More test users wanted to become independent of Microsoft

Already thirty institutions are particpating in a SURF pilot to move away from American software. Around a thousand people are now using an alternative to Microsoft Office, and SURF is making room for even more test users.

In November, IT cooperative SURF called on its education and research institutions to sign up for a pilot. Did they want to help make universities of applied sciences and research universities less dependent on American software? At present, tech companies in the US can bring education in the Netherlands to a halt at the press of a button.

There was room for two thousand test users, and the first thousand are now working with the alternative Nextcloud, SURF says. They share files with colleagues, make video calls, chat with one another and may soon be able to use a built-in AI assistant. In doing so, they are slowly taking away Microsoft’s monopoly in higher education.

The German Nextcloud works with open standards, making it possible to use it alongside competing programmes. This reduces users’ dependence on a single provider. Nextcloud is also ‘open source’: anyone can view the source code and suggest improvements if needed.

Four universities of applied sciences

In recent months, thirty SURF members have signed up for the pilot. These include four universities of applied sciences, twelve research universities, six research institutions and two university medical centres. Erasmus University is also part of this. SURF doesn’t name the institutions taking part.

Today, the IT cooperative announced that the pilot is being expanded. “We are seeing a great deal of interest among our members in gaining practical experience with Nextcloud”, says spokesperson Tom Hoven.

The pilot will run until the end of this year. It will then be evaluated whether Nextcloud deserves a place in the standard software offering for education and research institutions.