5 Critical Identity Governance Challenges (and Solutions) for Higher Ed

September 5, 2025
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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.

Challenge 1

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.

💡Solution: Adopt passwordless authentication with a mobile-first SSO solution that integrates cohesively across cloud and on-premises systems.

Challenge 2

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.

💡Solution: Implement role-based access controls (RBAC), and automate account creation, expiration, and removal.

Challenge 3

Outdated Systems.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Outdated systems haunt many institutions, especially those that don’t integrate with modern LMS, SIS, and HRIS, slowing digital transformation.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.

💡Solution: Select an identity governance platform with pre-built connectors, real-time SIS and HRIS syncing, and automated workflows to keep access current and appropriate.

Challenge 4

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.

💡Solution: Enforce Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) for everyone accessing your school network. Implementing an atypical behavior monitoring solution can help track potential issues.

Challenge 5

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.

💡Solution: Manage system-wide security policies with automated reporting and auditing capabilities.

Managing and maintaining digital identities is more than juggling logins. Secure identity governance is essential to enabling secure and scalable digital experiences for students, faculty, and staff. By tackling the five challenges above head-on, higher ed institutions can create a more resilient and responsive infrastructure.

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About the Author

About the Authors

Dr. Barbara Nesbitt

VP of Product

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ClassLink

Dr. Barbara Nesbitt is a lifetime educator with more than 30 years in education. Barbara has been a teacher, instructional coach, administrator, and consultant with broad experiences in school districts in Virginia and South Carolina. Barbara is currently VP of Product for ClassLink.

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