JISC

Promoting the development, uptake and effective use of ICT in support of the management of institutions

Promoting the development, uptake and effective use of ICT in support of the management of institutions is a key strategic aim of JISC’s. Much of this work is carried out by the JISC Organisational Support committee (JOS) which during the last year saw its remit expand to reflect the changing needs of the sector in this often important area.

In December last year the first comprehensive report of its kind in the UK explored the restrictions on access to ICT by staff in FE and HE and the impact of such restrictions both on individuals and on the institutions which employ them. The JISC-funded survey, which covered more than 100 FE and HE institutions across the UK, found that most institutions in both FE and HE do not have a formal policy governing which staff have their own PC. Academic, clerical and research staff are most likely to have their own PC in both sectors, with catering, cleaning and estates staff most likely not to, said the survey. The survey was praised for providing vital intelligence to the education community about gaps in ICT provision for staff and for outlining priorities for future action.

May saw the launch of the Information Systems Management and Governance Framework, which provides institutions with a guide to the analysis and review of the effectiveness of their information systems. This and the self-assessment toolkit which consists of guidelines and associated software to support and review the management and governance of information systems has already proved useful in helping institutions with their auditing processes.

During 2007 a new strategic framework for JISC’s Organisational Support Committee was introduced reflecting the changing needs of the sector in this important area. The strategic framework identifies a number of priorities, particularly: thinking about how staff roles, responsibilities, relationships and ways of working are changing in response to the adoption of ICT; e-administration and the shared services agenda; and, in response to an increasing need for the sector to respond to the sustainable development agenda, work which considers managing the sustainable environmental impact of ICT. Building on the strengths of the previous JOS work programme and reflecting the new strategic framework, a new work programme has been developed that considers: the role of technology within the strategic management of institutions; architectures of business functions and the higher levels of the e-Framework;changing staff roles and responsibilities; e-administration, and business innovation.

To further the work on e-administration, a 'Think Tank' event was held in June, with representatives from a variety of stakeholder groups and organisations, including the Association of University Administrators (AUA), the University and Colleges Information Systems Association (UCISA), the Standing Council of National and University Libraries (SCONUL), members of JISC committees, the JISC Executive and Services, and members of staff from Higher and Further Education across the UK.

Advisory Services

JISC’s Advisory Services  provide considerable benefits through providing leadership, advice and guidance to the sector on a range of issues relating to the use of ICT. A Value for Money Report published in early 2007 provided for the first time evidence of the extent of these benefits and JISC’s Advisory Services were shown to deliver significant economies of scale. 

A new publication from the JISC TechDis service, specialist in the fields of inclusion and accessibility, highlighted the ways in which independent Specialist Colleges are progressing opportunities for disabled people in higher, further and adult education. Specialist Colleges: Specialists in Innovation details the highly successful outcomes of Innovation Fund projects funded by the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) and JISC.

RSC third round

The Regional Support Centres in England, Northern Ireland and Wales were awarded funding for a third round from 2007-2010 (with the Scottish Regional Support Centres having already started the third round in 2006). 

The role of the 9 JISC Regional Support Centres (RSCs) in England were expanded in the last year to include the Work Based Learning (WBL) sector. This is part of the ongoing strategy of the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) to extend e-learning across all of the post-16 sectors. The RSCs will work closely with the national partners, who are already working in the sector, and will provide regional signposting of LSC and partners’ WBL initiatives, projects and outputs. The Welsh RSC received additional funding to support the Adult and Community sector.