In a recent Lorensbergs' survey, we sounded out why equipment lending schemes in Higher Education are so important and what supports their success. Nearly 80 higher education representatives from over 60 institutions gave us their views.

So what's the main reason why equipment lending represents such an essential service? The top answer is simple: studying becomes more financially affordable when students have opportunity to borrow key resources. After all, having access to the right equipment and technologies is of increasing importance to students’ academic success. The quickening pace of innovation and development of collaborative technologies are obvious drivers. Yet students are increasingly stretched to be able to afford all they need. Last year, average student debt totalled over £32k and it's been reported it will soon exceed £50k. 

It's not all about money though - equipment lending services are an integral part of many successful degree programmes. They support creativity, enabling students to produce key media materials for their assignments. This is essential for those enrolled in journalism, film making and other media courses, but it's also an important part of a range of other subjects as students increasingly produce video as part of their studies (see our earlier blog post here on this topic).

Take a look at our new infographic for a further overview of the survey findings:

At Lorensbergs, we work with universities to help operate equipment lending services without the administrative overheads. Our software, connect2, ensures maximum numbers of students make use of these facilities, helping them leverage technologies for better performance without the expense that many are unable to afford. For students, these lending services represent an essential service, and it's one that we are committed to supporting.