Self-assessment of the degree course System and Network Administration CROHO registration number: 60227

Transcription

1 Self-assessment of the degree course System and Network Administration CROHO registration number: Educational Institute Information Sciences Universiteit van Amsterdam Faculty of Science

2 Personalia Programme Director Chairman of the Board of Examiners Chairman of the Programme Committee Dean, Faculty of Science Director Educational Institute dr. C.P.J. Koymans J.A. van Ginkel dr. W.H. Kaper ing. M.R. Koot dr. C.P.J. Koymans dr. C.T.A.M. de Laat drs. E.P. Schatborn dr. P. van Emde Boas dr. A.D. Pimentel prof. dr. K.J.F. Gaemers prof. dr. J.A. Bergstra Institution Institution Board Contact Universiteit van Amsterdam Spui WX Amsterdam College van Bestuur UvA Postbus GG Amsterdam mw. dr. J.A. le Loux-Schuringa Programme Programme Study Load Address Contact System and Network Administration, CROHO registration number credits, full-time and part-time programme Onderwijsinstituut Informatiewetenschappen Nieuwe Achtergracht WV Amsterdam drs. C.R. van Wensen

3 Preface The one-year master s degree programme in System and Network Administration (SNA) is a successful new study programme provided by the Universiteit van Amsterdam (UvA). It is offered in close collaboration with the Hogeschool van Amsterdam (HvA). In 2003, an enthusiastic team of experienced system and network administrators with academic backgrounds initiated the process of designing and implementing this degree programme. Almost immediately, it became apparent that the programme served a previously unmet societal function: the provision of academically trained system and network administrators. In the past two years, it has also become obvious that students who have completed the programme successfully have found positions in a wide variety of areas. Nearly without exception, the employers concerned have commented on the valuable knowledge and skills that these students have brought to their work. This success is partially the result of the programme s design, organisation and philosophy, all of which are considered in more detail throughout this self-evaluation. The following are among the valuable features of the degree programme: A strong connection to practice with an approach that is simultaneously theoretical, product-independent and supplier-independent. A solid, clearly outlined and well-coordinated programme. Strong social cohesion resulting from the large amount of time that students spend together in our SNA Lab. Strong motivation and an excellent attitude toward study on the part of the students, partially due to a strict admission procedure. Emphasis on concepts (knowledge/insight), with less emphasis on operational procedures. A unique design for the final phase of the programme, which is divided into two short (one-month) research projects. Considerable emphasis on the preparation of reports and presentations. i

4 Emphasis on current relevant themes, including open technology and security. Strong involvement on the part of (core) lecturers. Continuous evaluation and adjustment. Strong connection to research, as conducted by the System and Network Engineering (SNE) group of the UvA. The following sections provide facts and information that allow the evaluation of the programme according to a number of aspects, including those that are specified above. The sections are arranged on the basis of various facets, following the framework of the Accreditation Organisation of the Netherlands and Flanders (NVAO). This self-evaluation is intended to allow accreditation for both the full-time and the part-time versions of the programme. For further information on this point, please refer to the section on the part-time version. Finally, it is important to note that the programme committee is currently working to change the name of the degree programme to System and Network Engineering. This change is intended to emphasise the programme s connection to the UvA research group of the same name and to reflect the contents of the coursework better without making any substantive changes to the programme of study. For further information on this point, please refer to the separate section on the name change. Part-time study programme As described in this document, the degree programme was designed as an intensive one-year full-time programme. We also defined a part-time version of the programme to accommodate the needs of those who would be able to dedicate only half of the working week to the programme. Part-time students follow exactly the same programme as full-time students do, but the coursework is distributed over a two-year period. Each week throughout the two years of the programme, part-time students must be available for lectures and practical training two days and be able to spend one half-day on independent study. They must also be able to vary the days they dedicate to their studies. In addition, these students must be able to devote one month each year to conducting a full-time research project. The interdependence of the courses, as shown in figure 2.1, allows this arrangement to be possible. The order of the courses is as follows: first year: Essential Skills for Administrators (ESA), Security of Systems and Networks (SSN), InterNetworking and Routing (INR), Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS) and Research Project 1 (RP1); second year: Classical Internet Applications (CIA), Distributed Internet Applications (DIA), Large ii

5 Internet Administration (LIA), ICT and Company Practice (ICP) and Research Project 2 (RP2). Because we have no experience with part-time students that have already followed this trajectory, it is not possible to provide detailed information on this. The only student to follow this version of the programme in withdrew after two weeks, as the requirement of 2.5 days each week proved unrealistic in his case. This report proceeds from the assumption that accreditation is also possible for the part-time version of the programme, which is identical to the full-time version with regard to content. Change of name At the outset of the programme, the name System and Network Administration (in Dutch, Systeem- en NetwerkBeheer) was chosen, because of the familiarity to the concept of systems administration and the need for qualified workers in this field. Experiences with all of the classes that have thus far completed the programme and with the employers who have hired the graduates have shown that, in practice, the concept of system administration is not usually associated with academic training. The programme committee therefore has begun to consider the prospect of changing the name of the programme (but not its contents). It has been determined that the term administration indeed does not do justice to the content of the degree programme. In addition to teaching students how to appropriately administer complex systems, in which process academic skills do play a role, the programme also places considerable emphasis on the architecture of systems and networks, as well as the engineering that these aspects require. The degree programme corresponds closely to the research activities of the research group of Cees de Laat at the UvA, which changed its name in 2005 from Advanced Internet Research to System and Network Engineering. For this reason, and after consultation with all students who are currently following the programme, the programme committee decided to submit a proposal to the Board of Governors of the UvA to change the name of the programme to System and Network Engineering, effective as of 1 September All current students approved of this idea. iii

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7 Contents 1 Aims and objectives Domain-specific requirements Level of the degree programme Orientation to university education Strength-weakness analysis of the aims and objectives Programme Requirements for university education Relationship between the objectives and the content of the programme Coherence of the programme Study load Intake Duration of the programme Coordination of structure and contents Assessment and examinations Strength-weakness analysis of the programme Deployment of staff Requirements for university education Quantity of staff Quality of staff Strength-weakness analysis of the deployment of staff Facilities and provisions Material facilities Student support and guidance Strength-weakness analysis of facilities and provisions Internal quality assurance Quality Assurance framework Goals of quality assurance Quality Assurance plans, initiatives and standards at various institutional levels v

8 5.0.3 Tasks and responsibilities within the internal quality assurance of the department Plan-Do-Check-Act cycles as used by the master SNA Evaluation of results Yearly evaluation cycle of the study programme as a whole Yearly evaluation cycle of teaching staff Yearly evaluation cycle of courses Weekly evaluation cycle of running courses Measures to effect improvement Involvement of staff, students, alumni and professional field in quality assurance Commitment of students and staff Commitment of alumni Commitment of the professional field Strength-weakness analysis of internal quality assurance Results Level that has been achieved Graduation rate Strength-weakness analysis of results A List of student papers 45 A A.1.1 Analytic Server Project (ASP) A.1.2 Analytic Network Project (ANP) A A.2.1 Research Project 1 (RP1) A.2.2 Research Project 2 (RP2) A A.3.1 Research Project 1 (RP1) A.3.2 Research Project 2 (RP2) B Learning objectives by course 53 B.1 Classical Internet Applications (CIA) B.2 Essential Skills for Administrators (ESA) B.3 Security of Systems and Networks (SSN) B.4 Distributed Internet Applications (DIA) B.5 InterNetworking and Routing (INR) B.6 Large Internet Administration (LIA) B.7 Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS) B.8 ICT and Company Practice (ICP) B.9 Research Project 1 (RP1) and Research Project 2 (RP2) vi

9 C Job descriptions 57 C.1 Job description for the SNA practical instructor C.2 Job description for the SNA system administrator D SNE Group Structural Programme 60 D.1 Abstract D.2 Research D.2.1 Advanced Networking D.2.2 Authorization Concepts and Architectures D.2.3 Security D.2.4 Grid Middleware and Workflow Management D.2.5 Sensor Grids D.3 Education D.4 Personnel E Alumni poll results 65 E.1 Results of Alumni Questionnaire F Acronyms 74 vii

10 List of Tables 1.1 General final qualifications Specific final qualifications Dublin descriptors and the qualifications associated with them Relationship between final qualifications and courses Comparison with the two-year master s degree programme in Oslo Results of the selection procedures per year The level of importance per skill as perceived by alumni Graduation Rates E.1 Time between graduation and first job E.2 Contract type E.3 Connection between SNA programme and job E.4 Degree requirement for job E.5 Types of activities E.6 Job branches E.7 Relation between job, skills and SNA programme E.8 Alumni appreciation of the SNA programme E.9 Suggestions for improvement viii

11 Chapter 1 Aims and objectives 1.1 Domain-specific requirements Within the System and Network Administration (SNA) programme, it has become obvious that there is a need for a higher level of training for system and network administrators than is currently customary in the Netherlands. The intended level is academic, with an appropriately abstract and analytical view of the field. The academic nature of the training does not exclude the possibility of a strong connection to practical knowledge in the context of which these qualities can be applied. Such practical knowledge must be based on generic techniques that are not specific to particular products. The final qualifications of the degree programme are presented in the tables concerning General final qualifications (table 1.1) and Specific final qualifications (table 1.2). These outcomes were derived from the document Programma van de Opleiding [2]. The scientific tradition in the field of system and network administration currently consists of research that is dispersed across a number of traditional subject areas, including computer science, the natural sciences and mathematics. With this degree programme, the programme committee seeks to integrate components from the field of System and Network Engineering. In this way, it will also be possible to initiate the formation of a unique scientific tradition in the area of system and network engineering, supported within the UvA by the SNE research group, which was established in The only other degree programme that has similar ambitions is the two-year master s degree programme in Network and System Administration at the University of Oslo and Oslo University College. A number of the objectives of the degree programme were derived from the job descriptions that were established by the System Administrators Guild (SAGE) for senior system administrators. For further information, visit the website The objectives and final qualifications are derived from practical needs 1

12 G1 G2 G3 G4 G5 G6 In the field of system and network administration, graduates of the master s degree programme in System and Network Administration should have insight into the most important technological developments and related scientific results. In the interests of the innovation and modernisation of system and network configurations graduates of the master s degree programme in System and Network Administration should have the capacity to apply this insight. Graduates of the master s degree programme in System and Network Administration should have the capacity to address system and network problems using abstraction and model formation, and they should be capable of formulating solutions in both general and mathematical and technical terms. Graduates of the master s degree programme in System and Network Administration should have the capacity to communicate clearly, both orally and in writing; they should be skilled in giving presentations to groups and should know how to explain problems and solutions at the appropriate level of abstraction. Graduates of the master s degree programme in System and Network Administration should be able to function well in teams. They should be capable of discussing technical topics in both small and large groups, and they should be well equipped to divide and coordinate technical tasks among group members. Graduates of the master s degree programme in System and Network Administration should be aware of the societal, ethical and social aspects of system and network administration. Table 1.1: General final qualifications within the field of system and network administration, as determined by the lecturers involved in the programme through conversation with colleagues, who come from various levels of society. Within the programme committee, this informal network is known as the resonance group. The existence of this network is evidenced by the participation of the professional field in the supervision of research projects (see appendix A). In January 2006, several colleagues from the field were asked to respond to these final qualifications. They were asked to evaluate papers (theses) or examinations with regard to the extent to which they covered the final qualifications (see section 6.1). All six of the respondents agreed with the final qualifications, but they also proposed additions. The extent of agreement varied from I have no criticism of the final qualifications as formulated in 2

13 S1 S2 S3 S4 S5 S6 Graduates of the master s degree programme in System and Network Administration should be skilled in exploring (searching, reading and evaluating) the many forms of documentation and literature concerning system and network administration, with regard to both content and medium. They should be familiar with the Internet Society (ISOC), the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and other international bodies that develop standards and publish in the area of computer systems and networks. Graduates of the master s degree programme in System and Network Administration should be very familiar with the usual configurations and procedures for the normal and crisis administration of a variety of current systems and networks, middleware and applications. They should therefore be quickly employable in the usual multi-vendor systems and network contexts. Graduates of the master s degree programme in System and Network Administration should be very familiar with the security functions of systems and networks, and they should be capable of contributing actively to the architecture and configuration of systems and networks that conform to current security standards. Graduates should also be able to determine whether systems or networks conform to particular security standards. Graduates of the master s degree programme in System and Network Administration should have the technical knowledge of communication protocols, network components and business systems that they will need to accurately justify choices and steps relating to administration and security, including those regarding configuration, procedures and security architecture. Graduates of the master s degree programme in System and Network Administration should have sufficient insight into the organisational contexts within which systems and networks function to channel the needs of organisations and users, and to translate them into appropriate technical support. Graduates of the master s degree programme in System and Network Administration should have sufficient technical knowledge and intellectual capacity to assume positions of leadership in the field of system and network administration within a few years. They should have the capacity to develop their own vision of the field of system and network administration, thus contributing to evolution and innovation in concrete system environments. Table 1.2: Specific final qualifications 3

14 2.4.1 and to Yes. In my opinion, the task descriptions that are used in Chapter 1.1 and the final qualifications that are mentioned in 2.4 correspond completely with the requirements that the field expects highly qualified network administrators to meet. Proposed additions were as follows (each respondent mentioned one): With regard to final qualification S6, I would expect graduates of a master s degree programme in System and Network Administration to be skilled in understanding business models. They should be able to translate business requirements into terms of system and network administration and to consider business interests in their technological vision. Organisation science and change management, ICT processes and governance (ITIL, COSO, COBIT). Knowledge of open standards and good insight into the abundance of open software that is available. To be able to make rapid use of insight into the layering of systems and networks when drawing up plans or in case of problems or emergencies. (paraphrased) Research methods: emphasis on developing hypotheses and testing them appropriately. Systematic problem solving: be able to deconstruct problems and solve them methodically using a step-by-step approach. We intend to adjust or clarify a number of points in the final qualifications according to the suggestions. A number of the skills that are mentioned are already included in the programme, although they are not identified explicitly as final qualifications. We intend to conduct similar field consultations regularly. The results of the alumni survey also suggest that alumni generally feel that the System and Network Administration programme meets the demands of their current professions. This suggests that the learning objectives are adequate in their current formulation. 1.2 Level of the degree programme Table 1.3 presents the Dublin Descriptors for the master s degree level in juxtaposition to the final qualifications that are specified for the master s degree programme in System and Network Administration. 1 The mentioned chapters and sections refer to the document Programma van de Opleiding [2] 4

15 dublin descriptors final qualifications G S Knowledge and insight Applying knowledge and insight Making judgements Communication Learning skills Final qualifications: see tables 1.1 and 1.2 Table 1.3: Dublin descriptors and the qualifications associated with them. These final qualifications were formulated without considering Dublin descriptors (2004), as they did not yet exist at the time the final qualifications were developed (2002). In recent years, we have worked with this formulation of the final qualifications. Deliberately we do not change the formulations right now, with the exception of Specific final qualification S1 (see table 1.2), the wording of which has been adapted to correspond with the intent and practice. Several clarifications with regard to the Dublin Descriptors are however possible. They are presented below. Knowledge and insight System and network administration should be seen as a specialisation within the area of computer science. A comparison between the university-level bachelor s degree programmes in computer science and the master s degree programme in System and Network Administration shows that the knowledge that is offered in the master s degree programme builds upon the final qualifications of the bachelor s degree programme; it is therefore new and can be seen as more in-depth. The ability to make an original contribution is implied in final qualifications G2, G3 and S6. During the study programme, such originality can be demonstrated in a research context, but it can be demonstrated just as well in design or advice situations. The latter types of situations involve the production of knowledge that is new to both advisor and client, but this does not necessarily have to be globally new knowledge. This is consistent with the characteristics of a vocationally oriented university-level degree programme. Application In final qualifications S2, S3 and S4 required knowledge is formulated regarding particular application skills. No distinction is made between knowledge and skills but instead, competencies are formulated. 5

16 Making judgements Learning objectives G2, G3 and S6 imply the ability to arrive at a judgement under conditions of uncertain or incomplete information. This could be stated more explicitly in a subsequent version of the final qualifications. Communication There is additional emphasis on functioning within teams or in positions of leadership, in light of the professional context graduates of the programme are likely to work in. Learning skills Final qualification S1 covers this descriptor. Taking these additional clarifications and the overview that is provided in table 1.3 into account, we can conclude that the final qualifications for the master s degree programme in System and Network Administration provide a complete realization of the Dublin Descriptors for the master s degree level. 1.3 Orientation to university education The master s degree programme in System and Network Administration strives to be an academic, vocationally oriented programme of study, comparable to medicine or law. Related (international) scientific disciplines include the branches of computer science and information science, which address the following: development of new architec- Development of network technology: tures, network protocols, interfaces. Development of security methods for systems and networks, including the development of systems for defining user roles and access control. The master s degree programme in System and Network Administration is associated with a research group of the Informatics Institute, which has chosen these areas as its research field. The rate at which their publications are accepted by international journals (see section 3.1) demonstrates that this group occupies a leading international position in these areas. Final qualification G1 2 specifies that students must be aware of the most important technological developments and the associated scientific results. This is specified further in final qualifications S3 and S4 for network technology and security. These final qualifications require knowledge of usual systems and procedures, corresponding to the vocationally oriented nature 2 Abbreviations like G1 and S3 refer to tables 1.1 and 1.2 6

17 of the programme. The involvement of the lecturers with new developments also guarantees that new and experimental systems and procedures are regularly addressed, in addition to the customary systems and procedures. Final qualification G2 specifies that students must have the capacity to use the available knowledge innovatively. This innovative capacity is tested to varying degrees in the various projects (for further information on testing, see section 6.1). For some of the students (20%), this involves participating in the research of the Informatics Institute. The minimum requirement for innovative capacity is the ability to come up with original solutions or recommendations for non-trivial practical problems. Academic research skills are required by final qualifications G3, G4, G5 and G6. As required in G3, research skills are considered essential for future professional practice. Although research in professional practice usually does not involve the production of any new general knowledge, it does require skills regarding scientific methodology (cf. physicians who examine patients). The objectives and final qualifications also encompass the ability to work on interdisciplinary problems taken from professional practice, both individually and in teams. For those students who so choose (20%), the final qualifications can include the ability to participate in (general) innovative scientific research. Interdisciplinary means that various specialisations within the fields of computer science and information science are addressed in the programme and integrated into the final assignments. The disciplines include the following: System engineering. Network engineering. Security engineering. Business organisation (the organisational embedding of procedures for system and network administration). 1.4 Strength-weakness analysis of the aims and objectives Strengths Reactions from the professional field and the experiences of alumni suggest that the degree programme meets a clear need. The level and the orientation are both academic and vocationally focused. 7

18 Weaknesses A number of clarifications are possible with regard to the Dublin Descriptors, and should be incorporated into a subsequent version of the final qualifications. 8

19 Chapter 2 Programme 2.1 Requirements for university education The programme s relation to scientific research is expressed primarily in the philosophy behind and the structure of the subjects that are addressed in the programme. The degree programme does not focus explicitly on existing legacy systems, but strives to teach students an open approach that is based on standards and principles with regard to the problems at hand. This is accomplished by addressing the origin and development of current customary methods (e.g., Internet, security, Web and grid services) in the programme, in addition to their current status, function and implementations. The programme is also aimed explicitly at open-source solutions without losing sight of legacy systems. Graduates of the programme are critical and capable of weighing a number of solutions to the problems with which they are presented. Through assignments in various courses and, obviously, largely through the research projects, the programme aims to teach students to adopt an academic approach with regard to problems. The assignments are usually completed in cooperation with external groups from scientific institutes, computer centres or the national network provider for research and education. In some cases, students attend lectures given by international speakers, subsequently conducting small research projects based on the content of a particular lecture. The Bluetooth-security research that was conducted in the most recent academic year is one example; this research involved examining the security of the telephones and PDAs of passers-by in several major railway stations in Amsterdam and Utrecht. The subjects the programme addresses correspond closely to the research activities of the System and Network Engineering research group. In the scientific world, the field of system and network administration is relatively new and underdeveloped as an independent discipline. Although Internet, 9

20 security, parallel and distributed calculation, system architecture, hardware development and other components obviously have long-established traditions, they have never before been integrated into a single discipline with an emphasis on manageability and management. This is also a new discipline within the SNE research group, with a focus on security. Two of the lecturers serve as the driving force for this discipline. The programme committee and the research group maintain regular contact and collaborate with a group at the University of Oslo, under the supervision of professor Mark Burgess. The lecturers discuss the educational programme once each quarter, addressing and preparing updates as necessary. 2.2 Relationship between the objectives and the content of the programme The master s degree programme in System and Network Administration (SNA) has been in place for several years now. When this programme was being designed, the desired final qualifications 1 were translated into courses. The formulation of these intended final qualifications has thus far remained unchanged. Table 2.1 shows the contributions of the various courses to these final qualifications. Each semester consists of three theoretical courses, a practical course and a research project. The practical course (DIA 2 in Semester 1, IDS in Semester 2) is offered parallel to one of the theoretical courses, and it consists largely of practical assignments, culminating in a major open assignment. Each semester ends with a month-long project (RP1 and RP2). As shown in table 2.1, one of the practical courses (IDS) and two of the theoretical courses (LIA, SSN) are directed toward the integrated achievement of all of the final qualifications. The other theoretical courses vary from focusing on a few specific final qualifications (ICP) to having a relatively broad focus (INR, DIA). This is due to the fact that the coursespecific final qualifications were formulated in such a way that they can be achieved in many courses. In the two projects (RP1 and RP2) students gain a considerable deal of in-depth content knowledge. However, since the content is not pre-determined, the formal learning objectives of these courses are limited to academic and research skills. Testable learning objectives are established for each course (see appendix B). For each of the theoretical courses (ESA, CIA, SSN, INR, LIA, ICP), a large proportion of the objectives are course-specific. However, the acquisition of general academic skills emerges as a secondary objective in various theoretical courses, and it figures prominently in all of the practical courses and projects. These skills are not only tested; students receive guidance 1 See tables 1.1 and Abbreviations of the course-names are expanded in appendix F 10

21 courses CIA ESA SSN DIA RP1 INR LIA IDS ICP RP2 G1 G2 G3 G4 G5 G6 S1 S2 S3 S4 S5 S6 Final qualifications: see tables 1.1 and 1.2 Table 2.1: Relationship between final qualifications and courses in carrying out their literature searches, developing a well-defined research question and establishing a timetable for their work. Supported by the information that is presented in table 2.1 and the evaluations of the various courses, we are of the opinion that both the learning objectives and the study load are evenly distributed throughout the year. Each course is evaluated each year; during these evaluations, it is determined whether courses meet their own learning objectives. A new course (Essential Skills for Administrators (ESA)), in which students learn the basic concepts of documentation, scripting and secure communication, has recently been added to the programme, as it became apparent that incoming students lacked knowledge of these topics. This illustrates how the programme committee reflects on the effectiveness of the programme as a whole. This is also demonstrated in the self-evaluation that was prepared in the academic year [1]. The master s degree programme in System and Network Administration has a sister programme to which it can and should be compared; the twoyear master s degree programme in Network and System Administration at the University of Oslo 3. This degree programme is provided in cooperation with Oslo University College. One important difference is obviously that the Norwegian programme takes up two years; it is therefore likely to go into more depth on a number of points than we are able to do in our one-year programme. As a comparison of the two programmes demonstrates, however, our SNA

22 Master Oslo ECTS Equivalent SNA ECTS Principles of Computer Security 10 SSN 6 Networking: technologies 10 INR 6 and principles Intrusion detection and 10 IDS 6 firewall security Network Infrastructure 15 SSN/INR/IDS-assignments and Security Lab System Administration 5 distributed over all courses Research paper Optional components 10 ESA/DIA 6/6 Analytical System Administration 10 LIA 6 and Project Methodology Network and System Administration 10 CIA 6 #2 Social Aspects of Systems 10 ICP 6 and CyberEthics Project Work 30 RP1/RP2 6/ Table 2.2: Comparison with the two-year master s degree programme in Oslo programme omits no essential subjects. The fact that the SNA programme lasts only one year is made possible by our educational concept, which is based on a clearly outlined, cohesive programme. One consequence of this is that students following our SNA programme are expected to exert more than the usual effort. Table 2.2 presents a comparison between the master s degree programme in Oslo and our programme: The course in Distributed Internet Applications (DIA) is not clearly incorporated in the Norwegian programme. Components of this course, however, do figure in the optional component of the programme. The ESA course includes components that are identified as pre-requisite courses in the Norwegian programme. However, we considered it necessary to include them in the programme itself. With regard to the major aspects, the two programmes, which were originally established independently of each other, contain the same characteristics regarding content, thus increasing our confidence that our master s degree programme in SNA is comprised of all the necessary ingredients. 12

23 2.3 Coherence of the programme In an effort to realise a coherent programme, two main topics were formulated to serve as a unifying theme for the entire study programme. These topics relate to current and important themes within the profession. The first topic is Open Technology. This involves the importance of open standards (e.g., RFCs), open software (including open source) and open security (the antithesis of security through obscurity). The second topic is Security, both technical and non-technical. With respect to the educational design, the degree programme is based upon a set curriculum, which is the same for all students. The courses are offered according to a set schedule with many contact hours and an attendance requirement. The programme includes four technical-theoretical courses (CIA, SSN, INR and LIA), one non-technical theoretical course (ICP), one basics course (ESA), two practical courses (DIA, IDS) and two research projects (RP1, RP2). This approach, according to which students follow largely the same programme, strengthens the coherence of the programme and the commitment of the students to the study programme. It encourages students to attend and participate in the study components, and it has a positive effect on academic achievement. The programme is continuously evaluated through discussions with students and through regular meetings by the lecturers, thereby improving the coherence of the various components. Figure 2.1 illustrates how the various courses build upon each other. The curriculum involves a gradually increasing level of difficulty and during the course of the year students work more and more independently. This effect can be clearly observed in the research projects, within which the quality of the work that is submitted at the end of the year is clearly superior to that of similar work that was submitted halfway through the programme. 2.4 Study load Individual student progress is monitored by regularly reviewing the individual study logbooks that students are required to keep. If necessary, the instructor supervising the practical training who conducts these reviews offers additional support for practical assignments and provides advice to students with regard to learning problems. This method of working is consistent with the structure of the curriculum; for successful completion of a number of the courses offered later on in the year prerequisite knowledge from preceding courses is necessary, which justifies intensive monitoring. 13

24 ESA DIA CIA SSN ICP RP1 LIA INR IDS RP2 Figure 2.1: Interdependence of System and Network Administration courses In addition to the full-time practical instructor, a (part-time) system administrator is involved in the programme. The system administrator is selected on the basis of extensive experience and serves also as a resonance board for experimenting students and as a help desk for the available infrastructure. Students can follow individual learning tracks during both projects (RP1 and RP2). The choice of the research problem and the progress of the work are supervised as described in section 2.7 and section 4.2. Information facilities for students are provided primarily through the Web and by . Schedules, instructions for practical trainings, examination dates and similar matters are available in Wiki environments. This information is updated daily by the lecturers who are involved in the programme. Throughout the entire year, (bi-)weekly evaluations are conducted in each class. In these sessions, students may provide feedback on the previous study period. The results of these evaluations are recorded, and measures can be taken as necessary (see section 5.1). Supervision is offered during the research projects at several moments and at several levels. First, students receive guidance from their local supervisors during the research periods. Secondly, they can resort to the lecturer in charge and other lecturers. During the second year in which the degree programme was offered (

25 2005), one student became ill for one whole month and was therefore unable to attend all of the lectures and complete all of the practical assignments. With additional effort, he was nonetheless able to finish all of the practical assignments and achieve the final qualifications on his own. This incident supports our observation that the curriculum is feasible from the student s perspective. None of the respondents to the alumni survey mentioned either Feasibility or Supervision as points for improvement. Six percent of the respondents did identify Programming and Scheduling as a point for improvement. Moreover, one comment was made with regard to the research projects suggesting that having them run for two months would probably allow the projects to be more in-depth. For each course, surveys from the educational institutes are used to ask students what they think of the study load and the number of credits that can be gained and how much time they spent on the course. In the academic year, a majority of the students considered the study load of several courses as either excessive (ICP) or insufficient (PWS). This result did not recur in , probably because of the changes made to these courses. The reported number of hours spent on each course (6 EC) per week varied from 11 (DIA) to 16 (INR) in , with students spending between 13 and 14 hours each week for most courses. These results suggest that students study regularly, without encountering major obstacles. 2.5 Intake Unconditional acceptance into the master s degree programme in SNA is possible for students that have successfully completed one of the university bachelor s degree programmes in Information Science. Admission into our vocationally oriented master s degree programme is also possible for students that have successfully completed a programme at an institution of higher professional education (HBO), on condition that they pass an extensive intake examination or assessment. In practice, the majority of applications appear to come from students who have completed HBO degree programmes. Our experiences during the first year in which the master s degree programme was offered were used to design an intake assessment procedure with the following components: General skills Literature skills: reading and summarising a technical document. Oral skills: presenting a previously written thesis. Analytical skills: basic knowledge of discrete mathematics. 15

26 Academic Year Accepted Rejected Pending The intake procedure for the academic year has not yet been completed. Figures are based on processed applications as per July 4th, Table 2.3: Results of the selection procedures per year Specific skills Basic knowledge of UNIX. Basic network knowledge (TCP/IP). Basic knowledge of scripting (shell). Within the actual programme, the ESA course offers students the opportunity to brush up on the knowledge and skills that they will need to be able to follow the rest of the programme successfully. The transition to an academic approach to studying continues to be a challenge for students who have completed HBO degree programmes. Intensive supervision by the team of lecturers and the clearly outlined design of the programme allows students to make continuous progress throughout the course of the programme and to make clear improvements in their analytical and presentation skills. In general, the assessment works well. There is a strict selection of students, with the result that students who are eventually admitted have a good chance of completing the programme successfully. The results of the selection procedures of the past three years are depicted in table 2.3. Intensive contact with the students creates the possibility to determine throughout the year whether the topics of the admissions test should be adjusted. To date, this has not been necessary. 2.6 Duration of the programme The master s degree programme in System and Network Administration is a one-year programme and thus has a study load of sixty ECTS. The programme is divided into ten courses, each worth six ECTS. 16

27 There are six theoretical courses (ESA, CIA, SSN, INR, LIA, ICP). These courses consist of seventy contact hours, seventy independent learning hours and twenty-eight hours for examination preparation. There are two practical team courses (DIA, IDS). These courses consist of eighty contact hours and eighty-eight team hours. There are two research projects (RP1, RP2). These projects consist of eighteen contact hours and 150 research hours. The programme includes a relatively large number of contact hours, which enhances its feasibility for students. The fact that the SNA lab is the main location for the programme also contributes to the intensity of contact. (Bi-)weekly, lecturers and students discuss the ins and outs of the degree programme, including the study load. Information gathered from these discussions and from separate questionnaires suggests that the study load is evenly distributed across the semesters. On average, the number of hours that students actually spend on their studies tends to remain within the standard of a forty-hour working week. 2.7 Coordination of structure and contents The master s degree programme in System and Network Administration strives to be an academic, vocationally oriented training programme. Practice-oriented projects therefore play a major role in the programme. During these projects, students are presented with problems for which trivial solutions do not suffice and which require academic research skills. The time scale that applies to the typical professional practice of a network administrator or consultant in the area of networks is different from the time scale applying to the practice of software-project leaders or similar professionals; the typical project period relating to the former group is much shorter. Accordingly, the SNA programme committee has chosen to incorporate a number of short projects instead of one longer project. Two of these projects each occupy students fully for one month. Other projects have been included as components of practical courses (DIA, IDS) or of a theoretical course (SSN). The expected end product of a project is a report that could be considered a consultancy report, according to the expectations of professional practice. The various theoretical courses that have been included in the programme are designed to impart knowledge and understanding to students that is useful in such projects. The educational context of the programme is described in more detail in the programme of the course of study [2, section 3.1]. The majority of the courses are provided by three core lecturers, thus facilitating the process of reaching a consensus concerning a didactic concept. We seldom ask students directly whether they recognise this didactic 17

28 concept. We are satisfied if, during the project, the students appear to have the ability to apply their knowledge creatively and systematically. If such is the case, the didactic concept has been successful. We do ask students, among other things, how they would rate the supervision and whether they think that they will be able to use the knowledge that they have acquired. We consider positive answers to such questions as confirmation of the appropriateness of our didactic concept, as described above. Forty percent of the programme is comprised of instruction on a project basis, and sixty percent is comprised of theoretical courses. The method used during projects corresponds closely to the final qualifications of the programme, as it requires students to perform activities that they must later master on their own and which therefore relate directly to the learning objectives. One difference is that supervision is available during the programme. The projects in the practical courses focus on predetermined themes and correspond closely to previous theoretical courses. Supervision in these projects focuses on the further processing and integration of this theory. In each of the two research projects, students choose from a large number of possible assignments. Students are given more freedom in these assignments, and more autonomy is expected of them. Because there are two of these projects, however, the programme does allow space for students to learn from mistakes (e.g., in scheduling their work). Each of the theoretical courses involves a practical assignment in addition to lectures. The activities in these assignments are designed to allow students to assimilate the theory that has been offered and learn to use it. Lecturers for the theoretical courses estimate that contact hours and the time scheduled for independent learning are divided evenly in these courses. Students begin their practical assignments during the contact hours, in which assistance is available, and they complete them later through independent study. The practical assignments vary from closed to open, according to the theoretical course. For example, the practical assignments of SSN require more input from the students than do the practical assignments of either ESA or CIA. Each of the practical components of DIA, IDS, SSN and ICP ends with a major open assignment, which can be considered a mini-project. In this way, each semester involves a structural progression towards increasingly independent learning. The information provided above shows that considerable personal initiative is required of students for all courses (both projects and theoretical courses). Students perceive that the programme requires considerably more work than the programmes they previously followed. As the students form a close-knit group and encourage each other, they are nonetheless able to complete the activities they are supposed to carry out. At any rate, we conclude in section 6.1 that the results are at the desired level. The programme requirements alternate between individual work and group work. The projects in the two practical courses (DIA, IDS) are car- 18