Smart campuses, Sustainable Future: The role of digital transformation in Higher Education

A record number of 2,152 global universities has been revealed for being committed to meeting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDG). This remarkable 26% surge signals a transformative era - not just for higher education, but for society at large.  

Multiple studies have shown how the presence of a university can positively impact the socio-economic development in the local area. Furthermore, research highlights that sustainable campuses not only increase a university's appeal to attract students and faculty more effectively but also enhances their global competitive advantage. With thousands of campuses worldwide, the higher education sector holds immense potential to drive sustainability, benefiting students, faculty, society, and the planet. However, realizing this potential requires strategic investments in digitalization.  

The right direction 

Our latest research report Digital Transformation, Sustainable Returns: The New Pathway of Infrastructure explores how digitalization can accelerate these sustainability outcomes. Less than half of the higher education sector (48%) is at a mature or advanced stage in data-driven management of systems, resources, or infrastructure.  

A critical challenge facing higher education institutions in their decarbonization efforts is the sector's data deficit and disparate systems. While many are committed to reducing emissions, aging infrastructures and the complexity of managing diverse estates hinder their ability to access real-time, actionable data essential for strategic decision-making. This lack of data not only impacts sustainability goals but also operational efficiency, as institutions cannot optimize resource utilization or streamline energy management without accurate insights. 

In fact, our research shows that less than half of respondents have access to most of the emissions or decentralized energy resources data they need. Alarmingly, 38% report having little or no access to critical energy consumption data — widely regarded as the most essential data type for both driving decarbonization and improving operational efficiency. Bridging this data gap is pivotal to enabling smarter, more resilient campuses. 

Addressing this gap is crucial for achieving ambitious sustainability goals. Encouragingly, over 60% of higher education respondents plan to increase their investment in digital technologies in the coming year, but success hinges on building robust data foundations. 

Grasping the opportunity for change 

Being convinced that technology is the main driver for successful digital transformation we asked which emerging technologies they believe will have the greatest positive impact on decarbonization over the next three years. The higher education sector is most optimistic about smart edge devices, artificial intelligence (AI) and digital twins . Siemens complements these with a comprehensive range of technologies through Siemens Xcelerator to accelerate campus modernization. Intelligent building management systems, IoT solutions, predictive maintenance, and decentralized energy systems like microgrids. These technologies enable universities to optimize energy, enhance comfort and safety, and achieve sustainability goals effectively. 

The University of Birmingham offers a standout example of what such solutions might look like. In partnership with Siemens, the university is on a mission to develop the world’s smartest campus that not only improves the student experience but also significantly reduces its carbon footprint. This effort involves decarbonizing its more than 200 campus buildings, some of which are over 100 years old.  

The first phase of the ambitious project involved installing over 23,000 Internet of Things (IoT) sensors across the campus, so building operators can detect and correct inefficient power use and have access to space optimisation insights. As a result, the university was able to reduce carbon emissions by nearly 3,000t CO2 p/a.   

In addition to reducing its carbon footprint, the University of Birmingham also created new educational and research opportunities through this project in collaboration with industry. Based on live data, students can investigate energy demand and power generation in real time and apply what they learn in the classroom to the real world. 

More than just cost savings 

The example of the University of Birmingham demonstrates that the higher education sector is going through a digital transformation advancing multiple areas whether it be an institutional change, enhanced learning experience, research excellence or operational efficiency.  

Digital business platforms support this journey offering open and modular systems to connect campus infrastructure seamlessly with core operations. Our research shows that respondents rank time and cost efficiency, scalability, and reliability of services as primary benefits of those digital business platforms.  

To help more universities seize this opportunity, now is the time for higher education leaders to focus on modernizing campus infrastructure. By taking these steps, we can pave the way for a future that balances sustainability with innovation.