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Business Continuity Plan (BCP)

Understanding Business Continuity in Higher Education

A Business Continuity Plan (BCP) outlines how an institution will maintain or restore essential functions during and after a disruptive event. These events may include cyberattacks, pandemics, natural disasters, or system failures.

This category defines terminology used by IT leaders, compliance officers, and institutional risk managers to ensure operational resilience.

Glossary Terms
Term
Description
Business Continuity Plan (BCP)

A documented strategy to ensure continued institutional operations during emergencies or disruptions.

Disaster Recovery (DR)

A subset of BCP focused on restoring IT systems and data after a major disruption.

Risk Assessment

The process of identifying and evaluating potential threats to institutional operations.

Recovery Time Objective (RTO)

The targeted time within which systems or processes must be restored.

Incident Response Plan

A structured approach to managing the aftermath of a security breach or crisis.

Continuity Team

A designated group responsible for activating and managing the BCP during emergencies.

Evolving Risk Management Practices

With increased reliance on digital infrastructure, BCPs now include remote access strategies, data backups, and cybersecurity frameworks. Institutions are embedding continuity planning into governance and compliance structures.