Development of an ICT Strategy for the Collegiate University Prof. Paul Jeffreys

1. Development of an ICT Strategy for the Collegiate University • Prof. Paul Jeffreys • http://www.ict.ox.ac.uk/strategy/ • (How to work together to make sure we define and meet the ICT needs of the collegiate University) (1)

2. Preliminaries • Embarked on two challenging activities • Widespread consultation crucial • Transparency and information exchange vital • Plans already presented to:- • FCPSG • PRAC • Council • ICT Strategy Sub-committee • MSD • ICTC • ITSS Conference • Division Heads • Social Sciences Divisional Board • [Happy for interruptions, also for feedback offline ict@ox.ac.uk] (2)

3. IT Users’ Group Report • “Of more general importance over the next 6 months is the ICT Strategic Review.  You will have received various emails over the last few weeks outlining the background to the review, the aims and the timescales involved.   It is impossible to understate the importance of this process: the strategic direction, priorities and governance of ICT in the University is to be decided by the review.   The website for the review can be accessed via http://www.ict.ox.ac.uk and I encourage everyone to visit it and get a feel for the activities.   I am certain there will be plenty of opportunity for everyone to make their views heard in the next few months and I can assure you that those of us who are members of the review group will work hard to produce a sensible, workable ICT environment for the University.” • Pete Biggs (3)

4. Colleges’ IT Group Report • “It was reported that an ICT Steering Group has been convened to develop an ICT strategy for ICT services and infrastructure for the collegiate University for the next few years. The Steering Group started its deliberations in June 2005 and will make its final report after taking advice from ICTC to Council General Purposes Committee and hence to Council in the spring of 2006. The Steering Group will seek wide consultation across the University to ensure that as the strategy is developed it receives wide support. Progress will be reported on a specially prepared website in the near future.” • Jo Ashbourn (4)

5. Contributing to process… • Pete and Jo (and Jeremy) are members of the ICT Strategy Steering Group • Significant contributions to activities from support staff • Scope for much more contribution • Return to this later… • Newsletters sent to all ICT staff, everything available on the web pages • Most important message • this exercise is undertaken in partnership with the collegiate University (5)

6. Background: need for change (6)

7. Case for change • Business Imperative: • ICT functionality needed for 21st century top-5 University • meet research and teaching needs • align with (academic) strategic priorities • Maximise ‘ICT Value’; • requires alignment of priorities with collegiate university • need to be able to measure and monitor ‘ICT Value’ • “In less than 3 years – uncompetitive” • Cost-effectiveness: • Industry experience suggests - reducing to industry benchmark level: • common procurement saves 20% (£1.2m) • Improved use of resources – more important • facilitates “value-added ICT” (7)

8. Other drivers… • The 2003 review of the Computing Services recommended:- • ‘that Council commissions the development of a University-wide strategy on the way ahead on information, communications and technology matters’. • ICTC prompted start of exercise in summer 2004 • Vice Chancellor also requested ICT Strategy, through Council • IBM emphasised need for an ICT Strategy on several occasions (8)

9. ICT Strategy Exercise • http://www.ict.ox.ac.uk/strategy/ (9)

10. ICT Strategy Web Pages • The Oxford University IT Strategy Programme: September 2005 to April 2006. • The Programme has launched 11 separate Work Tasks which will be overseen by the ICT Strategy Steering Group at five meetings, the first of which was on 6 September 2005. • The progress of the programme is reported in a fortnightly newsletter. • Please take a few moments to fill in our survey. This will be useful in ensuring that the programme takes into account the views of as many University members as possible • Purpose • The purpose of the ICT Strategy Steering Group is to guide the development of an ICT Strategy for .. • Terms of Reference • The terms of reference of the ICT Strategy Steering Group are to formulate an ICT strategic plan for the collegiate University in accordance with its corporate plan … • Membership of the ICT Strategy Steering Group (last updated 17 October 2005): (10)

11. V/C’s Oration • “ ICT is an integral component of the fabric of the University because it underpins our research, teaching, and administrative activities. Our current and continuing investment in ICT across these activities is significant and requires careful monitoring. In order to meet the relevant objectives in the Corporate Plan, an ICT Plan will be developed this year detailing the principles and processes necessary to deliver optimal, cost-effective ICT which will satisfy the University’s performance standards.” (11)

12. V/C’s launch of ICT Strategy exercise • Three main points, summarised as follows: • The University’s draft corporate plan includes a firm commitment to developing a coherent ICT strategy by April 2006. • Secondly, there would never be sufficient resources to meet all of the University’s aspirations. This underlined the importance of using, to the best possible effect, resources provided for support activities such as ICT. • Finally, one of the University’s great strengths is its federal structure and none of the thinking behind the establishment of the ICT Strategy Steering Group challenges the federal nature of the University. Indeed, conversely, there is scope for a more coherent ICT strategy and set of policies to underpin the enhanced fulfillment of individual aspirations. (12)

13. ICT Strategy Approach • Start from Academic Strategy (and draft Information Strategy) • Initially; top-down approach • Identify Oxford objectives:- • Research leadership; exceptional education; societal contribution; attract, retain and motivate high calibre students (staff), … • Capability mapping to meet objectives:- • Effective support to optimise environment for academics • Unrivalled unique Oxford learning (community) experience • Optimised access, sharing and exploitation of information • Integrated view of academic activity • World-leading research infrastructure • Dynamic and sustainable collection of world class teaching and research resources • High quality, optimal, flexible ICT services • Maximising revenue generating opportunities • Rewarding, stimulating working experience for all staff within collegiate univ. • Unpack ICT requirements to meet capabilities (13)

14. Case Study – Teacher (first draft) • Dr Wilson completes the last of his draft examination papers and, securely, makes them available to the external examiner. He is alerted to the submission of an assignment by his student Alex on Weblearn. He has a quick read online and sees an unfamiliar book reference. From within Weblearn he uses the University's OpenURL resolver to locate an accessible copy of the book which he reserves for his next visit to the library and, if any use, will update his reading list on Weblearn accordingly. He consults the University-wide calendar and suggests a date with which to meet with Alex. At this meeting he will also discuss and finalise Alex's third year options prior submitting them to the online student records system. Before leaving he lodges a booking request for a medium-sized centrally located lecture theatre for next term's lecture series. He expects the system to notify him with a list of available options around the campus which may be booked. (14)

15. Case Study – Researcher (first draft) • Professor Reader has the staff portal as her browser home page. She logs in from home with her single sign-on credentials. She is currently seeking continuation funding for her collaborative research project and obtains an instant expenditure to-date report from the financial system. These figures she can use as the basis for her current funding request, the preliminary costings for which she generates and submits online to Research Services. An email alert informs her that a colleague from a partner institution has uploaded a preprint for comment to the project's working space in Oxford's digital repository. She glances through the paper and makes use of the system's version control to add a reference and link to one of her own published papers before suggesting to colleagues an online conference to discuss outputs and the next phase of the project. • (use of super computing resources, …) (15)

16. A: Description and Goals endorsement and Gazette Publication (Paul Jeffreys) B: Ongoing Consultations(Sheelagh Treweek and Alan Gay) C: University Strategic Objectives and Plan(Paul Jeffreys) D: ICT Requirements for Collegiate University(Anne Trefethen) E: Federated Environment and Governance(David Watson and Paul Jeffreys) F: ICT Consultant and Team Interface(Paul Jeffreys) G: External Research(Nigel Herriott) H: Large Scale Investments(Paul Jeffreys) I: Timescales and Costs for Collegiate University(Mark Clarke and Annette Haworth) J: Development of Strategic Plan(Paul Jeffreys) K: Long Term Future-Stating(Michael Fraser) Work Tasks http://www.ict.ox.ac.uk/strategy/worktasks/ (16)

17. Membership of Work Tasks (14 Oct) (17)

18. Conclusions re. ICT Strategy Exercise • Improve and coordinate ICT provision for the collegiate University • Driven by needs of research, teaching, administration, business • Must be driven by the University - coordinated by the Steering Group • Genuinely difficult task to do correctly • Enormous investment in communication • All information available on web pages • As far as possible, work in close collaboration with University • The ICT Strategic Plan should be directed and owned by the University • Please complete the ‘Landscape Survey’ on main web page • But how do we determine best way to proceed? • Advice on best procedures to adopt – very welcome • Must derive a plan which is acceptable to you • Contact WT leaders if you wish to contribute/receive information • Regular reports (meetings, newsletters, Pete/Jo/Jeremy, …) • -> Really complex task; all advice gratefully received! (18)

19. End of presentation (19)