2025 KU IT Strategic Plan

Empower, Innovate and Transform

KU Colleagues and Students,

As KU students, faculty and staff strive to achieve their academic, research and professional goals, technology can be a force multiplier in accelerating their success. In developing this 2025 KU IT Strategic Plan, our team talked with students and employees, consulted with campus partners and analyzed peer data and industry benchmarks. We identified three guiding principles — Empower, Innovate and Transform — that will drive our IT strategy and operational imperatives in support of KU's Jayhawks Rising strategic plan.

Empower

Empowerment is the core of our mission. We believe in the potential of every student, faculty member and staff member to achieve greatness. We provide the resources, opportunities, and encouragement necessary for individuals to excel, while fostering a culture of care that promotes community and connection. Our aim is to cultivate leaders who are not only academically proficient, but also socially responsible and globally aware. Through personalized technology experiences, robust support services and a culture of continuous improvement, we empower our university community to reach new heights of personal and professional development.

Innovate

Innovation drives KU IT’s pursuit of excellence. In a world where technology advances at a breathtaking pace, KU must not only keep up, we must lead. We will foster a culture of creativity and curiosity by supporting and advancing groundbreaking research and teaching methodologies. Through partnerships with industry, government and global academic networks, we are rising to the forefront of educational technology innovation. Our strategic initiatives will prioritize interdisciplinary collaboration, experiential learning and the integration of digital tools to enhance educational outcomes and societal contributions.

Transform

Just as a college degree can transform lives, so too can technology. This strategic plan outlines our commitment to transformative practices that enhance the educational journey and societal impact of our institution. From supporting reimagined curricula to integrating cutting edge technology, we are dedicated to creating dynamic learning and research environments that prepare KU students for the complexities of the modern world. We will partner with KU researchers and research units to identify transformative solutions to enhance their ability to make discoveries that change the world.

In collaboration with our internal and external partners, we will shape a brighter future for our institution and the communities we serve through empowerment, innovation and transformation. This strategic plan is our roadmap to achieving our ambitious goals as we anticipate and navigate evolutionary and revolutionary technologies.

Respectfully,

Ed

Ed Hudson
Vice Chancellor for Information Technology and CIO

Empower Education Through Academic Technologies

Leverage innovative digital tools and platforms to create engaging, personalized, and accessible educational experiences that meet a variety of learners' needs, fostering an environment where all students can thrive and reach their full potential.

Jayhawks Rising Objective: Student Success

Objective 1

Expand leading-edge instruction through technology to enhance student learning and engagement and improve retention and graduation rates.

Objective 2

Align our academic technology tools today and tomorrow to ensure access and provide a high-quality, world class education.

Objective 3

Deliver technologies to engage students, strengthen their educational experience, and prepare them for future careers.

Innovate as an Essential Strategic Partner in University Initiatives

Forge creative partnerships and foster collaboration, positioning Information Technology as the partner of choice to drive innovation at KU.

Jayhawks Rising Objective: Health & Vibrant Communities

Objective 1

Establish and implement an agile Information Technology governance framework that aligns services and resources with collaborative strategy.

Objective 2

Serve as a leader and proactive partner for artificial intelligence (AI) strategy and implementation at KU.

Empower Research and Discovery

Accelerate KU research and discovery efforts with best-in-class infrastructure and services that are reliable, secure, and adaptable to future technological innovations.

Jayhawks Rising Objective: Research & Discovery

Objective 1

Collaborate with the Office of Research to develop a long-term high-performance computing (HPC) strategy.

Objective 2

Partner with researchers and research centers to enhance support options and accelerate identification and adoption of research tools and systems.

Objective 3

Promote and implement infrastructure that enables data storage and sharing with internal and external constituents.

Transform the Culture of KU IT by Being Leaders of Change

Cultivate a healthy, dynamic workplace culture and highlight Information Technology's role as the foundation of a connected university community.

Jayhawks Rising Objective: Healthy & Vibrant Communities

Objective 1

Promote a culture of care that encourages community and connection as vital components of the development and success of Information Technology staff and the larger KU community.

Objective 2

Create a more engaging, productive, and fulfilling work environment by evaluating and prioritizing future of work trends to foster employee satisfaction.

Objective 3

Enhance proactive communication with the university community to build engagement.

Innovate Technology Infrastructure and Architecture

Ensure that KU's infrastructure and architecture is adaptable to meet future technology objectives.

Jayhawks Rising Objective: Foundational Component

Objective 1

Provide information technology infrastructure that affirms KU's data security, supports research data needs, and enables future technology strategy.

Objective 2

Enhance the KU community technology experience to increase engagement, streamline communication, and ensure seamless access.

Transform KU's Cybersecurity Environment

Enhance KU's multi-layered defenses, proactive threat monitoring, and robust incident response protocols to mitigate evolving cyber threats.

Jayhawks Rising Objective: Foundational Component

Objective 1

Assess and implement applicable security standards and processes to meet current and future federal and state compliance regulations.

Objective 2

Fully integrate our cybersecurity technology stack with tools to improve incident response, cross correlation of threats, and automate remediation efforts.

Objective 3

Modernize our identity program for a frictionless experience, improved security, integrated access management, and scalability.