an inclusive work environment.
- Cultivating belonging
Establishing a sense of belonging and inclusivity is crucial for attracting and retaining diverse talent. We need to help institutions create environments where everyone feels valued, respected, and empowered to contribute their unique perspectives.
- Empowering women in IT
Gender diversity remains a significant area of focus within the IT sector. We need to hear more from inspiring women leaders who have successfully navigated their careers in IT and discuss strategies to empower and support women in technology roles.
In summary, the UCISA SSG event provides a unique platform for networking and collaboration. Attendees will have the chance to connect with like-minded professionals, exchange ideas, and build relationships that can lead to meaningful partnerships and knowledge-sharing opportunities.
You can find Softcat on Stand 5 with our brilliant services partner Bluesource. We’ve chosen to partner with Bluesource as we are abundantly aware that the costs of migrating to the cloud and managing a hybrid environment are escalating due to increasing support fees and costly technical resources. The good news is, enterprises don’t have to accept the prices imposed by vendors.
Having a reliable and expert support partner acting as an extension to your IT team is key to giving you the confidence to continue investing. With Bluesource leading the charge of a new evolution of an MSP+ model, this new reality, combined with the rising support costs imposed by software vendors, has catapulted the demand for lower-priced third-party software support, which can drastically reduce support costs, providing better access to specialist skills, and extend the lifespan of software that does not need to be upgraded.
Finally, Softcat’s Adam Harding (Chief Technology Practice Manager) will be delivering a 30-minute presentation on the second day of the event. Adam will talk you through how to make your life much easier, through an effective MDL (Manged Device Lifecycle) service to support the joiner/mover/leaver process. Using examples from other sectors, he will demonstrate how IT departments can win back time to focus on other priority areas.
We look forward to seeing you at the UCISA SSG event, and exploring these topics of conversation with you in person.