Portland, OR — November 20, 2024 — The American College of Healthcare Sciences (ACHS) participated in this year’s EDUCAUSE 2024 Conference, a premier event for higher education professionals focusing on technology, innovation, and cybersecurity. ACHS Chief Information Officer Nathan Phillips attended the conference to engage with thought leaders, connect with peers, and explore the latest in educational technology.
Highlights from EDUCAUSE 2024
This year’s EDUCAUSE conference featured a rich program covering critical trends in higher ed technology. Attendees had the opportunity to gain insights from expert speakers, including Dr. Brené Brown, research professor and renowned author, and Dr. Susan Grajek, Vice President for Partnerships, Communities, and Research at EDUCAUSE. Key sessions and workshops explored innovative tech solutions, with ample networking opportunities facilitating meaningful connections among participants.
Dr. Phillips presented a meeting on security and privacy, addressing opportunities, challenges, and risks in the field. He collaborated with industry peers from the Small College Community Group, presenting on topics including Cybersecurity and GLBA Compliance
Key Focus on AI and Cybersecurity
Dr. Phillips attended sessions on AI in higher education, focusing on ethical and practical considerations for student and faculty use. AI integration in educational settings requires thoughtful approaches to training students and faculty, defining clear use cases, and ensuring robust cybersecurity. These issues continue to be at the forefront of higher education and are similar to trends shared in the 2025 Educause Top 10 on Restoring Trust. The Educause 2024 conference provided an opportunity to collaborate with information technology and other professionals on strategies for the responsible and innovative use of AI to support student learning and institution-wide initiatives such as continuous process improvement.
“I came away from the conference clear that our holistic and human-centered approach at ACHS will set us apart as we continue to embrace new and exciting technologies like Generative Artificial Intelligence.” Nathan Phillips, ACHS CIO
The conference emphasized the growing need for institutions to provide structured AI training and usage guidelines while navigating an evolving regulatory landscape.
Positioned for Success with ACE Initiative
In alignment with its commitment to AI innovation, ACHS recently launched its ACE (AI for Community Engagement) initiative, designed to support advancements in AI within the academic community. The ACE initiative will offer students, faculty, and industry partners resources and frameworks to explore AI’s potential safely and effectively. More information on ACE can be found here: ACHS ACE Initiative.
With the increasing maturity of cybersecurity measures in higher education, ACHS is well-positioned to address current trends and regulatory changes in digital security, furthering its mission to lead with integrity and innovation in online education.
About ACHS:
The American College of Healthcare Sciences (ACHS), located in Portland, Oregon, is an accredited college specializing in online integrative health and wellness education. Founded in 1978, ACHS offers a range of certificate, diploma, and degree programs in aromatherapy, herbal medicine, functional nutrition, and other complementary alternative medicine disciplines. ACHS is dedicated to providing an inclusive, experiential learning environment that promotes sustainable and healthy futures for all. For questions about this press release or to schedule an interview, please contact Tracey Abell at [email protected].
