EduComm Expo Looks to the Future of Higher Ed Tech

At the rate technology is progressing, higher education must adapt to the latest in student and alumni engagement technologies to keep up.

Higher education professionals looking for the next big thing will be treated to world-leading experts in digital signage at the first-ever EduComm Expo, at the Georgia World Congress Center, in Atlanta, Ga., from Sept. 30–Oct. 1, 2015.

EduComm Expo will run alongside another conference, CorpComm Expo, giving attendees their pick from a range of sessions — from the latest in higher education digital signage to corporate technologies.

Chris Gibbs, president of Exponation LLC, the organizer of both conferences, says EduComm Expo grew out of the company's flagship conference, Digital Signage Expo, which launched in 2004. DSE showcases innovative digital communication and interactive technology solutions. Some of the conference's most consistent attendees have come from higher education, which sparked an idea for a focused approach.

"Technology is becoming less expensive, and universities are trying to find newer ways to recruit and communicate with students," he says. "With EduComm, we pulled out an industry that is becoming very prominent and are exploring it a bit further."

Digital signage has become the most prominent technology that is both student- and customer-facing, says Gibbs.

"This is really how higher education institutions are communicating, not only with their students, but also alumni, their guests and employees across multiple campuses," he says. "With millennials in particular, they're used to always having access to a smartphone. How do we communicate with them, how do we get their attention? These are some of the struggles we're finding in this industry."

Keynotes at the conference will offer keen insight into the state and the direction of the industry. Shel Holtz, a well-known personality within the communications world, will lead the first keynote, "Using Experience to Unlock the Secrets of Engagement and Productivity."

Jonathan Brawn will host the second keynote, a roundtable session, which will feature Ohio State University and Virginia Tech representatives, who will share how they're staying ahead of the communication curve.

Find more information, including how to register, at EduComm Expo’s official site.