Identity governance has become a cornerstone of IT strategy in colleges and universities. As higher ed institutions balance learning modalities, cybersecurity threats, and complex user populations, managing identities and access is no longer a backend concern: it's mission-critical.
We’ve rounded up five of the biggest identity governance challenges in higher education, along with practical solutions to help institutions stay secure, compliant, and student-centered.
Password Fatigue. The Silent Dropout Factor.
Clunky login processes, inconsistent access, and password fatigue hurt engagement and retention. Hybrid and online learning add more digital resources, complicating identity management and increasing security risks.
Adjunct and Alumni. The Overlooked Access Struggle.
Adjuncts, visiting scholars, alumni, and even some student populations often require temporary or limited access. This is often a manual and laborious process for tech teams that can lead to security liabilities.
Outdated Systems. The Modern Roadblock.
Outdated systems haunt many institutions, especially those that don’t integrate with modern LMS, SIS, and HRIS, slowing digital transformation. Frequent class and staff changes make timely access critical. Delays fracture learning experiences.
Cyber Attacks. The Security Crisis.
Education faces rising phishing, credential surfing, and ransomware threats. Weak passwords and orphaned (or unused) accounts only increase vulnerabilities and widen security gaps for institutions.
Complex Compliance. The Audit Issue.
With clunky systems and rising manual workloads, institutions struggle to enforce policies consistently. With FERPA, HIPAA, GDPR and more, compliance is an ever-moving target—making audit-ready identity governance essential.