Dr Satya N. Gupta, Vising Professor of Practice, South Asian University
The education sector is witnessing a significant transformation with the integration of cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR) and internet of things (IoT). This revolution is being driven by 5G networks, which offer substantially higher bandwidth and lower latency. Dr Satya N. Gupta, Vising Professor of Practice, South Asian University, share their views with tele.net on the technology trends shaping the edtech space, emerging use cases of these technologies and deployment challenges…
How have information and communication technology (ICT) needs evolved in the education space over the past few years?
Over the last few years, educational institutes have been racing towards digital transformation, adopting smart campus readiness frameworks consisting of ICT institutionalisation, infrastructure, applications and innovations, using automation and intelligent technologies. South Asian University is on the path of deploying total automation and intelligent facilities on par with truly global universities, with world-class ICT infrastructure.
How are you leveraging new-age technologies such as 5G, AI, IoT, cloud and blockchain? What are their noteworthy use cases?
These emerging technologies, especially, 5G, AI, cloud and blockchain, are being exploited to their fullest. The entire campus is being ubiquitously connected through 5G, Wi-Fi, and fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) with outdoor as well as in-building connectivity. The high-capacity National Knowledge Network (NKN) bandwidth has already reached the campus through a diversified path towards reliability. The university has its own data centre in the form of captive cloud and infrastructure hosted in-house. Blockchain technology is planned to be used for student documents and certificate creation, for auto validation, tamper-proofing, and decentralised storage and immutability. For building and infrastructure automation, monitoring and control, IoT has been deployed, along with digital cameras for security and access control. Most classrooms have been converted into smart rooms with intelligent and interactive boards.
What challenges have you experienced in terms of adoption? How are you addressing those?
The need for financing due to higher costs, the shortage of skilled manpower to handle the sophisticated equipment and infrastructure, and limitations related to conventional procurement processes have resulted in delays in creating these complex facilities. We have managed to address this using outsourcing to a large extent.
What top priorities are expected to shape your organisation’s digital roadmap over the next two-three years?
Our top priorities for the next couple of years are the creation of world-class labs in the domain of computers, such as the establishment of an HPC cluster including AI-GPUs and smart racks, the establishment of a quantum-simulation and algorithm hands on lab, an advanced bio-tech lab, and a multi business model innovation lab. In addition, the creation of customised ERP based on the university information management system and institution information management system, interfacing with the existing e-files, as well as an LMS is planned along with other facilities for a truly virtual campus.
Which key digital trends are expected to impact the sector going forward?
In addition to blockchain-based decentralisation, trust building, and use cases focused on security for the institute, quantum technology-based optimisation and automation techniques, and various virtualisation trends are paving the way for total self-learning in an automated and collaborative manner.
