According to Forbes, “IBM recently announced a new partnership with Hult International Business School that’s driving innovation in today’s higher education system and helping to close the skills gap in areas like social, analytics, mobility and cloud computing to better prepare future business leaders.”

I was a college professor for 8 years, and I can tell you that’s typically not the place to get caught up on what’s trending, such as cloud computing.  However, as employers demand that our higher education intuitions keep up with new technology, we’ll see more of these types of partnerships that will drive more innovative learning.

The largest obstacle to the adoption of cloud computing is the shortage of IT professionals with cloud computing skills.  This includes just a basic understanding of what cloud computing is, and what it does.

However, colleges and universities don’t have the cash to hire the right people to provide that type of leading edge education, thus these kinds of partnerships will be a core necessity.  IBM, and other corporations that work with higher education, should be encouraged to maintain ongoing partnerships.  Think about all of the potential long-term benefits.