Due to the rapid evolution of digital technology, the way that people create, save, share and use knowledge is rapidly evolving. One of the most important of these technologies is cloud computing. Cloud computing is changing dramatically how we do academic research in all areas of study and provides new possibilities for cloud computing for academic research to go beyond the traditional constraints of geography, infrastructure and size.

Even though the opportunities provided by cloud computing are unprecedented for today’s academic researcher, how successfully a researcher takes advantage of these opportunities is largely dependent on three closely related variables: awareness, education and adoption. Awareness is the level of understanding that researchers have regarding what cloud computing has to offer; education is the level of preparation that researchers have to use cloud computing responsibly and effectively; and adoption is the extent to which an institution is prepared to support the use of cloud computing, as well as the cultural context in which that support is supported.

This article provides a detailed review of how cloud computing’s awareness, education and adoption by researchers shape the way that research is conducted in the modern world. The article examines the potential for benefits associated with using a cloud-based research ecosystem, the challenges that researchers face when using it and real-world examples of cloud-based research ecosystems in use, as well as providing direction for the future of cloud-based research ecosystems.

What does Cloud Computing Mean in the Academic Context ?

Now it’s time to clarify how we distinguish between some of the cloud computing for academic research models available through vendors today:

• IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service) provides researchers with an ability to “rent” a virtualized environment, in the form of servers and storage, thus giving them complete control over their operating systems/applications.
• PaaS (Platform as a Service) provides a user-friendly platform for applications to develop and process data, as well as to contribute to the overall research workflow, without the researcher having to worry about the developing platform.
• SaaS (Software as a Service) is a fully managed application (i.e., tools for collaboration, data analysis platforms, learning management systems, and research databases) which can provide significant advantages to those doing academic research.

Together these service models allow for a diverse range of activities, from computational modeling and simulation to collaboration in qualitative research and creating and curating long-term data.

Why is Cloud Computing Important to Academic Research?

1. Cloud Computing Provides Scalability for Research with Heavy Data usage

Cloud Computing for academic research conducted with large amounts of experimental, sensor, simulated, surveyed and digital interaction data is becoming more common. Cloud computing is more efficient in processing large amounts of data than traditional computing environments, since researchers can scale up their cloud resources as their research needs grow.

There are four areas of research where this is key:

Climate/Environmental modeling with genomic/biomedical datasets and using AI/machine learning for simulating astronomy/physics requires collaborative effort from institutions, technical solutions, and providers of education to address challenges as they arise.

2. Cost-Efficient Research Infrastructure

The switch to the operational mode of Cloud computing has changed the financial model under which research is done today from Capital to Operational Expenditures (OpEx). Institutions will no longer need to spend large amounts of money on physical infrastructure that may remain underused and will only spend money for the resources used, thus allowing smaller research groups to have access to advanced computing capabilities.

3. Collaborative Approach Globally

Joint and multidiscipline research has become a norm in modern academia. Using services available on the cloud makes it easier for researchers located around the world to access the same data set, application, and publishing permissions simultaneously. This access also results in more diverse points of view and accelerated creation of research products.

4. Reduce Waiting Times for Research

The time that typically gets spent on building and maintaining research facilities is being eliminated from the research process, and as a result, researchers have the luxury of spending a larger portion of that time actually inquiring and discovering. Automation in research processes through automated workflow systems, cloud computing and integrated development environments all reduce greatly the waiting time required to report results.

The Disparity of Cloud Computing Awareness by Discipline Within the Academic Community

Awareness of cloud computing for academic research across all disciplines within academia is inconsistent. While researchers in the fields of computer science, engineering, and data-intensive science tend to be more knowledgeable about cloud computing and cloud technology due to the technical nature of these fields, scholars in the humanities, social sciences, and education have limited experience with cloud computing, even though these fields could be greatly enhanced by using cloud computing technologies for qualitative research, digital preservation, and collaborative writing.

Institutional vs. Individual Awareness of Cloud Computing

While most colleges and universities understand the strategic importance of cloud computing in an administrative context, the understanding of cloud computing at the researcher level may not align with this strategic knowledge. If adequate communication and training are not developed for cloud initiatives, then these initiatives will likely not be utilized effectively by researchers.

Promoting Awareness through Campaigns

Awareness Campaigns related to cloud technology for research education – institutions that actively promote awareness through seminars, showcase research and success stories are more successful in encouraging experimentation and the use of the technology. The promotion of the cloud infrastructure for academic research outcomes that were generated using cloud-based platforms also helps to reduce the mystery of cloud-based technology to build more confidence in their own cloud-utilising researchers.

Education – The Key to Cloud Computing Adoption

Structured education related to cloud computing for academic research and skill development are the basis for using cloud computing technology, as awareness alone will not lead to the acceptance and adoption of this new technology. To use cloud computing successfully, researchers require a basic understanding of the cloud’s architecture, security, cost management and ethical implications.

Integrating Cloud Computing Literacy into University Curriculum

To equip our future research leaders, universities need to incorporate cloud literacy into the curriculum of all students at every university education level:

Bachelor’s Degree: Understanding of the general concepts of cloud computing, digital tools and collaborative tools used in research.

Master’s Degree: Advanced understanding of cloud-based research methodologies, data analytics, computational workflow.

PhD Degree: Knowledge of designing cloud infrastructure, managing large data sets, reproducible research methods.

Strategies for increasing awareness, education, and adoption of cloud solutions include having universities establish centres of excellence for cloud to lead in implementation of cloud technology solutions.

Continuous Faculty Development and Learning

Faculty development plays an important role in creating the research culture of the institution. By offering professional development opportunities, certification programs and workshops that encourage educators to incorporate cloud resources into their teaching and supervisory roles, the institution may enable the development of a more robust research community.

Experiential Learning and Project-Based Learning

Hands-on learning experiences through using actual cloud-based services have a proven effect on the learning of students and researchers. Educators, as well as students and researchers, can now acquire the skills needed to deploy software applications, work with data sets, and collaborate on a global scale through cloud-based environments, thus eliminating the disconnect between what they learn and how they apply it.

For academic institutions to successfully adopt Cloud Computing within their organizations, the institution should have the infrastructure necessary for Cloud Computing to function effectively. These three requirements to create the requisite infrastructure for Cloud Computing are:

1. High-speed Internet Connectivity
2. Experienced IT staff to support the institution’s needs
3. Data statutes, guidelines, and regulations that govern data. Institutions that make substantial investments in these three areas will most likely see an increase in their cloud-based research efforts.

In order to eliminate confusion regarding the Cloud Computing environment and establish trust in their researchers when utilizing Cloud Computing resources, institutions will need to develop policies regarding the following items:

1. Data Security & Privacy
2. Intellectual Property Rights
3. Data Sovereignty and Compliance
4. Expenditure Control and Resource Allocation.

In addition to the lack of policies and procedures, the most significant impediments to the adoption of cloud computing for academic research are cultural. Researchers are reluctant to change if they are already familiar and comfortable with a specific way of performing their duties or are accustomed to following standard operating procedures. Institutions can develop a number of strategies including Pilot Programs, Mentorship Programs, and Incentives for Institutional Research to address Cultural issues and create a positive cohort of Cloud Computing researchers within their organizations.

Cloud Computing Application Areas within Research Fields

Healthcare and Life Sciences

Use Cloud platforms to ensure security for all patient data/records, provide high-throughput analysis capabilities, access to the technology necessary to conduct collaborative biomedical research across multiple organizations

Climate and Environmental Science

Researchers use high-performance cloud computing for academic research techniques to conduct climate modelling, conduct remote sensing work, conduct environmental modelling to contribute to sustainability and earth policies

Social Sciences and Digital Humanities

Cloud offerings allow for the analyses of the large/textual collections, social media collections and digital collections, and Cloud Platforms enable partnerships across many different sectors to enhance the exchange of interdisciplinary information and ideas

Engineering/Applied Sciences

The use of cloud computing awareness in academia using cloud-based simulation tools and digital twins allows for accelerating the rate of innovation within the realm of engineering design, material sciences, and applied sciences.

Obstacles to Widespread Adoption 

Even with the strong advantages associated with the use of the cloud, there are still roadblocks that must be overcome: 

(1) Security and Privacy concerns such as the fear of data breaches and/or regulatory compliance violations

 (2) Cost Forecasting concerns such as the unknown cost associated with poor resource management, 

(3) A lack of technical knowledge among researchers and/or support staff, and 

(4) Vendor Lock-In is associated with becoming dependent on a particular vendor(s) and therefore limiting long-term strategic flexibility. 

To meet these challenges, institutions, technical solution providers as well as education providers will need to collaborate.

Strategies to Enhance Awareness, Education and Uptake

• Cloud Centres of Excellence have been created by universities to develop strategies for how to lead in implementing those strategies based on the experiences gained by providers of cloud technology.
• Cloud Providers can offer training, research credits, and technical support to universities as a means of supporting research efforts.
• Universities should create opportunities for Interdisciplinary cloud research projects in order to showcase the benefits of collaboration across multiple domains.
• Funding models should be implemented for Cloud-Based Research projects.
• Ethical and responsible use of frameworks should be developed to provide researchers with a clear understanding of their responsibilities in terms of Data Stewardship.

Outlook for the Future of Cloud Computing and Academic Research

The future of academic research in cloud computing for research institutions will be increasingly cloud-centric. Some of the trends that are emerging include:

• AI-Driven automation of research activities
• Hybrid & multi-cloud research environments
• Federated Data Ecosystems
• Open science platforms built on cloud infrastructure

As these cloud based research computing trends become more developed, it will not only enable research, but it will also influence how knowledge is created & shared.

Shaping the Future of Research with Cloud-Enabled Technology through Education

Cloud computing is essential to the advancement of academic Research and Development (R&D) in the digital age. The development of cloud computing will allow for greater opportunities and ease of doing research through the provision of proper education, structured education, and innovation. When researchers become educated about what the cloud is capable of (through education), their Institutions will be strong partners in supporting research.

Through the investment in adoption of cloud computing in education resources and time in the area of cloud literacy, institutions can foster the development of inclusive and ethical adoption strategies, as well as effectively address governance & security & policy challenges. In this way, the complete potential of the cloud will be opened and available for institutions to drive excellence in research worldwide; to create a global R&D community of collaboration. Additionally, the future of all knowledge creation will be sustainable as described above.

With AIU as your partner, you will become empowered with the ability to pursue academic freedom; pursue a self-directed learning experience that provides comprehensive access to the latest research and development in regards to digital and cloud based technologies. AIU allows you to choose your programme, to engage in bookmarking of cloud computing in higher education and provide you with the development of skills that allows you to thrive within an evolving academic environment created by the Cloud.We will create a better world together through the power of the cloud technology for connection, knowledge & purpose to generate innovative ideas on a global level.

Join The AIU community today to help shape the future of academic cloud computing adoption research, innovation & lifelong learning together and create connections between people, organizations &  ideas to make a positive impact on our planet.

Author Bio

Ananya Biswas, Senior Content Strategist at Atlantic International University, blends creativity with strategy to craft compelling narratives. With 9+ years of expertise in content strategizing, creation and marketing, she champions in meeting high quality content standards and empowers global audiences through impactful storytelling and brand engagement.