Cloud technologies are giving people access through their mobile phones and other devices to a variety of new experiences, while making their environments smarter and more data-driven. The modern campus is now undergoing unprecedented change with the advent of identity- and location-aware building systems, virtual assistants, and “personal IoT” solutions that recognize people and customize how they access buildings and the services and resources they need.

Access control solutions provider, ASSA ABLOY, is presenting a free webinar discussing how Apple Wallet is enabling the University of Oklahoma to increase convenience and security on campus by issuing mobile credentials to students. In the webinar, Tyler Webb, Director of the Sooner Card at the University of Oklahoma will detail the university’s journey from traditional access control to mobile student IDs. The webinar is scheduled for Wednesday, February 27th from 2:00PM – 3:00PM EST.

The University of San Diego has decided to launch ParkMobile, a mobile parking payment and reservation app, on its campus to enable students and campus visitors to easily pay for parking from their mobile device. The ParkMobile app is now available for over 2,000 parking spaces on the USD campus.

Blackboard’s Mobile Credential has been in the wild since October and is now fully available to students on four campuses, with two more in tow. Early reports from the launch are showing strong adoption rates, suggesting that the use of Apple devices for campus transactions isn’t just an exciting solution for students, but potentially a strategic differentiator for universities.

Auburn University is mandating two-factor authentication for access to student accounts. The changeover will begin with class registration and email access on Feb. 25, when the University will start to require students to use DUO, a two-factor authentication service. The university implemented DUO as a means to keep students’ identities safe and better protect their personal information.

A new viral marketing campaign from popular point-of-sale systems provider, Square, Inc., is paying Indiana University students for their participation in a social media driven promotion. The promo requests that students download Square’s Cash App, snap a photo of their student ID card and send that photo to a specified phone number in exchange for a small cash reward.

Temple University is the next campus to launch Blackboard Mobile Credential, the solution that enables Apple iPhones and Watch, as well as Android devices, to make the full range of on-campus transactions. Temple’s installation will enable students, faculty and staff to access to campus buildings, fitness facilities and dining centers with their mobile devices in the same fashion as they did previously with a plastic OWLcard.

George Mason University is now the first academic institution to deploy autonomous robots for the purpose of delivering food to students. George Mason’s 40,000 students, faculty and staff can access the Starship Deliveries app to order food and drinks to be delivered anywhere on campus within minutes.