Mark Friend, Director at Classroom365, brings nearly three decades of IT experience, especially in the UK education sector. With a diverse background, including roles at Rothschild Bank in Sydney and the British Council, Mark excels in ICT procurement, support, and strategic planning for schools. His deep understanding of education technology ensures Classroom365’s solutions drive efficiency and ease for schools of all sizes. Mark’s work is driven by a commitment to helping educational institutions bridge the technology gap and meet regulatory expectations in a fast-changing digital world.
Company: Classroom365
We are thrilled to have you join us today, welcome to ValiantCEO Magazine’s exclusive interview! Let’s start off with a little introduction. Tell our readers a bit about yourself and your company.
Mark Friend: My name is Mark Friend, Director at Classroom365. I have worked about three decades in the IT sector with a keen interest in the education sector. My experience in the British Council and Rothschild Bank prior to the establishment of Classroom365 contributed to my way of looking at IT in education. Classroom365 is a place where we all can assist schools in the rapidly changing digital world. We are making the technology aspect of education easier, so that schools can concentrate on the most important aspects, teaching and learning.
What emerging technology trends do you believe will have the most profound impact in the next 5-10 years?
Mark Friend: I think that within the next 5-10 years Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) will transform the education sector. Personalized learning experiences with the help of AI are already available, and I believe that the possibilities of these technologies to customize educational material and adjust to the learning style of different students are going to be utterly transformative. Blockchain may also contribute massively in the digitization of accreditation and digital credentialing to bring education to a more accessible and transparent status.
Can you share a specific technological breakthrough from your company that has the potential to reshape your industry?
Mark Friend: In Classroom365, we have incorporated an AI-based platform that makes it easy to handle the IT infrastructure in schools. It automates most of the mundane tasks such as software updates, security checks, and this helps the IT team concentrate more on other important tasks. The new automation and predictive maintenance breakthrough can transform how schools view their current method to managing their tech infrastructure by making it less costly and more reliable.
How do you approach innovation while balancing the need for practicality and market readiness?
Mark Friend: Our priorities are keeping our feet on the ground of education system. Innovation must be feasible, something that can be used by the teachers, administration, and students right away. We do not only strive to be ahead of the curve when introducing new tech, we have to find solutions to real-life issues. When integrating new tools, we make sure that they can be adopted without interrupting the everyday routine of the school.
What challenges do you face in integrating cutting-edge technology into existing business models?
Mark Friend: It is challenging to incorporate the latest technology into a well-established business model. One of the biggest problems we have to deal with is the ability of schools to switch to newer solutions without being able to carry out the legacy systems. Change is sometimes frightening and this process must be handled with a lot of care so that business is not affected.
How do you foster a culture of innovation within your organization to stay ahead in the tech race?
Mark Friend: Here at Classroom365 we foster open communication and sharing of ideas cross departmentally. We also give room to our team to make new ideas. Innovation is not only a top-down process but also something that is bred in our daily work. All the developers, support staff are encouraged to bring forward their ideas and this makes the culture a place where innovations are allowed to flourish.
