The computer lab has historically been a vital piece of real estate at universities. Although higher education continues to undergo digitalisation by diversifying its delivery of online learning and support services, computer labs have remained on campus. This leads to issues related to cost and ease of access. The virtual desktop infrastructure solutions available today give universities the option to implement hybrid systems and redesign computer labs with more emphasis on convenience and accessibility.
During a session, held in partnership with Apporto, at the 2025 THE Digital Universities UK event, Marwan Izzeldin, professor of financial econometrics and associate dean for international partnerships at Lancaster University, spoke about the benefits of virtual computer labs.
Izzeldin stated that he did not reconvene face-to-face labs after the Covid-19 pandemic because the virtual model served his students more effectively. “It allows more interaction with the students,” he said. “Apporto allows you to do the delivery and monitor the activity of students on their machines. This provides excellent support for the students.”
Apporto was founded by Antony Awaida, who, after spending time in Palo Alto in the US, discovered that students were still commuting to their computer labs at Stanford University. According to Awaida, in this day and age, technology should meet people where they are. “The applications they need should come to the student,” he said, adding that there are many benefits to this model, such as more flexibility for students, educators and IT teams.
Izzeldin used the flexibility Apporto provided to innovate with online delivery and offer a fully online MSc in applied econometrics. The experience and success of this programme hinged on having virtual facilities. “Apporto allows a different level of student experience and interaction with the system,” he said.
Using Apporto offer significant financial advantages for universities and students. It reduces the need for expensive hardware by allowing students to run state-of-the-art software on low-cost devices. The University of Canada saw the cost of maintaining its computers fall from $300 (£224) to $50 (£34) per year. David Neal, head of faculty IT at Lancaster University, said that the institution has faced challenges in this journey. For example, not all vendors want their applications to be virtualised. Nonetheless, with Apporto’s scalable solutions, the university’s virtual desktop infrastructure is now wholly aligned with the university’s strategic goals.
The panel:
- Antony Awaida, CEO and founder, Apporto
- Hugo Glenwright, IT operations and infrastructure manager, York St John University
- Marwan Izzeldin, professor of financial econometrics and associate dean for international relations, Lancaster University
- David Myers, chief information officer, Lancaster University
- David Neal, head of faculty IT, Lancaster University
Find out more about Apporto.
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