1.1. Policy Framework

All policy within the University must ultimately be approved by Council. Council can delegate certain responsibilities to the Vice-Chancellor who has set up the Planning and Budget Committee (PBC) as a major source of advice. PBC consists of the University Executive and Deans and is the senior advisory group on non-academic matters to the Vice-Chancellor.

The Information Strategy Committee (ISC) is the peak group within the University to provide policy, strategic and budgetary advice on Information Technology issues to the Planning and Budget Committee.

ISC seeks views on such issues through a range of different channels including the IT Users Committee (ITUC), the Teaching and Learning (Multimedia and Educational Technology) Committee (T&L(M&ET)C), the Teaching Infrastructure Committee (TIC) , the Library Committee and senior managers of IT and related activities.

University Regulation 8.1R7 and 8.1R8 govern use of the University's computing and communications facilities. The regulations make a crucial point that University facilities are for use on University business only, and they set out the University's requirements for efficient and prudent management of IT facilities.

http://www.unimelb.edu.au/ExecServ/Statutes/r81r7.pdf

http://www.unimelb.edu.au/ExecServ/Statutes/r81r8.pdf

1.2. The Information Technology Strategic Planning

The following is an overview of the IT Strategic Plan. The full plan is online at http://www.infodiv.unimelb.edu.au/about.htm

1.2.1. Background

» To achieve a position of leadership and competitive advantage it is important that the University of Melbourne has an effective strategic plan for the use of information technology in research, academic computing, teaching, learning, and administration.

» The need for an IT Strategic Plan is necessitated by several factors:

• The need to link IT investment decisions with the Strategic Plan of the University

• The need to use technology as a strategic asset

• The acceleration of technological advances

• The need to establish a position of technology leadership that is consistent with the institution's strengths

• The need for IT to support change initiatives

• Explore new developments that will address the challenge to the university over the next 3 years

» This Plan is not just a plan for Information Services but rather a Strategic Plan for information technology for all of the University of Melbourne.

» This Plan does NOT encompass the research into and teaching of IT in academic programs. It does not encompass all aspects of information and is to be complemented by a Teaching and Learning Management Plan for enhancing Teaching and Learning through information technology.

1.2.2. Vision and Mission

VISION

The Vision is of a University of Melbourne international in character and focus, and world class in the staff and students it attracts, the research and scholarship it produces and the academic standards to which it adheres; a University adding immense intellectual, cultural and professional energy to the City of Melbourne, and serving Victoria and Australia by performing and being acknowledged as one of the finest Universities in the world.

MISSION

To make the University of Melbourne one of the finest Universities in the world.

1.2.3. Purpose

The Information Technology Plan fits within the context of the Strategic Plan of the University.

The purpose of the IT Strategic Plan for the University is to:

1. Ensure that IT strategy is aimed at meeting the stated vision and mission of the University.

2. Provide leadership in the creative use and application of Information Technology.

3. Focus on the major challenges for the next three to five years.

4. Apply resources to implement the plan and strategies for optimising them.

5. Allocate responsibilities across the University in achieving the plan.

6. Guide the University in its planning and actions.

1.2.4. Environment

THE CAMPUS EXPERIENCE

The University of Melbourne has an agenda which aims to harness the best attributes of a physical campus with technology. A decision has been made to embrace multimedia teaching and learning technologies, not so much to extend to off campus offerings, but as a way of strengthening the campus experience and provide a quality experience for students. The most profound educational interactions will continue to occur in face-to-face interactions.

IT solutions will need to take account of the changing student demographics and expectations.

EQUITY

One of the challenges we face is the need to improve communication to campuses other than Parkville. This is not only a matter for the University, but also for government as regional areas demand better communication at lower costs.

It is also important to consider the needs of students who may be disadvantaged as a result of disability or socio-economic factors.

RAPIDLY CHANGING ENVIRONMENT

The term IT Planning is almost an oxymoron in that the environment is changing so rapidly. This often means that the best technology today is replaced by tomorrow's technology. No University has the funds to make system changes each time a new system adds greater functionality to it. It is even more important in this environment to make strategic decisions which will last for a defined period before migrating to a new advanced system, recognising that the best selection now will need to be sustained until a changeover can occur during the normal resource cycle.

GROWTH IN DEMAND

The use of ICT is now ubiquitous in most universities and in many aspects of our society. The growth in its use nevertheless continues. This, together with a high degree of built in obsolescence and changes in user expectations, places severe pressures on the technology and support infrastructure, especially in a steady state or low growth budget. Increased demand for services such as internet services (over 40% growth per annum in traffic), more online disk storage, higher bandwidth networking must all be absorbed, reducing capacity for innovation.

HIGHLY DECENTRALISED

The University of Melbourne IT environment is one which is characterised by a high degree of decentralisation, with a need for centralisation where it is prudent and cost effective to do so. It is an environment which recognises that educational decisions must be made at the program level, while technical decisions need a greater degree of central coordination. This dichotomy means that we have a shared agenda requiring that there is a close relationship between IT centrally and the academic program. It also means that it is very important to engage University members in the Strategic Plan.

RESOURCING

The internal resource structure of the Division is both complex and inconsistent. There is tension between what should and can be provided centrally and what services and products should be paid for by Faculties and Departments. This tension will continue as different needs evolve. In the University environment there is a mismatch between expectation and IT provision as needs are escalating and funding remains relatively static. It is important that the capital growth of the University is matched by appropriate funding to cover infrastructure and to ensure effective asset management particularly in the area of life-cycle replacement planning for all IT resources.

IT STAFFING & SKILLS

The University employs a large number of staff in Faculties, Departments and the Administration to maintain and develop the University's IT programs. The recruitment and retention of key IT staff is a matter which we will need to pursue more vigorously, through flexible and attractive remuneration, challenging and interesting work assignments, and innovative training and development opportunities.

RISK MANAGEMENT

The IT environment is experiencing increased security threats and risks through hackers, viruses and other means. The University is highly dependent upon IT and therefore any major or serious security breaches could have significant impacts on the operations and business of the University. Even small or minor disruptions can affect productivity of staff and service delivery. It is vital that IT security be at the forefront of planning and investment decision.

1.2.5. Positioning the University

The University's IT Strategic Plan must position the university to respond to future trends by planning for and developing now, the infrastructure and services that will be required in two to five years time.

Information Technology is now an essential and almost ubiquitous aspect of the University's operation. The appropriateness and effectiveness of our IT infrastructure and support services will help to shape the direction the University can take and will be a key factor in our reputation as a great University.

Some of the general trends and environmental factors which will have an influence on the IT developments in the University are:

» Students increasingly fit into the category of part time workers and have enormous constraints on their time. They require easy, consistent and seamless interactions with the university, using technology such as a portal with common standards and interfaces; anywhere, anytime access to the University's key resources through secure and responsive networks, and access to information which is timely, accurate and appropriate. This applies to both their administrative and academic needs.

» The on-campus experiences will need to provide campus-wide connectivity using both, high speed wired access, as well as wireless facilities so that students can be mobile and choose to study, learn, or interact socially, wherever on campus it best meets their needs. The type and nature of space required by students can be influenced by the new technologies.

» When staff and students are off campus, whether working from fixed locations or travelling throughout the world, they will expect practical approaches to remaining connected. In particular, equitable access to the Universities systems, facilities and information sources will be required from regional campuses.

» Teaching spaces must be of a consistent quality and of a standard befitting a great University. They will be expected to be fully equipped and ready for use on walk in/walk basis as detailed in our AV/IT teaching spaces management plan.

The merging of different technologies (multimedia) in the teaching and learning process will have a major effect on how teaching spaces are equipped and influence the infrastructure required to meet user expectations.

» The university's web pages will be the main access point for staff and students and must be clear, correct and easy to use. The expectation that the Web will provide everything will require a wide range of information to be provided electronically. Information such as print archives and audio visual material will be linked with other electronic information and made available to staff and students through subject and discipline-based portals. Self-help will be promoted as students and staff increasingly expect automatic interactive self services, including interactive voice recognition, self check out for loans and unmediated comment delivery systems and smart card systems for easy access to buildings and e-commerce.

» Knowledge is a critical factor affecting an organisation's ability to remain competitive in the new global marketplace. Organisations therefore need to recognise it as a valuable resource and develop a mechanism for tapping into the collective and intelligence and skills of employees in order to create a greater organisational knowledge base. Knowledge management accomplishes this goal.

» In the context of increased globalisation, especially education, we will need to pursue international linkages and collaboration to leverage research and development resources and enhance access to research technologies for the university. Global partnerships such as through Universitas 21 will also provide greater opportunities for sharing teaching and learning best practice and benchmarking with allied institutions.

» To ensure that the investment in High Performance Computing results in quality research, we will need to ensure that the capability of APAC, VPAC and the university's local HPC resources are further promulgated and used by a broader range of researchers. Techniques such as visualisation have the ability to present research output to a broader audience and to improve the education experience for many students.

» By 2003 the university will have moved to a new online courseware delivery system which is expected to be WebCT (Cobalt). This rollout will be resource intensive and sits alongside the University Administrative Systems project which is replacing administrative systems at the enterprise level. The implementation of these systems will require a very significant effort by staff throughout the university and has the potential to curtail other developments for some years.

» The increased reliance on, and use of, information technology has the potential to both reduce costs through more efficient processes, and also has the potential to significantly increase cost in other areas such as online learning and collaborative research. The flexibility to re-assign resources as expenditure patterns change and the ability to pre-empt new trends though the investment in appropriate technology will be a key factor in the University becoming a great university.

1.2.6. 2002 Key Strategic Initiatives for Information Services

Details at http://www.infodiv.unimelb.edu.au

1.2.7. Faculty IT Strategy

Faculties are responsible for faculty IT strategy and Faculty IT Strategic Plans. Faculty IT strategies should conform to the general IT strategies of The University of Melbourne.

Many faculties have an IT Committee that meets regularly to discuss IT matters of strategic importance to the faculty and the Faculty IT Strategic Plan.

1.3. Decentralisation versus Centralisation

Guidelines

The following is a summary of services and whether they are best centralized or decentralized. It should be noted that generally IT services should support and reflect the management style of the organization.

Information Services is directly responsible for the provision and maintenance of the Central Services.

 Table 1: Dencentralisation vs Centralisation

Task/Activity/Facility   Central Services   Decentralized Components  Network and communication infrastructure   The core network, overall networking standards, security services and links to external providers must be a central responsibility.  At the UoM this includes the University Central Web Proxy Cache, the connection and gateway to external communications providers and remote campuses, liaison with external agencies (such as Auscert, AARNet, the Federal Police etc.). All off-campus links.  Overall network security and cabling standards, Allocation of domains and some central services.  Although the University operates central email services there is no compulsion to use them. This incurs significant additional work and costs to the University.   At the UoM the Local Area Networks in Buildings are the responsibility of the respective cost/organizational units. LAN installation must adhere to the standards issued by the ID.  There are many Universities which make the Central Network Organization responsible for all networking (to the plug in the wall). This requires a different funding model from that currently in existence in the UoM. Present UoM model is increasingly a concern in that there is a many: many relationship between organizational units and buildings, and those relationships change.  Telephone Services (Fixed Line)  Responsible to handset. Call costs charged out. Switchboard services centralized at Parkville to ensure standardization of services, charging schemes and connectivity.  For remote campuses, some switchboard services provided locally.  Telephone Services (Mobile)   Policy being developed   Centre has provided advice, but provision by Departments to date.  University IT standards   Standards are developed through a number of mechanisms. The University provides considerable opportunity for most sectors of the University to have input into the development of standards. In addition to specific working groups of expert staff, draft standards are submitted to the IT Users Group, to ITAAG, to the Information Strategy Committee and to Planning & Budget Committee before being promulgated.   The promulgation and enforcement of standards which have been developed through the approved mechanisms by Information Services must be improved.   University standards are adhered to in some areas such as cabling standards.   There are however no effective mechanisms to ensure adherence to agreed standards except through ITAAG. The ability for cost centers to ignore agreed standards (even after extensive consultation) adds significant costs to the University's IT operational and support costs. It also reduces the opportunity to enter into large scale agreements to get better deals.   University - Internet gateway through the Victorian Regional Network .  This service must be centralized. It is not appropriate for Faculties and others to set up alternate Internet access. AARNet currently offers the best value service available.   Dialin services, for use outside Melbourne and by heavy users in Melbourne, are on the other hand outsourced and should stay that way. There is no value to be gained by centralizing relationships with dialin ISPs or broadband ISPs - it's a highly competitive market with little benefit to be gained through collective bargaining  Note:  For regional campuses some ISPs may develop services which are cheaper or better than AARNet  General-access student computer laboratories   Some central labs are of benefit as they help smooth out uneven services between faculties. At many Universities all general purpose labs are the responsibility of the central IT department; at some they are totally devolved. In a large complex University a mix such as ours benefits the students the most.   Computer laboratories used for teaching are and should remain a decentralized responsibility.  Lecture theatres - AV & IT   Central support and management of shared teaching spaces at Parkville.   Devolved support of local departmental teaching spaces and all teaching spaces at locations other than Parkville  End-user support and Training   Central support for LITES and for students using centrally-managed general access labs. Some generic training is centrally coordinated.   End-user support, in the main, is provided by local staff.  Maintenance of personal computers   Provided by local staff under agreed protocols  Management of 'LAN Servers'   Central standards and support for server administrators  Local resourcing and management of LAN servers  Investigation of abuse / disciplinary action   Where the breach is of University Regulation the investigation/action must be central   The Centre and departments must co-operate on this in all matters of IT abuse.  Wireless networking   Standards must be central. Central (or not) implementation and payment (for setting it up, for maintaining it, and for network traffic) depends on what the objectives are. It is vital that the implementation allows wireless devices to move around the campuses and connect from various locations (unlike our wired net). A central model is advisable, even for regional campuses.   In practice, devolving any traffic costs may be too hard, if the objective is to allow people to roam. This means a system of quotas on external traffic accessed through a centrally funded wireless network.  It may be possible for locally-operated and funded wireless networks to co-exist with a centrally operated network, and that would give departments the option to provide for their own use and at their own expense, unlimited wireless access. To manage interference issues, it's essential that authority to approve local installations be centralized.  Overall Network Security   This must be managed and co-ordinated centrally. The Information division is empowered to disconnect servers or LANS that are compromising security of other departments, central services or the reputation of the University.   Assistance is required to effectively apply the appropriate security protocols and procedures by staff in Faculties. It is imperative that technical support staff receive the appropriate training and maintain a knowledge of security issues.   Core corporate administrative systems   The overall design and operation must be a central responsibility but developments must involve staff from all areas.   High Performance Computing (HPC)   Significant facilities can only be managed centrally. Increasingly the University will need to be a member of a consortium (e.g. VPAC, APAC) to be able to offer state-of - the art facilities.   Modest HPC can be achieved at the cost center level through the use of high-end workstations, servers and clusters. For leading edge research central facilities which are available to a range of researchers are the only affordable option.  Management of site licensing agreements and distribution of information databases.   Should be carried out centrally.   Some exceptions apply as agreed by ISC.  Management of campus-wide support and maintenance arrangements   Where it is practical to get bulk contracts there are considerable opportunities for savings but it is important that the administrative costs do not outweigh the savings.   Teaching and learning support systems.   The infrastructure (hardware and administrative systems) should be managed centrally for seamless access by students and staff and greater sharing of multimedia developments.   Decisions as to what data to put up, how the students are to interact with the system and how the student interaction is to be managed must be a devolved function.  Corporate data accumulation and interchange architecture   A central MIS function.   Operation of major time-share systems   A central support function.

Created: November 1996
Last Modified: 30 March 2007
Authorised by: Vice and Deputy Principal(Information), Information Division.