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August 24, 2020

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Integrated access control a priority for higher education institutions, according to report

According to a recent survey undertaken by Genetec and HID Global, higher education institutions are set to embrace new access control technology to improve the experiences of students and staff.

UniversitySecurity-20While access control is a fundamental element of security in higher education, many aging access control systems urgently need to be upgraded, according to a survey of 1,800 higher education security and IT professionals conducted by Genetec and HID Global. While organisations are ready to embrace new technology, they are looking to go “beyond the door” and integrate with other security and operations systems.

Producing similar results to IFSEC Global and HID’s State of Physical Access Control Report 2020, the survey shows that 33.76% of readers, 30.6% of controllers, and 24% of software are more than six years old. Older technologies such as barcode, magnetic stripe (mag stripe) and 125khz low-frequency proximity (prox) continue to dominate physical access control systems in higher education. More than half of survey respondents still use mag stripe, and almost a quarter still use 125khz prox. 64% of survey respondents said their current access control system experiences malfunctions.

Looking ahead, more than a third of survey respondents (35%) are ready to embrace more modern technology as a way of improving the experience for students, faculty, and administrators. Over half of respondents (54.2%) would be interested in using their access control credentials to support multiple applications beyond physical access, and 44% stated that better integration with other security systems/components is a key driver to upgrade their access control systems.

Most colleges and universities want their students to use a single card or mobile credentials for multiple types of applications, from accessing dormitory rooms and checking out books from the library to locking bicycles and paying for food, parking, and more. Cost, as you would expect, was the major obstacle to this, which often results in systems that only fulfil the minimum requirements, rather than invest in the integration capabilities they seek.

“There are new technology options that can make life easier for administrators as well as those who use the systems,” says Jason Friedberg, Commercial Head, Education at Genetec. “With ever evolving threats, and a need for increased efficiency, accessibility and privacy, security on higher education campuses is an everchanging environment. Institutions need to be prepared for these changes by upgrading to a unified video and access control solution that is flexible, connected, and easy to use.”

“And while cost is seen as an obstacle, the true value is often not factored in. With a modern, unified system, ongoing costs often end up being lower than those of legacy systems because the additional capabilities of newer systems increase operational efficiencies across multiple departments,” concluded Friedberg.

According to the findings of a report from Omdia, Genetec is said to be the fastest growing access control software provider in the world, now sitting in fourth position in the market. The report identified that this is likely because businesses are looking to integrate secure access control into a more unified physical security platform.

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