ABSTRACT
The new cloud computing technology is very much in
the business and economic horizon,
extending its horizons to non-business sectors like education. This study is a
study of the need and applicability of the fast spreading business enterprises’
external cloud computing technology, to the higher educational institution in
the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the educational hub of the MENA region, in
terms of three premier higher educational institutions—Zayed University (ZU),
Higher College of Technology (HCT), and the UAE University (UAEU) for their
collaboration services for better educational services. Employing the interview
method to a sample of administrators, it was found that the institutions were
lacking in cloud computing (CC) resulting in delays in student services, such
as inter-university transfers of students. The administrators, however, were
convinced of CC technology for inter-institutional collaboration. For
this, it is suggested to establish a platform of cloud computing services, with
required staff training and motivation for efficient and collaboration
functioning of the HEIs in the UAE, which is evolving into a global educational
center. As this is not the end of the problem, there is a need for further
research in the problem, such as staff exchange, and research cooperation as it
is a modest but worthwhile contribution to the educational dimension of cloud
computing for educational efficiency.