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use and their approach to work . Some key indicators of a # GenMobile worker are the propensity to work non-traditional hours , demands for a flexible work location and requests for reliable internet , favouring wifi over 4G , 3G or wired connections .
This increasingly mobile workforce has brought with it a wave of change in the education industry . Whilst these mobile workers can improve efficiencies and productivity by working remotely , they have also come to expect employers and institutions to make policy and structural changes to enable their preferred form of working . And this is where many educational institutions can come unstuck .
The # GenMobile challenge calls
Students on today ’ s university networks want fast , flexible wifi access ; institutions that provide it can get ahead , provided they limit the inherent risks .
By Mark Verbloot
There ’ s no doubt a university campus presents a complex IT environment . Students , teachers , administration employees and casual staff all bring a variety of devices on site , and with them a range of risky behaviours that can directly affect the security of corporate and personal data .
Employees and students are adopting new technologies rapidly – even before IT departments have the chance to create user guidelines or policies . Universities need to better understand how to manage an increasingly mobile generation in order to maintain a safe and secure learning environment .
Next-generation demands Many of the complexities associated with a university ’ s technology environment can be attributed to the rise of # GenMobile . This emerging breed of workers , students and teachers is forcing employers and organisations in Australia to make the workplace more mobile-friendly .
A recent study shows the typical # GenMobile student or worker relies heavily on mobile devices for every aspect of work and personal communication , and stays connected to everything , all the time , regardless of their physical location . They ’ re defined by their preference for mobility , both in terms of the devices they
Piling up the risks In a recent report commissioned by Aruba Networks , employees in the education sector show they are increasingly favouring a # GenMobile approach . The Running the Risk report revealed that a number of gaps in security practices in the corporate workplace now extend to the campus and even into the classroom – all initiated by an increasingly ‘ pro-risk ’ mobile workforce . The prolific use of social media by # GenMobile has also encouraged a readiness to share information at the click of a button , and this willingness to share can unwittingly extend to corporate information .
The risk report surveyed more than 11,500 employees from 23 countries , including Australia , and found that # GenMobile has instigated a culture of sharing , openness and risk in workplaces around the world . Whilst risk can sometimes be good for business , it ’ s important to manage it effectively .
Globally , the results indicated teachers themselves need a strong lesson on security , as educators scored lower than members of all other industries when asked if they password-protected their personal smartphones .
An encouraging sign for Australia is that these figures are not mirrored locally . In fact , Australian educators are leading the way in safer and more secure mobile work practices . The study revealed that Australian educators and public-sector workers were the least likely to use autosave passwords in applications or on websites ( 3 per cent ). Healthcare and hightech workers were the most likely ( 8 per cent and 9 per cent , respectively ).
This by no means indicates the level of importance placed on IT security in education institutions is sufficient .
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