Access control technologies continue to evolve and advance with more secure and convenient options, causing many in higher education to take a closer look at upgrades. The COVID-19 pandemic has also played a part in accelerating interest in new touchless access control solutions, and while many have added touchless physical access control systems (PACS) to their environments in direct response to the pandemic, there is still a hesitancy to take the leap and replace legacy hardware and credentials with more modernized, secure solutions.

This trend is especially evident in a recent survey* conducted by HID Global. A staggering 48% of respondents reported that their readers and credentials were between three and six years old, and 50% communicated that their controllers are, as well.

    Obstacles & drivers to upgrade PACS

    Obstacles

    The primary obstacles standing in the way of upgrading physical access control systems are budget and time. In the highly cost-conscious college environment, 51% of those surveyed ranked cost as the biggest deterrent to modernizing their access systems. Additionally, 15% reported that an upgrade would be disruptive to their daily operations.

    Drivers

    Leading reasons that are propelling many to implement upgrades include COVID-19, which led 33% of respondents to implement touchless solutions, a desire to improve convenience for students and throughput at access control entries, and a need to comply with new regulations or policies.

    Looking to the future

    While many legacy systems remain in operation, users are keeping an eye to the future and formulating their own “wish lists” of the features they’d like their new access systems to have. 18% say that they’d like to employ open-standards-based technology for easy integration. This is further evidenced by the fact that a staggering 64% of respondents would like to have the ability to add or support new technologies in the future. Touchless capabilities were in high demand from 54% of those surveyed; proof that touchless access will remain relevant post-pandemic.

    56% of those surveyed referenced mobile access as one of the top trends shaping the access control market. In addition to being cost-effective, mobile access is an intuitive and convenient solution when upgrading from legacy systems. Mobile credentials are highly secure, easy to assign, and can often be used for other applications.

    The data show that touchless and mobile, along with cloud-based access solutions and biometrics, will figure heavily into the future of physical access control systems. And, for many forward-thinking enterprises, the future is now.

    Experienced leaders in touchless mobile access

    Convergint, partnered with HID Global, has the experience and expertise needed to help today’s higher learning campuses make a successful migration to upgraded physical access control systems to tighten their security and enhance their students’ experience. Contact a Convergint security specialist to learn more.

    *State of Access Control, Higher Education Selects, HID Global, 2021

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