JISC

Outstanding ICT Initiative of the Year Award - Sponsored by JISC

ICT is transforming the ways in which universities support learning, teaching and research as well as the ways in which they undertake their own business, management and administrative functions. Examples of exciting and innovative use of ICT abound across the sector, examples of innovation which are leading the way in demonstrating the potential of technology to enhance education and research.

This award, sponsored by JISC, will recognise and reward an institutional ICT initiative which has demonstrated an innovative, strategic and potentially far-reaching use of ICT in support of the goals of that institution.

The award is open to higher education institutions, teams or departments in the UK.

See the shortlist

Judging panel

The judges for the award are:

• Alison Allden  Deputy Registrar & Director of Information Services, University of Bristol and Chair of JISC's Integrated Information Environment committee (JIIE)
• Professor David Baker  Principal of the College of St Mark and St John and Chair of JISC's Content Services committee (JCS) 
• Sarah Porter  Head of Development, JISC
• Norman Wiseman  Head of Services and Outreach, JISC

Background 

Gerard Kelly, Awards Director at the THES, gives the background to this year's awards: 'The reaction to last year’s Times Higher awards was overwhelming. More than 80 per cent of universities in the UK entered one or more categories while over 800 attended the Awards dinner last November.
 
Our principal aim was to raise awareness of and reward the huge contribution British universities make to the economic and cultural health of the country, one that in our view had gone largely unheeded. I am delighted to say that, with your participation and the backing of leading figures in Government, business and the higher education sector, we have begun to shine a light on a few of the many achievements that have made UK universities among the best in the world.

To build on this positive response, we have added new categories to reflect the excellent work that universities do in ICT, Marketing and the Arts. And to accommodate the many individuals and institutions that did not manage to get a place at last years Awards, we will be moving to a larger venue.

I would like to thank the original sponsors for their past and continuing participation, new sponsors for their anticipated support, our judges for their time and expertise and, most of all, the many individuals who took the time to enter. With their help and enthusiasm I hope and expect The Times Higher Awards will be an even bigger celebration of the sector this year.'

Professor David Baker, one of the judges of the JISC ICT award, says the award will be a showcase for innovation in ICT: 'There is a need for good practice and examples of innovation to be more widely shared. With the THES awards having quickly become a showcase for some of the best and most exciting work being done in higher education, we hope this ICT award will likewise bring to wider attention those examples of innovative and far-reaching uses of ICT.’

For further information, please contact: Philip Pothen or visit THES Awards