NORTHERN ARIZONA UNIVERSITY
CIO Steven Burrell explores the quantum leadership principles pioneering a purposeful new relationship between people and tech in higher education
Northern Arizona University ( NAU ) is home to 30,000 students , creative thinkers and exceptional minds . It is a higher educational institute that embraces difference and celebrates what makes it unique . The regional public university ’ s faculty is known for striving to create personalised educational experiences , and the institute is a leading organisation in supporting indigenous peoples with programmes and opportunities to gain undergraduate and graduate education .
Though in many ways unique , NAU is not immune to the many challenges facing the higher education sector at large . At a surface level , it must remain modern , with digital capabilities in line with the expectations of its students and the world beyond its campus boundaries . In the summer of 2016 , Steven Burrell joined NAU to tackle just that challenge . With the seemingly straightforward assignment of gathering a sprawling mass of IT services and centralising them across the institution , the new Chief Information Officer put his near 40 years of experience in higher education to work , accomplishing the task after a couple of “ hard-fought ” years .
It was important work , Burrell reflects : “ We ’ ve created some pretty fantastic efficiencies and effectiveness , as well as our agility in response to the rapidly changing higher education industry .
250 March 2022