Beyond the AI Hype: Why Technology Projects Stall in Higher Ed

Questions? Feedback? Send us a text!Most technology projects in higher education don't fail because of the technology.They fail because institutions struggle to sustain the change required to make them successful.The software gets purchased. The implementation begins. Teams work hard. But somewhere between launch and long-term adoption, priorities shift, leadership changes, or attention moves to the next initiative before the original work delivers its full value.In this episode of Transformed, Higher Digital Co-founder and CEO Wayne Bovier sits down with Julia Arreguy, Chief Technology Officer at the California Community Colleges Technology Center, to explore why organizational change—not technology—is often the determining factor in institutional success.Working across the largest higher education system in the nation, supporting 115 colleges and more than two million students, Julia brings a unique perspective on technology leadership, institutional transformation, AI, and the realities of driving change at scale.This conversation centers on a simple but important idea:Technology challenges are difficult. Organizational challenges are what determine whether the work succeeds.Julia shares insights on:Why organizational alignment is often harder than the technology itselfHow leadership consistency influences long-term project successWhy many institutions abandon initiatives before realizing their intended outcomesHow AI is creating new urgency across higher educationWhy intentional adoption matters more than chasing the latest technology trendWhether institutional structures are prepared for accelerating changeThe leadership behaviors that build trust during periods of uncertaintyWhy supporting internal change-makers can accelerate transformationWhat new CIOs and technology leaders should understand before introducing major changeWhy higher education's people remain its greatest source of optimismThroughout the conversation, Julia offers a practical reminder that transformation isn't about launching more initiatives.It's about staying committed long enough to achieve the outcomes those initiatives were meant to deliver.This episode challenges a common assumption:Technology is rarely the biggest obstacle.The harder work is maintaining alignment, sustaining momentum, and helping people navigate change when the pressure continues to rise.If you're leading technology, operations, strategy, or institutional transformation, this conversation offers valuable insight into what it actually takes to move change forward—and keep it moving.Subscribe to Transformed for more conversations with higher education leaders navigating complexity, technology, and the future of the institution.Subscribe or follow TRANSFORMED wherever you listen, to get the latest episode when it drops and hear directly from leaders and innovators in higher ed tech and digital transformation best practices.Find and follow us on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/higher-digital-inc