The development of security in education institutions is strong

Although the budget is tight, many colleges and universities still use some of the security industry's trending technologies, such as wireless door locks, mobile access, and biometrics. The adoption of some of the latest technologies in the security industry not only makes colleges and universities more secure, but also helps schools to improve operational efficiency.

I. The rise of electronic access control

Mechanical locks have been unable to continue providing the control flexibility or ease of use that are currently needed in colleges and universities. Dan Pascale, senior director of security and emergency services at MargolisHealy&Associates, pointed out that some schools have 70,000 to 90,000 locks on campus. For example, if a school is going to perform weekend activities, each person needs to walk 150 locks, which is very inefficient, and the time and resources are not used properly. Now, the school is studying how to use electronic access control for security protection and improve operational efficiency.

According to the findings of the 2012 Campus Life: Special Report on College Students Housing Problems issued by CP&M, using key cards instead of keys to enter student dormitories is very common in the United States. 86% of dormitories use key cards to enter buildings, but Only 40% use the card to enter each room. The reason for this may be cost. Although the use of electronic access control in various dormitory rooms is small, the number of universities using various forms of electronic access control around the world is constantly increasing. For example, according to a&s International's previous report, the use of electronic access control in UK universities has grown significantly, as a large number of the country’s long-established universities need to be refurbished.

The installation of electronic access control systems in older historic buildings can be a considerable challenge because the necessary infrastructure conditions are often inadequate. In addition, building the necessary infrastructure can be very expensive, time-consuming and difficult. “Usually, new projects use hard-wired systems because there are no ready-made infrastructures available. However, even in new projects, more and more customers are beginning to choose wireless systems.” Ann Timme, Senior Marketing Manager, Allegion Corporation Say. As a result, universities are turning to wireless locks to ensure the safety of some buildings on campus. "The wireless or RF network locking system is one of the fastest growing tools in access control and intrusion and video systems." Timme added, "For a variety of reasons, every security application should consider wireless, if nothing else The reason is that the installation time of the wireless solution is only one-tenth of that of the wired solution. It saves material because there is no need to install wires, and the labor force is greatly reduced."

Even so, wireless access control systems are not perfect. It is important to choose a lock that will not interfere with existing wireless networks or other electronic devices on campus. Other considerations include proper encryption to ensure that the lock is not hacked, and compatibility with existing infrastructure. Therefore, although wireless locks are an ideal solution for many applications, proper consideration before implementing such solutions is essential.

Second, the infinite possibilities of one card

A popular trend in colleges and universities is the card solution. Today, people hope and expect that everything will be facilitated. The inconvenience of carrying library cards, dormitories, access cards, etc. means that if these cards are lost, stolen or forgotten, they cannot use any of these functions. To make things easier, many universities are integrating point-of-sale, library lending, and external sales functions with the security features of access control cards. “A phenomenon that is emerging in the United States is that many schools collaborate with local community partners and expand their one-card solutions so that students can eat out of school and integrate with the credentials they use to enter the dorm,” said Pascale.

Third, the convenience of mobility

Another solution that the campus is exploring to make students more convenient is smart device mobility solutions. Timme believes that two-thirds of American students are interested in using their smart phones instead of ID cards. "They feel that they are less likely than their ID cards to lose their mobile phones, and they know that their ID cards are shared." And the phone is not."

To accommodate this trend, Allegion has developed a web-based key management system that enables NFC-enabled smartphones to be authorized to enter buildings and dormitories, as well as to participate in other identity document applications. Allegion’s mobile system allows students to use their smartphones in the same way that they use their ID badges. Once the application is downloaded to the smartphone, the access control administrator uses the application's cloud service to send secure mobile credentials directly to the user's mobile phone. After downloading the voucher, all users need to do is open the application, and then put their smart phone on the reader, the same way as the ID card.

The transition of ID cards to smart phones also brings financial and operational benefits. Because administrators can send mobile "keys" directly to students' smartphones. Timme pointed out that the use of smart phones can save university staff time, management costs, as well as printer, ink, card inventory and other required materials. "Assigning credentials to a student's cell phone requires less work than printing and distributing the credential, and because students are very careful about protecting their cell phones, this should greatly reduce the replacement rate," adds Timme. Although smart device mobile access control has not yet been widely adopted, Pascale believes that this is a future development trend, because the popularization and application of smart phones is a general trend. On the other hand, "smartphones are unlikely to completely replace physical smart cards in the next few years, and they will be stored in physical access control systems**," said Harm Radstaak, general manager of HIDGlobal Europe, Middle East and Africa.

Fourth, biometrics technology transformation campus security

The adoption of biometrics technology is changing the way universities guarantee the safety of students and staff. "Different from traditional card systems, biometrics technology ensures the identification of the user's real identity," Timme said. By identifying students with biometric data (such as a hand shape), the campus can better identify students' real identities. "It provides an innovative approach to marketing and managing meal plans in campus restaurants and provides access to restricted areas such as entertainment centers, laboratories and libraries." Although innovative, biometrics technology has not been widely adopted in the field of education. Pascale pointed out that "At present, biometrics technology is mainly applied in high-risk areas, and many times it is applied in laboratories or medical center-related institutions. We do not see a large number of applications in ordinary residential access control or campus academic administrative facilities."

Despite the lack of large-scale implementation cases in non-high-risk areas, some universities are developing biometric applications in schools such as canteens. For example, NaturalSecurity, a company specializing in user authentication technology, has implemented a pilot project at San Jose State University in California, USA, using biometric data to track students' meal plans, which combines contactless personal devices, biometrics, and mid-range Non-contact technology implements a two-factor authentication method. With respect to privacy and security, biometric data is only stored in the student's smartphone and, therefore, is always under their control. After entering the canteen, a compatible smartphone embedded with student biometrics, student identification, and meal plan information is read by a card reader, which reads embedded information without exposing or operating the device. Then simply place a finger on the biometric reader and the fingerprint matches the information contained in the smartphone. Although this plan may be only a pilot, using biometrics in university campuses in this way may be the cornerstone of more similar projects.

There are also universities that use biometrics for attendance. The UK campus of the University of Sunderland in the United Kingdom has deployed a solution to register students' attendance using student fingerprints. With a handheld device with an integrated fingerprint reader, students can record their attendance simply by tapping the device at the beginning of class, which not only saves time, but also ensures correct student attendance.

However, biometric attendance has always been a controversial topic. For example, students at Newcastle University in the UK use biometrics to perform attendance, calling it "unnecessary and invasive."

Despite differing opinions on the use of biometrics, the long-term benefits of biometrics for university campuses require time and more applications to arrive before any final conclusions are reached.