Last week at EDUCAUSE, thousands of education technology leaders gathered in the Denver Colorado Convention Center to discuss, debate, and dream about the future of higher education. I overheard 4 main questions between colleagues and technologists:

1. What will sustainable campuses of the future look like?
2. How will classrooms be designed for hybrid learning?
3. Can we better engage our students on campus?
4. How will we prepare students for the future?

At Cisco, our team is dedicated to working with educators and education leadership to develop a vision and solutions to meet education's biggest goals. We've dreamed up a metaverse campus in virtual reality, designed with built-in innovative technologies to accomplish educator, administration, and student needs. Let's talk about solutions for 4 of the hot topics from EDUCAUSE 2022.

Campus of the Future: Sustainability

As universities re-evaluate their physical spaces, we have the opportunity to build with sustainability in mind, to reduce our carbon footprint and operating costs. In each room on this campus, you'll notice sustainable linear lighting fixtures, run 100% by Power over Ethernet (or PoE) which is a low-cost, reliable, and flexible approach to powering smart devices. These lights reduce installation and operating costs by more than half.

On the windows, also notice the PoE SolarTrac automated shades that keep windows an average of 9 degrees cooler. Plus, the Cisco Catalyst access point can automatically adjust the thermostat depending on how many people are in the room. At the window, is the Mecho 3D wireless controller to move the shades during the day automatically depending on light levels, using solar powered sensors. All together these Internet of Things PoE technologies work to keep temperature controlled, and make your campus smarter.

Right-size Lecture Halls: Hybrid Learning

Lecture is starting, and everyone is invited! This auditorium is designed for an unlimited number of students to learn together. Outfitted for Hybrid Learning, this room features a Webex presenter tracking camera above the AV booth to follow the presenter and stream to all remote students. The educator can see remote students in the back of the room at the same size as in-person students. Plus, everyone can see all content shared at the front, whether they're digital or in person. This educator likes to use a tablet to whiteboard digitally over content on Cisco Webex.

Student Engagement: Esports

Creating unique student experiences is necessary to attract and retain top students. The growth of Esports interest and student opportunities make clear why education is investing in this field of study and play.

To start a football team, a school first needs a football field. In Esports, the "field of play" is the network. When winners are determined by the nanosecond, the quality of a network can make the difference in winning thousands of dollars in scholarships. By partnering with Cisco, education institutions can ensure their network is optimized for the lowest latency, clearest network visibility, and most secure protection. This competition room also includes a broadcast studio to the right, where students studying communications can stream and do commentating using the power of Webex.

Cisco has proven their support in the space by being the network choice of game publishers like Riot Games and Blizzard Entertainment. In fact, Cisco is the Official Enterprise Networking Partner of Riot League of Legends Esports, who hosts the largest Esports competition in the world. When quality experience matters most, Esports relies on Cisco.

Student Opportunity: Networking Academy

Higher Education remains dedicated to preparing students for future careers. Did you know that the Cisco Networking Academy is the world's largest and longest running corporate social responsibility program, educating over 17.5 Million students? NetAcad partners with universities and schools to offer curriculum in cybersecurity, networking, and more to prepare students for the latest technology jobs. Many campuses build rooms with the right tech so students can practice networking skills on real racks. So far, NetAcad has partnered with 11,800 education institutions in over 190 countries. Plus, one NetAcad program Skills for All ?offersfree?online courses for a personalized learning experience. At Cisco, we're proud to partner with education institutions, for 25 years and counting, to create classroom curricula that teaches students the technologies needed for the workforce.

 A smarter campus for the future

Overall, we believe that the future of digital transformation in higher education will begin with the reimagining of campus facilities, to meet the needs of tomorrow. At Cisco, we are dedicated to being your partner in growing your campus through technology.

Want to see more?Explore our virtual campuson your deskstop, in Augmented Reality on a mobile device, or in Virtual Reality on an Oculus VR headset. And if you missed us at EDUCAUSE, visit us here to learn more about our solutions for higher education and access the key resources we shared during the event.

Exploreall of our solutions at Cisco for Education