Greater Access to Education through the Cloud

When it comes to the cloud, we often relate it as a technology that is used exclusively by large companies to reduce their IT budgets or improve staff productivity. However, the possibilities of cloud actually go beyond the corporate world.

Surabaya-based Airlangga University demonstrated how cloud technology has provided its students with easier access to educational resources and better support for its distance-learning programme—ultimately enhancing their learning experiences.

With the support of Microsoft Indonesia and telecommunications solutions provider Navcore Nextology, the university utilised Microsoft Office 365 to transform its school administrative portal, CyberCampus, into a learning management system. Launched in May, the programme aims to deliver anytime, anywhere access to educational materials to its 30,000 students and 1,000 faculty members.

Many students and staff members have highlighted the difficulties faced in using the previous edition of CyberCampus to manage administrative processes and access the necessary resources. This prompted Airlangga University to sign up for a free, cloud-based Office 365 subscription plan, catered for schools.   

Microsoft and Airlangga University are working together to ensure greater accessibility to education for the university’s students.

With the new and improved CyberCampus, students are now able to search for the content they need and revisit lessons—enabling them to pace their learning according to their own schedules. This encourages independent learning in which students take more accountability and become active participants in their own education. The online document-editing feature of Office 365 also facilitates collaboration among the students, while the instant messaging platform in Microsoft Lync enables virtual lessons and discussions to be conducted in real time.

“By transforming CyberCampus into an effective learning management system, we were able to encourage stronger student participation, ultimately helping them in their educational development. It further provides our lecturers with the flexibility to plan their classes around their students’ learning pace to create a more dynamic learning environment. We are grateful for the support provided by Microsoft and Navcore Nextology, which has helped pave our way to becoming a world-class university,” said Prof. Dr. Dr. H. Fasich, Apt. H. Fasich, Apt (Rektor Universitas Airlangga). Rector of Airlangga University.