REctors seminar 2003: "University Information Systems Strategy and Policy"
Paris, November 20-21, 2003
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Presentations
Conference |
Videos |
Slides |
Welcome
addresses |
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University Strategic Aspects of Information Systems |
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Higher Education and IT: What’s in the Future? Michael Zastrocky (Gartner) |
Slides available on request to the author |
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Round
table: Students and staff equipment policy Tim O’Shea (Universities
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A Unified Digital Campus – Why and How? Mathew Boyce (SCT) |
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Changes in organization Les Watson |
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Legal
issues John Slater (
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Open Systems for Higher Education IT Infrastructure Hellmuth Broda (Sun) |
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Round
table : Financing IT |
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IT and competitive advantage Collaboration versus competition Bas Bas Cordewener & Wim Liebrand (SURF) |
Beakfast discussion: Presidential leadership for Information Technology
During EUNIS 2003 seminar "University Information Systems Strategy and Policy" held in Paris, November 20-21, 2003, the participants had the opportunities to exchange their views during a breakfast. This report summarizes their views.
ICT strategy
ICT strategy must fit into the overall strategy and mission of the university. ICT is a strategic issue and impacts all aspects of the university mission: teaching, research... ICT is a new culture and everybody in the university, staff and students, should be trained. Direct commitment of all members of the board is required. The failure of many projects arises from poor IT education.
It is an area where expertise and services are needed to help senior executives.
E-learning implementation is more complex than development. The changes in the way of teaching are not mastered and this raises many unanswered questions.
Security is recognized as being an important issue.
Integrated services
Ambitious IT projects suffer from the short length of rector terms. This is an important difference between North America and European universities where rectors are elected for a few years only.
The price of commercial solutions is a major concern for all universities where funds are limited. Collaboration among universities could put them in a better position to negotiate. Partnership and joint development can significantly reduce the costs. However there may be some contradictions in the interest of the participants in adapting the systems to their own needs.
The views are mixed about in house developments and commercial solutions: those in favor of in house and open source believe that it gives more freedom in defining the strategy and filling the needs. Those against insist on the facts that it is unstable on the long term and lack of adequate maintenance. Decreasing the cost does not seem to be an argument.
The problems are not the same in small and large countries.
Participants are against outsourcing or do believe that the university is not mature.
Knowledge managment and quality control will be more and more needed.
EUNIS role
There is a need for performance indicators and adequate benchmarking. Standards should be developed and EUNIS could have a major role in establishing and disseminating them. Standards to facilitate students mobility are urgently needed and EUNIS could help.
Participants believe that EUNIS could help in disseminating information. EUNIS could help in giving a voice to all involved in influencing IT changes. Among other actions it is suggested:
- Publishing a yearly newsletter readable for rectors containing guidelines about strategy.
- Helping in exchange of good practices through conferences, publications...
- Compiling a report on the level of IT equipment in European universities.
It is suggested that EUNIS should straighten its relationship with EUA and other organizations such as OECD.
Rectors need to exchange their views and to confront local advices with others. EUNIS could help in providing experts.
EUNIS is seen as an important organization in promoting IT culture and exchanges among European universities.
Compiled from the reports established by EUNIS board members at the different tables by Y. Epelboin
Videos by:
 |
 |
Centre
de Production Multimédia |
Université
P.M. Curie |
Camera: A.
Brydges & D. Tanasijevic |
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