Monday, February 23, 2026 | 1:00PM–2:00PM ET | Online

Webinar | Stop Paying for Empty Labs: A New Model for Academic Computing

This webinar is a part of the EDUCAUSE Industry Insights series.

Higher education leaders are under growing pressure to rethink computer labs. Rising costs, evolving student expectations, and underutilized campus space are challenging long-standing models that no longer scale or adapt easily.

In this live panel, Wake Tech CIO Ryan Schwiebert and Saskatchewan Poly Director of IT Infrastructure Mark Nuell share how their institutions are responding to said challenges. They’ll unpack the questions they confronted, the trade-offs they navigated, and the institutional realities that shaped their rethinking of how hands-on learning is designed and delivered.

Join this candid conversation to hear how academic and IT leaders are balancing access, flexibility, and sustainability - rethinking what effective lab experiences should look like across today’s higher-education landscape.

Learning Outcomes:

  • Identify the most common triggers pushing institutions to reduce, redesign, or replace traditional physical computer labs (cost, utilization, staffing, student expectations, and space constraints).
  • Evaluate key readiness factors for expanded virtual access: program requirements, software and licensing constraints, infrastructure, security/compliance, and support capacity.
  • Apply a practical decision framework to compare approaches (maintain vs. modernize vs. shift access models), anticipate pitfalls, and align stakeholders before committing to a path forward.
 

Presenters

  • Antony Awaida

    CEO, Apporto

  • Mark Nuell

    Director IT Infrastructure & Security, Saskatchewan Polytechnic

  • Ryan Schwiebert

    Vice President of Information Technology Services and CIO, Wake Technical Community College

Resources & Downloads

  • Recording

    Updated on 2/23/2026

Accessibility

EDUCAUSE provides real-time AI captioning for all online events, in the main room and also in breakout rooms. To request any additional accommodations and/or services, please send an email to [email protected] or call (303) 449-4430 for assistance.

Virtual Event Policies and Expectations

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