JourneyOne sees rapid technology changes in higher education sector

Higher education has become a significant focus for JourneyOne, which works with universities on enterprise integration, student experience systems and cyber security programs, according to its chief technology officer, Cristian Southall.

Speaking to ARN at the AWS Public Sector Summit in Canberra on 7 August, Southall said sectors like higher education are catching up quickly with technology innovation.

The sector faces rapid change due to declining international student numbers, necessitating greater agility, he said.

“We’ve been assisting universities in becoming more agile by implementing cloud-native solutions and enterprise integration systems to improve the student experience,” Southall said.

“The shift toward microlearning and continuous career evolution requires universities to be able to pivot quickly, and cloud technology plays a crucial role in enabling this agility.”

In addition to education, the Perth-based company of business and technology consultants has a diverse industry focus.

“About a third of our business is in the public sector, mainly state governments, including a longstanding relationship with WA’s Department of Health,” he said.

Another third is rooted in the resources sector, which includes oil, gas and mining, reflecting its WA origins.

However, each sector presents unique challenges and opportunities, and cloud-native solutions and AI continue to be major drivers of innovation, acknowledged Southall.

“Cloud provides the agility and scalability to adapt to rapid changes, while AI can personalise and optimise operations more deeply,” he said.

The role of AI in various industries

For JourneyOne, AI is set to play a major role across industries, although adoption is still in its early stages.

“We’re investigating how AI can enhance our efficiency and empower our clients,” said Southall. “It’s crucial to distinguish between differentiated and undifferentiated use cases for AI.”

He noted that organisations must have their data well-organised and be prepared for operational challenges, such as machine learning operations and testing.

“However, AI is just one component of a broader solution that includes data management, cybersecurity and user experience,” said Southall.

“To fully benefit from these technologies, organisations must approach them holistically, ensuring seamless integration across all components.”

JounreyOne has been an advanced consulting partner at AWS for about six years.

According to Southall AWS’s broad and deep service offerings, it is a strategic choice for us, especially as clients transition from lift-and-shift cloud migrations to application modernisation.

“We’ve developed “FlyOps,” a knowledge base and set of design patterns that help clients build cloud operating platforms to leverage AWS’s managed services fully,” he said.

Lilia Guan travelled to the AWS Public Sector Summit as a guest of AWS.