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SwiftConnect Expands into Higher Education with Groundbreaking Mobile ID Launch at The University of Arizona Featuring Several Industry-Firsts

SwiftConnect Expands into Higher Education with Groundbreaking Mobile ID Launch at The University of Arizona Featuring Several Industry-Firsts
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NFC-enabled digital CatCard is now available for 69,000 University of Arizona Wildcats 

SwiftConnect is excited to expand into the higher education market through its landmark deployment of NFC-enabled digital student ID cards for the University of Arizona. Earlier this month, the university announced that its 53,000 students and 16,000 faculty and staff can now add their CatCard to Apple Wallet or Google Wallet and use their iPhone, Apple Watch or Android Phone to access campus buildings, purchase meals and experience many other campus moments with a single tap of their mobile device. 

Through its connected access platform powering the new mobile CatCard, SwiftConnect pioneered the industry’s first mobile access deployment that gives universities the freedom to use the transaction and ancillary systems of choice, all while preserving integration interoperability as their institutions evolve. The agnostic platform also operates independently of proprietary hardware or software to seamlessly integrate data from various systems.

The successful project was also made possible in collaboration with the University of Arizona team, who implemented their CardSync campus connectivity platform that empowers universities to unify siloed systems into a single, streamlined view.  The partnership with HID played a crucial role with HID Signo™ readers used for access control and HID OMNIKEY® readers for other access transactions and point-of-sale applications. 

 

Advancing the mobile access experience on campus with more industry firsts from SwiftConnect 

  • Debut of Campus ID in Google Wallet with HID Seos® credential technology, with SwiftConnect as the integration platform
  • Launch of easy provisioning of student ID in Apple Wallet (reduces friction when students upgrade devices), and auto provisioning (for paired Apple Watches to use the mobile CatCard)
  • Market-first deployment of iCloud binding for access credentials, which helps prevent fraud in financial transactions, such as meal plans and prepaid campus card systems
  • Unveiling of CatCard balance tiles with real-time declining balance updates and meal swipes, back-of-card QR code for campus promotions, and student photos moved to the back of the card for enhanced security

 

University of Arizona’s CatCard in action 

With the mobile CatCard, students can complete any action that would have previously required a physical card – both on and off campus – with their iPhone, Apple Watch or Android devices. With their all-access pass to campus life, they simply hold their device near an HID reader to enter dorms, libraries and fitness centers, as well as to buy lunch, make purchases at campus stores, print documents and more. 

Plus, upgrading to a new iPhone has never been easier: with Apple Wallet’s device setup process, their CatCard transfers automatically with no extra steps required. As soon as the new device is activated, their CatCard is ready to use, just like before, so students can tap into campus life without missing a beat. 

 

Looking ahead

SwiftConnect’s debut in higher education marks yet another milestone in its mission to connect people to the right place at the right time. The University of Arizona launch doesn’t just serve its Wildcats…it’s many industry-first features and capabilities set the stage for the future of mobile access in higher education. This is just the beginning of SwiftConnect’s journey to extend connected, secure digital experiences to colleges and universities, with support for many expanded use cases to come. 

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