Eficiência e sustentabilidade na educação superior: análise estratégica de ferramentas de nuvem e suas implicações financeiras

Abstract

The present work focuses on a comparative analysis between the cloud platforms Google Workspace and Microsoft Office 365 in a higher education institution in Goiás. The main objective is to provide support for selecting the best cloud platform, considering cost-benefit criteria, operational efficiency, and alignment with the institution's educational and administrative needs. This study is a case study, with the methodology based on a quantitative approach. Data collection was carried out through document analysis of contracts from other educational institutions and access and usage records of the platforms provided by the researched institution. The study also included a detailed comparative analysis of the features offered by the free and paid plans of both platforms. The results indicate that the Microsoft Office 365 platform, in its free A1 plan, offers a range of functionalities equivalent to the paid solutions of Google Workspace, without incurring additional costs for the institution. The study also highlighted that the extra storage offered in paid plans is not critical for the institution, as only 35% of the available space has been used. As a result, it is recommended to prioritize the use of Microsoft's free A1 licensing solution, and the study provides a methodology to optimize the choice of technological platforms in federal universities, ensuring greater investment efficiency and promoting sustainable management of technological resources.