Information Strategy Supporting Innovation and Excellence

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1 Information Strategy Supporting Innovation and Excellence Introduction This strategy sets out the vision and direction for information and communication services to support the realisation of the University s strategic ambition. It describes how we will meet and exceed the expectations of students, prospective students, staff and partners of the University in a dynamic information environment. This strategy recognises that there are major challenges in supporting the ambitious targets for growth in research activity at the University. We have defined our expectation to deliver one of the best student experiences, in high quality physical and virtual learning spaces, utilising the opportunities offered by new technologies. We respond to the service needs of a community widely dispersed both geographically and in how it engages with the University. Our targets address the transformative and disruptive changes in the UK scholarly publications model (such as the follow up to the Finch report), the dominance of IT developments by consumerled, very large scale services and tools, the expectation of service delivery to personally owned mobile devices, the advances in e-learning and the rise of e-books while print still remains important. Our vision The University community will confidently use sophisticated information and communication services that enable excellence and efficiency in our work, studies and research by the University providing: our students 1 with a first-rate teaching experience supported by modern, integrated physical and online learning environments, and wireless connectivity throughout our campuses; our research community 2 with high quality information and support throughout all stages of the research lifecycle, improving the University s research performance; administrative systems that are easy and intuitive to use, supporting comprehensive, upto-date business intelligence, which informs decision making, and meetings which are conducted without paper; our external partners with opportunities to collaborate with us using a rich variety of communication tools that improve the quality of our mutual learning, research and enterprise activities; our prospective students, alumni and wider external stakeholders with a positive image of the University from our website, social media channels and on-line taster materials showcasing our most prestigious programmes and research. Approved by University Court 25 March Undergraduate and Postgraduate Taught students 2 Academic staff and Postgraduate Research students 1

2 Our cross-cutting strategic themes University of Stirling Information Strategy : Strategic Themes 1. We will evaluate and utilise changing technologies and services (particularly changes in the procurement and delivery of scholarly communications) to ensure our researchers, students and staff receive the best possible experience. 2. We will make core University services available via users own mobile devices (laptops, tablets and smart phones), at any time and in any location, wherever technically feasible, and will encourage a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) approach. 3. We will enable our students and staff to use richer means of communication, particularly new social media, collaborative working tools and electronic conferencing. 4. Academic discourse is increasingly being enabled and delivered by information systems and technology. We will strive to help students and staff improve their digital & media literacy and information management capabilities. 5. Our information systems need to serve a University community that is dispersed nationally and internationally, and support more diverse modes and types of study. We will seek to make our processes as paperless, transparent and single source as possible. 6. We will improve effectiveness and efficiency by utilising fully the opportunities created by new technology and advances in information management. 2

3 University of Stirling Information Strategy : Strategic Objectives For our students: learning, teaching and the Stirling experience Our ambition is to: Facilitate high quality teaching Provide one of the UK s best integrated learning and information environments, encompassing campus and online facilities Utilise fully the potential of mobile devices to support students learning and their organisation of their studies Enable students to have a greater and richer e-learning experience Our strategic objectives are to: Deliver a rich online learning experience Provide a modernised student portal with a personalised suite of self-service options for all the major University systems, available on mobile devices Increase the number of modern study areas for individual and collaborative study, with pervasive wireless, presentation facilities and flexible furnishing Provide faster, more reliable IT services in student accommodation, with fewer restrictions and easier connection Integrate data and systems to deliver a single source of the student journey, enabling a step change in student support capability and better information for students before, during and after their studies Deliver a step change in the number of books available in an electronic format Provide support for the delivery of taught programmes online Equip teaching staff with the expertise to make pedagogically sound use of our online learning environment Deliver a digital & media literacy skills programme for all our taught postgraduates Increase the use of paperless assessment Context: The expectations of students and prospective students are rising with the constant developments in consumer IT. A major library transformation project has resulted in a step change in library services. However, levels of satisfaction among students for our Library and IT services remain below the Scottish average, with lack of study space a major area of dissatisfaction. The move from print to e-books is now gaining momentum and brings closer, richer content (e.g. text augmented by video and animation, and that can be used in conjunction with social networking tools for collaborative learning). New tools and services, mostly based on Web 2.0 or social media, have been incorporated into our on-line learning environment which the 2012 ELIR report described as being very effectively managed. Whilst the student portal has impressive functionality, it looks dated. Our targets are: Upper quartile scores for all three National Student Survey learning resources questions (currently third quartile) To achieve the highest level of commendation in the next Enhancement-Led Institutional Review (ELIR) for the quality of our learning environment On line delivery of 20% of taught programmes To provide internet bandwidth in student residences equivalent to that of a house in a large city A personalised timetable for all taught students by December 2014 At least 85% satisfaction among students for services delivered by the portal Year-on-year increase in the percentage of books available in electronic format during (currently 13% of books are e-books) At least 90% satisfaction from our learners with the provision of information resources (currently 79%) 3

4 University of Stirling Information Strategy : Strategic Objectives For our research community Our ambition is to: Maximise the opportunities of a modern information environment to support high quality research at all stages of the research lifecycle from initial idea to output curation Increase the impact of our research outputs Realise the benefits of a state of the art research management system which integrates into the workflows of researchers and covers the research lifecycle Our strategic objectives are to: Introduce the early and effective application of changes in scholarly communication to increase the impact of our research outputs and maximise scholarly content Deliver a Research Data Management service that exceeds funders mandates and meets the big data challenge Provide an enhanced Research Management System which integrates into the workflows of researchers and research administrators Deliver an appealing programme of digital & media literacy skills for undertaking research in the 21 st century Showcase research outputs via our website, institutional repository and social media channels Context: We have ambitious targets for raising our research performance. We have deployed a research management system; one of the most integrated of such systems in the UK. The Finch Report has heralded the move toward open access academic journals but this has the potential to disrupt the scholarly communications infrastructure. Research funders are mandating policies on research data management and are holding universities to account for effective implementation. Studies investigating researchers use of scholarly information and IT, including their use of, and aspirations for, emerging technologies and social media, conclude that up to date digital literacy is vital for researchers. Our targets are: 100% usage by academic staff of the Research Management System Meet researcher funders mandates on open access publishing Improve citation rates for our research outputs Deliver a year-on-year increase in subscribed e- journals (currently there are 45,500 e-journals available) Ensure all research activities comply with funders research data management requirements Achieve at least 80% satisfaction from our research community with the provision of information resources (currently 70%) Achieve a minimum participation rate of 60% of members of the University engaged in research in the digital literacy skills programme (currently 0% as there is no programme) 4

5 University of Stirling Information Strategy : Strategic Objectives For our external stakeholders and prospective students Our ambition is to: Engage prospective students, staff and business partners via a welcoming web presence and effective, intuitive business processes Connect members of the University and the wider community through a rich information sharing and communication environment Our strategic objectives are to: Provide an application process which provides one of the best UK experiences for prospective home and international students Deliver paperless admissions for all types of students Develop an enhanced and regularly updated web site using the most effective social media and multi-media tools and the capabilities of the new Content Management System Provide a web site and institutional repository that are optimised for their visibility to search engines Provide online tasters so prospective home and international students gain an insight of programmes of study and the overall Stirling student experience Facilitate easy, online philanthropic donations Deliver a suite of modern collaborative services, supported by good advice, so that staff and students can choose the most appropriate ones for the task in hand Context: For many prospective students, their first Our targets are: experience of the University is through our external website. The introduction of a Content Management System has resulted in a step change in the website, but much work still needs to be done to continue to provide an appealing and professional shop front. The experience of our student applicants is behind the sector average and must be addressed urgently. > 99.9% uptime of the external website (currently 99.9%) > 90% satisfaction by students and staff of the University s collaborative tools We have ambitious targets to raise philanthropic income. Effective information systems, supplemented with the use of Facebook and LinkedIn, have great potential to facilitate lifelong relationships and networks with our alumni. IT has great potential to support collaboration across organisational and national boundaries, and to reduce the University s environmental impact due to travel. However, a variety of collaborative tools and services are used currently in an ad-hoc manner, often without the appreciation of the risks to sensitive information. 5

6 University of Stirling Information Strategy : Strategic Objectives For all: delivering core services Our ambition is to: Create one of the most Bring Your Own Device friendly universities Transform our business processes to utilise the full potential of information technology Our strategic objectives are to: Extend wireless coverage throughout buildings and in the student residences Conduct meetings routinely without paper Transform business processes, informed by requirements from within and outside the university, and the opportunities created both by changing technologies and enhancing the capabilities of our existing business systems Develop a network that is fit for purpose, ensuring it remains suitably protected and resilient to cyber attacks Provide reliable business continuity facilities Meet the demands for changing, more powerful processing and storage systems, while reducing the environmental impact of our data centres Improve and integrate the key data required both to understand university-wide performance and to underpin forecasting and strategic planning Provide a state-of-the-art discovery service Simplify the process for access to online services while maintaining appropriate security controls Conduct an assessment of shared or Cloud services when replacing existing infrastructure. Migrate services when there is a robust business case or ensure that there is flexibility to enable future migration Context: Major business systems comprise sector leaders supplemented by offerings from smaller software houses and in-house solutions. Whilst we have good operational reports, we cannot easily produce integrated management information across all business areas. Three data centres are located across the campus, for resilience, hosting our 560+ servers. Cyber security measures are in place. The wireless network now covers teaching spaces and public areas. Most of the network devices were replaced in 2009 as part of the telephony replacement project. The capacity of the connection from the Stirling campus via Janet has been increased steadily. The dominance of search engines and the rise of social discovery and recommendations provide major challenges in helping staff and students find the most appropriate scholarly resources. As part of an SFC funded project we have developed an initial roadmap for the adoption of IT services hosted by third parties or in the Cloud, linking with the McClelland report on public sector IT in Scotland, and work on the first candidate services is underway currently. Our targets are: All core business operations are accessible online > 85% satisfaction of staff and students for the support of their devices when using our systems Papers for major meetings are routinely circulated and accessed electronically To deliver processes that enhance UKBA compliance To make effective use of our business intelligence systems within our planning activities To review all major systems by 2016 >99% wireless coverage on our campuses and student residences (currently only teaching and social areas covered) Users experience no significant disruption from slow network performance No significant disruptions from cyber-security or system issues (last major disruption 2011) Major information systems uptime >99.8% (currently 99.1%). Reduction of 30 tonnes CO 2 emissions per annum 6

7 Appendix 1: Key Implementation Activities University of Stirling Information Strategy Appendix 1. For our students: 1.1. Students will receive timely access, usually online, to every item on a reading list Students will be able to access a virtual desktop that enables specialist software to be made available to their own devices Students will have at their disposal a rich set of tools and services to self-manage group collaboration within our online learning environment We will enhance and expand the suite of online processes and information available for students through a modernised self-service student portal and to mobile network devices, wherever it is appropriate to do so, and implement enhanced personalisation of these processes and information Individualised student timetables will be available via the student portal and mobile internet devices We will provide additional modern study areas and social spaces with pervasive wireless access where students can study collaboratively and individually, many with presentation facilities and flexible furnishing We will introduce a more convenient and flexible model for presenting information in teaching spaces using advances in presentation technology and the capabilities of mobile devices We will deliver a 24-7 Library service during semester and expand services for postgraduates, monitoring Library services usage and adjusting service levels in line with demand We will revise the business model for delivering IT services in student accommodation and undertake network developments so that there are fewer restrictions on network utilisation by our students, including a replacement for CampusNet A single source for the student journey will be developed, integrating four new components: Student engagement: gathering, integrating and reporting on data that helps us better identify student support arrangements needed; A single source of course and module information; Implementing the Higher Education Achievement Record (HEAR) for all student groups; HESA Key Information Sets (KIS) We will accelerate the migration of books from print to electronic format, utilising collaborative purchasing, novel and just in time business models where it is judicious to do so We will ensure that the online learning environment and associated development and support services have the capability to promote a step change where 20% of our taught programmes are delivered primarily online We will improve data collection about the use of online and physical libraries and act upon the subsequent analyses We will ensure that all our teaching staff have the expertise to make pedagogically sound use of the capabilities of the University s online learning environment and have a good understanding of copyright and intellectual property implications A digital & media literacy skills programme will be developed and implemented (with input from student representatives) for our taught postgraduate students We will deliver a step change in paperless assessment. In particular, we will review the final grades collection process, aiming to introduce a single paperless system suitable for all Schools. i

8 University of Stirling Information Strategy Appendix 2. For our research community: 2.1. We will engage actively in national discussions about the future of scholarly communications in the debate influenced by the Finch Report, and ensure we maximise related opportunities by developing suitable expertise and partnerships We will avail ourselves of Scottish and UK-wide collaborative procurement and just-in-time licensing models, where judicious, to ensure best value and impact for the University The Research Data Management Service will be developed so it is ready to cope with big data, has sufficient storage, archiving and processing capacity, and complies with our funders research data management requirements The Research Management System (RMS) will be enhanced by new functions such as: citation analysis and reporting; refined RMS reporting meeting our needs more closely; the REF module We will integrate RMS into the workflows of Researchers and Research Administrators to enable researchers to spend more time on active research and less on administration Our systems will help researchers apply for research grants more swiftly and successfully We will deliver an appealing programme of digital & media literacy skills for undertaking research in the 21st century, aimed primarily at academic staff, research postgraduate students and appropriate support staff. Key components will include: the role and use of social media in research; online collaboration (e.g. Wikis), communication and conferencing tools; discovery tools; the management of research data; mobile apps to support research; use of multi-media; developing and maintaining a web presence We will introduce systems to enable researchers self-ownership of continuous professional development (CPD), including recording research postgraduate interactions with supervisors We will showcase the University s research outputs via our website, institutional research outputs repository and social media channels to increase public engagement with our research and its impact We will explore how personal research pages can be enhanced and explore engaging in academic selfpublishing via open access journals and books We will work with research and academic partners in developing our big data capabilities in the areas of storage, processing power, analytical tools and collaborative access. ii

9 University of Stirling Information Strategy Appendix 3. For our external stakeholders and prospective students: 3.1. We will improve the experience that prospective home and international students have of the application process. We will implement a paperless admissions and enrolment portal for all student types, giving applicants a simple and intuitive interface, supported by paperless admissions processes With the aid of social media and multimedia tools, we will enhance and update our external website regularly, optimising its visibility to search engines. We will use the capabilities of the existing Content Management System to integrate new types of web content and new technologies We will devise and implement an information architecture that takes full advantage of the increasing diversity of electronic information exchange (incl. web, social media, , conferencing) Online tasters will be provided so prospective home and international students can gain an insight of programmes of study and the overall experience of studying at the University of Stirling Our systems will, in future, have the capability to receive philanthropic donations online A suite of modern collaboration tools (such as video & web conferencing, blogs, wikis, shared file storage and social media) will be made easily accessible. Good advice will be made available so that staff and students can choose the most appropriate collaborative tools and services for the task in hand Our alumni will be able to engage in lifelong relationships with the University using a personalised interface that we will develop. This will help grow the number of volunteers becoming alumni ambassadors and increase the participation of alumni and friends supporting the Annual Fund. iii

10 University of Stirling Information Strategy Appendix 4. For all - delivering core services: 4.1. Wired and wireless connectivity will be available throughout our campuses and student residences. We will extend wireless coverage throughout buildings, particularly increasing capacity within lecture theatres. The results of a cost-benefit analysis will help us decide whether to increase coverage to open spaces on campus. At the Highlands, we will work with NHS Highland to provide fast Internet access to all student areas. We will also investigate the use of commercial broadband for tenants and visitors Cost-effective support services will be provided for mobile devices and an ecosystem of related apps and we will give practical encouragement for students, staff and visitors to bring and use their own devices Academic staff will be encouraged to replace desktops with more mobile and flexible devices such as laptop and tablet computers Document management functionality will allow meeting papers to be prepared, version controlled and distributed electronically, so that meetings can be conducted without paper. This will be done in conjunction with a wider review of business data archiving and document management We will implement a rolling programme of review then development of integrated business information systems and associated business processes informed by requirements from within and outside the University. We will utilise changing technologies to support process transformation We will ensure that all information processes support UK Borders Agency requirements We will develop our reliable administrative systems, integrating data in a single source of truth approach We will implement an online purchasing tool, initially to transfer service charges to the purchaser and thereafter to build an online shop. Student fees and accommodation charges can be paid online We will support fundraising, alumni engagement and networking via a review of systems support for Raiser s Edge and investigate and implement additional systems that support fundraising The staff portal will be enhanced to provide a wider range of self-service functions, in particular the automation of standard finance forms and processes, annual leave booking, room bookings etc We will evaluate the provision of productivity software services to University staff and will provide more up-to-date functionality We will maximise network performance and levels of reliability, where cost effective An improved network monitoring system will allow us to manage the network more pro-actively and effectively. Videoconferencing, IP telephony and CCTV monitoring are highly sensitive to network delays so a Quality of Service (QoS) policy will be introduced Our networks and systems will continue to be suitably protected and resistant to cyber-attacks particularly in respect of potential threats from personally-owned devices and the storage of University data on third party systems We will monitor, and act accordingly: the development of the SWAN Public Service Network in Scotland; the corporate reorganisation of Jisc, how this may impact the Janet network; the introduction of 4G We will have reliable business continuity mechanisms to resolve any disruptions to systems A phased programme will introduce further resilience via off-site data centres or Cloud providers. Software patches will be performed on a timely basis We will review the demand for longer hours of cover from technical support staff. The current at risk periods for performing complex systems maintenance will be rearranged to minimise disruption Data processing and storage at the main Stirling campus and the Centre for Health Science at Inverness will be consolidated, using external and cloud data centres to promote resilience. We will continue to replace traditional servers with smaller and more energy-efficient blade servers The environmental impact of our data centres will be reduced wherever possible We will build on the business intelligence programme to provide an improved, integrated view of key data required to understand University performance and support our strategic planning. In particular the service will be expanded to cover: admissions; completion, retention & progression; costs and profitability; Research and School funding profiles; staff KPIs. Business processes may need amending as part of the implementation of the business intelligence programme. iv

11 University of Stirling Information Strategy Appendix We will upgrade StirGate with a state-of-the-art discovery service We will explore the potential of recommender services in reading list management, upgrading our systems and services as required We will develop coherent policies, systems and processes for user identity management and more convenient authentication We will investigate the use of shared services or Cloud solutions when existing hardware and/or software needs to be replaced. (And migrate when there is a valid and robust business case for so doing, or ensure there is flexibility to enable future migration.) We will participate actively in regional and national shared services and collaborative procurement where there is a financial and business advantage to the University, in line with the HEIDS shared services roadmap and the McClelland report. We will implement emerging shared services such as KB+ where advantageous. v