JISC

Universities and colleges can break down traditional barriers using new technology – that’s according to the latest issue of JISC Inform which looks at how relationships with students, businesses and the public can all be improved with digital tools.

The relationships are explored through a debate on whether the public should be involved in academic research; discussion of how voting technology and students’ own mobile phones can be used for teaching with Professor John Traxler, and a look at innovation in the lecture theatre.

The role of universities in helping companies out of recession by sharing business resources is also highlighted as part of this consideration of universities and colleges in the context of their surroundings.

But as budgets tighten, it’s also relevant to examine what universities and colleges can do to exploit their existing systems in-house.  There are now over 1000 resources added to the UK’s access management federation, so JISC Inform showcases a number of institutions that have got more value out of their membership and developed fresh business models for this complex area. 
Advice for managers on calculating the cost of open access is highlighted alongside a feature on integrating your IT strategy to help different departments work together more effectively.

As JISC prepares for a number of research focused events, there’s a look at how today’s tech-savvy researchers are doing things differently using digital tools, from interacting with literature online to using digital tools from Skype to GoogleWave.