A new video chronicles the impacts of mobile credentials on the students and the administration at the University of New Brunswick (UNB). Featuring interviews with key leaders from IT, finance, security and housing, the video presents a wide-ranging perspective that can help leaders on other campuses share the vision with their administration.

The University of New Brunswick mobile credential was first issued to students, faculty, and staff in the summer of 2021. It was the first launch of the Transact Mobile Credential at a Canadian institution.

According to Bill Best, VP of Admin & Finance at UNB, his students expect a digital experience.

“In the backdrop of these older buildings … inside is the pulse of the university that is actually thinking about the future,” he says. “How can we make the experience both historic and also futuristic.”

I’ve been tasked with offering a single residence experience across our two campuses, and with mobile credential, students can now move between them seamlessly.

Mobile credential is key to this effort. It impacts all aspects of the university, not the least of which is housing.

“I’ve been tasked with offering a single residence experience across our two campuses,” says Cory Brown, Sr. Director of Residence, UNB. “With the Transact mobile credential, students can now move between the campuses seamlessly.”

Reallocating staff to higher purpose roles has also been key for UNB.

“We have less people handing out cards, we have more people helping students with other IT needs,” says Joshua Leon, Dean of Engineering, UNB.

“On the sustainability side, most provinces no longer allow single use plastics in a lot of things, so the less cards we print, the less plastic,” Leon explains. “It is a simple way to reduce your carbon footprint … and every little bit counts.”

Melissa Hannah, Director of IT Services at UNB agrees that the mobile credential’s environmental impact is positive, and this is important to a new generation of environmentally conscious students.

“It’s important for all our departments to work together to reach UNB’s sustainability goals,” she says. “The UCard can play its part by reducing the use of plastic cards and the mobile credential is one way we could do that.”

UNB has built an impressive mobile-first experience anchored by the mobile credential. To learn more, click the image at the top of this page.