We’re always hearing from IT Leads in Higher Education about the constant balancing act of trying to provide secure, flexible device access to thousands of students and staff, while managing tight budgets and limited resources.
Whether bridging the digital divide so every student can access technology, or securing exam environments and ensuring administrative continuity in the event of a cyberattack, the demands on university hardware fleets are immense.
Fortunately, a growing number of institutions are recognising the built-in benefits of ChromeOS and rethinking their shared device strategy accordingly.
Here are four ways ChromeOS is transforming both short- and long-term loaner programmes on campus.
1. Using ChromeOS Flex to refresh legacy devices
Instead of retiring legacy Windows or Mac laptops that are no longer fit for purpose, universities can deploy ChromeOS Flex, which allows IT teams to install ChromeOS on their tired tech to immediately populate their loaner device fleet with fast, secure, cloud-ready devices.
Optimising the hardware you already have is an incredibly sustainable, cost-effective way to upscale your initiative without requiring immediate, large-scale procurement.
2. Using Managed Guest Sessions for secure short-term loaner devices
Managing a short-term loaner scheme – like grab-and-go library laptops or devices specifically for digital assessments – usually requires frequent maintenance to ensure data security. ChromeOS Managed Guest Sessions eliminate this friction entirely.
Using Chrome Education Upgrade (the £30 perpetual device management licence), IT can tailor over 500 set-and-forget policies to provide the exact experience their users need.
Managed Guest Sessions is a policy that means users don’t require Google credentials to log in, but admins still benefit from locking down the environment to serve precisely what they want. This is ideal for simple guess access or strictly controlled assessments where specific URLs or apps need to be blocked.
Crucially, another policy called Ephemeral Mode ensures that the moment a student or guest signs out of the device, all residual data (login credentials, cookies, downloads and browsing history) are instantly and permanently wiped. The next user gets a clean, secure device – and IT doesn’t have to lift a finger.
3. Using Chromebooks for a cost-efficient digital inclusion strategy
Digital equity is a core mission for modern universities. No student should fall behind, simply because they lack access to a reliable device. The reality is that nearly two-fifths of UK students in higher education don’t have this access.
Chromebooks are the ideal candidate for long-term student loaner schemes. They are highly durable, boast all-day battery life and are natively integrated with the cloud tools students use daily. Furthermore, if a student loses a loaned Chromebook, IT can remotely disable the device in seconds, ensuring university data remains secure.
4. Using ChromeOS as an isolated business continuity platform
Cyberthreats are particularly targeting the education sector and a widespread cybersecurity incident can bring university operations to a grinding halt. A robust device management strategy ensures that essential university staff can keep calm and carry on.
By keeping a reserve pool of Chromebooks ready, universities have a resilient mechanism that is inherently isolated from the threat impacting their main estate. Because user profiles, files and apps live in the cloud (not on local storage), faculty can simply grab a backup Chromebook, sign in and pick up exactly where they left off.
No waiting hours for a new machine to be imaged and configured, only to be susceptible to a second wave of the same attack.
Ready to rethink your university device strategy?
As Google for Education’s #1 Premier Partner in the UK, we’ve got the expertise and experience to help institutions leverage ChromeOS to solve the biggest headaches affecting your IT team.
Reach out to our team using the simple contact form below for a free, zero-commitment consultation.
