Strategy 2010-2012
Foreword from the JISC Chair
Professor Sir Tim O’Shea
Whilst the passion and commitment of the sector to delivering high quality, world-class education and research remains unchanged since the publication of JISC’s 2007 strategy, the wider financial context within which UK education now operates is markedly different.
JISC’s new three-year strategy (2010–2012) reflects this changed economic environment. Its focus is on the continued provision of valuable, quality assured resources and computer network capacity to UK colleges and universities. In delivering these services we will seek to develop the capacities and capabilities necessary to maintain the UK’s position as a world leader in education and research.
Over the coming years the success of this strategy will depend upon a partnership between JISC and the creative education and research professionals with whom we work. This partnership approach must extend beyond the UK as we seek to build stronger links with like-minded organisations across the globe.
We work with all UK universities and over 500 colleges to help them secure value for money from their digital resources and administrative systems. But this strategy is not just about making efficiencies today, we are looking to the next ten years and how we can deliver financial and environmental best practice using digital technologies in order to improve the effectiveness of all institutions. Our committee members and staff are determined to deliver the objectives outlined in this document and to share with the whole sector the knowledge gained through our projects, programmes and services.
It is crucial for the UK that our education system continues to compete on the international stage by investing in innovation, research and increasing the availability of online resources. This strategy places JISC at the centre of building the capacity of our information technology communications infrastructure and ensuring the UK maintains its world-leading education and research, now and in the longer term.
Introduction from the JISC Executive Secretary
Dr Malcolm Read OBE
JISC’s 2010–2012 strategy has been written following considerable consultation with the community, stakeholders, experts, managers and funders. In particular we have sought to balance the requirements of the ICT and information experts and practitioners in universities and colleges, with the strategic concerns of senior managers and policy makers.
JISC’s strategy over the next three years is to help the sector meet the economic challenges facing it while maintaining the quality and productivity that has made the UK’s further and higher education and research sectors world class. This requires continuing to fund and develop the major shared services of online scholarly and academic resources, the JANET network, and focused advice and guidance to help the community exploit ICT as effectively as possible.
Our innovation activities will be focused on shorter term outputs in areas that have the potential to cut costs: shared services, green ICT, cloud computing, Software as a Service, and management information requirements. Innovation to improve the effectiveness of learning and teaching will continue focused on student progression and retention, and approaches to improving research collaboration techniques will continue to be promoted. Our longer term commitments to the open agenda will also be maintained, including open source, Open Access, open educational resources, and supporting open research and open innovation.
The 2010–2012 JISC strategy starts with an analysis of the education, research and technology environment trends, as the context for defining our revised aims and objectives, and continues with a development plan detailing how we will realise our strategy by working in partnership with our many stakeholders for the benefit of the UK as a whole.
JISC believes that in the difficult few years ahead the intelligent, imaginative and bold development of ICT infrastructure and innovation can significantly facilitate further and higher education’s essential role in building the UK’s knowledge economy.
Reactions to the JISC strategy 2010-2012
Duration: 9:42