Technowizzies

Today, my associate and I were on one of the Microsoft campuses in Washington. We had some excellent discussions with some of the senior Microsoft staff. We talked about our own consortium with Microsoft that allows our members to purchase software at very favorable rates - but as important we also get some good technical advice. Today we explored some new ways to connect campuses and students and faculty using the web and cellular phones.

Universities have traditionally been considered as places with Ivy Covered Walls. At the same time they are fundamentally based on the theory of networks. Several years ago we explored those issues at an international conference at Universidad Anáhuac del Sur in Mexico City. But as you think about these entities that have lasted for two millenia - those that will prosper in the coming years have figured out that ultimately the best universities are permeable walls - networks that at not limited by geography or by the artificial limits of disciplines. This new idea about the use of cellular phones would help build those new kinds of networks.

Microsoft is also developing some improvements in their Hotmail product which would allow colleges and universities to off load their emails (keeping their domain names) so that students (and alums) can stay connected to their university. Steve Sample, the president of USC, talks about his university in terms of "lifelong and worldwide" - he understands the absolute necessity for universities to make those kinds of connections and to build their linkages. Some of our discussions at Microsoft today show that others have also begun to think about these kinds of exciting opportunities.