Tech spending up, says study: buying continues despite slow economy - Update

University Business, Oct, 2003

Although year-on-year growth has stowed, higher education computer purchases rose by 17.5 percent in the second quarter of 2003, according to research from IDC information technology analysts (www.idc.com). The increase was unusual, says IDC senior analyst David Daud, who noted that a 5 percent increase is considered typical.

By segment, the education market performed well, growing sequentially above historical rates. The report looked at year-on-year technology spending in both the K-12 and higher education markets, with higher ed faring somewhat better. "The difference is that the higher education sector is generally more sheltered from the financial difficulties facing K-12 educational institutions," he said. Universities spent $559 million on 517,000 computers in the second quarter of the year, says IDC. And what did they buy? Desktop computers accounted for 72 percent of the purchases, followed by laptops (25 percent), and servers (3 percent).