Books. Room assignments. Class schedules. Exploring. Meeting people. This time of year, college campuses across the United States typically begin to buzz with the anticipation of a new school year. Yet, things are going to feel a lot different for students and staff this fall. Higher ed administrators are rapidly working to adapt campus life to the COVID-19 pandemic. As decisions like these grip higher ed administrators, adding flexibility, simplification and a touchless experience to every student onboarding process is crucial this fall.

The photo ID process is an example – the college ID is a key college ritual for incoming students, and an important credential for campus security and accessing services. With campus life at many colleges and universities becoming a hybrid of online and in-person classes, and student living arrangements being reconfigured to improve health and safety, it is critical be able to support distance activities with virtual orientations and bulk badge issuance prior to students being on campus.

This is why Entrust has recently partnered with CloudCard, an online photo submission software solution. Integrating our Instant ID software with CloudCard allows staff to manage enrollment, design and issuance of credentials from anywhere, on any device. Students can remotely load their photos and supporting documents for a contactless experience.

Remote student credentialing offers several benefits both now, and for the long term:

  • Bulk issuance can boost overall efficiency of student credentialing, and reduces need for staff expertise with onsite equipment.
  • Allowing students to use their smartphones to take and submit their photos eliminates the need for photo equipment onsite, and long student lines to get their IDs.
  • Online submission of photos creates a modern, up-to-date student experience. Not to mention it gives college administration peace of mind that students and staff will be safe from increased virus exposure due to long lines.

Additional resources

To learn more about the integration between CloudCard and Instant ID, watch this demo.

To learn more about CloudCard software solutions, visit their website.

To learn more about Instant ID visit this page, or explore our videos.