Across many universities the student campus ID is used to pay for or access different services. Just like the digitization of the credit card, which allows consumers to pay with any card simply by tapping their smartphone onto a terminal, the student campus ID can be digitized as well.
According to an article in PaymentsSource, the University of Alabama recently began a digital ID project:
“The football stadium is part of an upgrade that will link the student ID system to Google Pay, which was just added, with iOS and Apple Pay launched a few months ago. The stadium seats more than 101,000 people, though presently the payment and digital ID tie-in is available for only student tickets”
“The university hopes that by including digital sports tickets with other functions, such as payments at local stores and access to classrooms, laboratories, libraries, dorms and other facilities, all of these actions will be easier.”
It’s no surprise that the university plans on upgrading its system for a more universal approach. Having one linked universal student ID system not only benefits students by allowing them to keep track of payments, access an updated dashboard, and both authenticate and pay in a convenient way, but if implemented correctly, increases back end process efficiency.
However, achieving the end results will require managing PCI compliance, upgrading or connecting legacy systems, and implementing proper training for new procedures.
“Managing PCI or EMV compliance for a diverse mix of transaction points that need to be accessible to a specific population of students and staff members is one challenge, Staples said, adding these security measures are specific to points of sale and presently don’t mix well with closed-loop facility access.”
As illustrated by the University of Alabama, the trend towards digital identification and payments continues, striving towards a frictionless and more efficient process.
Overview by David Nelyubin, Research Analyst at Mercator Advisory Group
