How to Improve Communication and Safeguard Student Data with Unified Communications in the Education Sector

According to data from Statista, approximately 10 million children attended schools across the UK in the academic year 2023/24.

In a world where cyber attacks happen daily, this represents a treasure trove of student and parent data that cyber criminals could exploit – whether to hold it for ransom, falsify documents, make fraudulent purchases, or cause chaos in other ways.

With many educational institutions still relying on legacy storage and communication systems, more data may be at risk than most people realise.

Fortunately, unified communications (UC) offers a solution to keep this critical data secure. It improves administrative efficiency while providing a comprehensive, streamlined communications platform tailored to meet the needs of modern educators.

But what exactly are UC solutions, and why should leaders in the education sector consider them to enhance both teaching and learning experiences? At Elite Group, we specialise in offering cloud communication systems for enterprises and education institutions aiming to boost security, raise productivity, and reduce costs.

Keep reading to learn more, or get in touch with an Elite Group expert today.

What is Unified Communications?

Unified communications (UC) is an all-in-one platform that consolidates various communication and collaboration tools into a single, easy-to-use application. These tools can be accessed across multiple devices, such as mobile phones, laptops, desktops, and tablets.

These tools include:

• Email
• Text
• Instant messaging
• Voice chat
• Video conferencing
• File transfers
• Digital collaboration solutions

For a clearer picture, here’s a quick comparison between unified communications and traditional communication systems:

How Unified Communications Can Benefit the Education Sector

The COVID-19 pandemic caused a significant shift in how educational institutions communicate and operate daily. As a result, many adopted various tools to maintain operations and safety standards.

However, many of these tools, which were meant for short-term use, are still in use today. The issue is that these traditional tools were never designed to work together. Institutions are now juggling separate tools for:

• Phone systems
• Email services
• Video conferencing platforms
• File transfer services
• Messaging applications

This mix of tools often leads to confusion and missed messages. UC addresses this problem by streamlining all communication channels into one platform, making it easier to share important information and secure student data.

Access From Anywhere

The rise of remote and hybrid working has opened new opportunities for the education sector. With UC, teachers can:

• Deliver lessons remotely when schools close due to weather
• Access lesson plans and attend meetings from anywhere
• Monitor student progress
• Upload important educational documents

Since UC is cloud-based, virtual lessons can be recorded and accessed later, giving students the chance to revisit material whenever they need.

Collaboration

Collaboration can be a challenge for remote teachers or staff working in different parts of a school. With UC, staff can all log into the same platform, ensuring real-time updates and effective communication without the need for in-person meetings. This enhances creativity and productivity, ultimately benefiting students’ education.

Emergency Communications

Traditional school alarm systems, such as fire alarms, are limited to providing general alerts and a single, pre-determined response. However, during an emergency requiring more specific action, such as a partial lockdown, traditional systems fall short.

UC allows for precise, instant communication with all staff, ensuring they receive accurate updates on the situation and clear instructions on what actions to take, strengthening safety protocols.

Parent-Teacher Communication

Effective communication between parents and teachers is essential to monitor student progress and report incidents. Relying on events like parents’ evenings can delay responses to new information.

With UC, teachers can easily contact parents via email or phone, ensuring timely updates for individual students or an entire class.

Security

Educational institutions hold vast amounts of sensitive data, making them attractive targets for cybercriminals. To safeguard this data, schools must use robust, modern security tools.

By consolidating communication tools into a single platform, UC reduces the number of potential security vulnerabilities. Tools like encryption (which scrambles data to protect it from unauthorised access) and multi-factor authentication (which requires identity verification) help keep sensitive information safe, whether during video calls, voice chats, or file transfers.

Data Protection

Handling sensitive student data requires compliance with standards like GDPR. Unified Communications includes built-in security features, such as secure access controls, to help institutions adhere to these standards and reduce the risk of data breaches.

Reduced Costs

Using multiple communication tools often means multiple subscription fees and maintenance costs. UC combines all communication tools into a single platform, significantly reducing overall costs and offering better value for money.

Reliability

Adopting new technology can be daunting, but UC has proven to be a reliable solution for institutions worldwide.

According to data from Grand View Research, the global UC market is expected to grow annually by 17.4% between 2023 and 2030. This growth shows that UC is here to stay as a trusted and widely adopted cloud communication solution.

If you’re looking for a reliable, affordable, and future-proof communications tool, UC is the solution for you.

Onboard Unified Communications Solutions Within Your Educational Institution with Elite Group

If you’re ready to solve communication challenges and improve productivity in your school or university, speak with Elite Group today.

Our experienced team will guide you through the installation process, ensuring you get the most out of UC technology.

We’ll help you select the tools you need without paying for unnecessary features, and your dedicated account manager will be your go-to for any technical support during and after installation.

For more information on unified communications for educational professionals, contact a member of the Elite Group team today.