WorkingWith Microsoft Technologies in Education – Prifysgol Aberystwyth University, 19 –20 December 2023

About

A two-day event arranged at Aberystwyth to network, discuss and share common Microsoft themes between Welsh HEIs in a trusted environment with those who interact with Microsoft technology on a daily basis. 

Previous WorkingWith Microsoft events have been so successful and the feedback so positive, HEWIT have decided to run the event again. The only difference being the themes are slightly different to reflect where we are.

Higher Education in Wales are all adopting the same Microsoft technologies, at different stages, in various parts of our infrastructure. We’ve come a very long way from the first event in 2017: Teams. Windows 10, M365, MFA, Power BI, Intune, M365 Security functionality, etc. are all technologies firmly established within our universities. 

For the future we are all looking at the next phase of Microsoft adoption which includes Windows 11, AI and co-pilot, MAM, MDM, Dynamics, Sentinel, and making more use of existing functionality to deliver better value from the license. In parallel, we do have concerns regarding license costs, cloud storage limitations, premium services, and subscription benefits.

The O365 UK HE mailing list is active most days, and Microsoft's EduBites events easily sees over one hundred and fifty participants. But as yet, HEWIT's WorkingWith event is the only event in the UK which brings together regional universities to discuss, network, and share under a common Microsoft theme. 

The event will be an opportunity: 

  • To forge links with trusted colleagues from other Welsh Universities
  • Compare our Microsoft experiences; good and bad
  • Discuss future Microsoft direction, opportunities and challenges
  • Directly question Microsoft team members on Microsoft technology
  • to be a spring board to future activities, create links with others and is an opportunity to develop relationships, similar to the existing HEWIT group.

This event is supported by all of the IT Directors within the eight universities in Wales.