Cloud Computing Challenges and Needs in Higher Education Institutions in Post-COVID-19 Times: A Case of a Japanese Survey

Cloud computing has become essential for Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) due to its high availability, scalability, and support for virtual learning environments. The COVID-19 pandemic further accelerated this trend, prompting HEIs to transition their learning environments to the cloud. Consequently, this rapid shift has introduced post-adoption challenges, including security and privacy concerns, compliance, cost management, technical expertise, and the necessity of reliable Internet connectivity. Previous research has primarily focused on frameworks for cloud adoption in HEIs. However, there is a gap in studies addressing post-adoption challenges. Particularly in Japanese higher education, despite high adoption rates, HEIs are still facing institutional and technical difficulties in effectively leveraging cloud benefits. To address this gap, this paper presents an exploratory study conducted in 97 Japanese HEIs through a questionnaire based on the Technology-Organization-Environment (TOE) framework to examine the cloud post-adoption benefits and challenges. The survey assessed nine factors and various institutional attributes. Findings confirmed a high adoption level in Japanese HEIs (99%), with Hybrid Cloud (56%) and Software as a Service (SaaS) (96%) being prevalent. COVID-19 significantly influenced cloud adoption, with 92% of HEIs acknowledging increased awareness and use of cloud technologies, and 70% recognizing that cloud-based apps facilitated more efficient learning. Nonetheless, data security remains a concern, with 55% of HEIs worried about data leakage, unauthorized access, and storing critical information in the cloud. Future initiatives should address reported barriers such as budget management within the Pay-as-you-go model, lack of expertise, and the development of frameworks for continuous cloud operations in HEIs.