A customer-focused Jisc redesigns the future
This is in response to our Wilson Review which stated that there should be a set of focused Jisc projects that create clear outcomes for our customers, the learning and skills sector, colleges and universities. We believe that through co-design we will achieve this and this programme - which includes five partners, Research Libraries UK, the RUGIT (the Russell Group... >>
Ten years of digital preservation recognised
On 3 December 2012 at the prestigious annual awards ceremony, the Digital Preservation Coalition (DPC) recognised initiatives from researchers around the world that have made an outstanding contribution to safeguarding digital resources for the future. The DPC is dedicated to developing the skills, knowledge and solutions to preserve and ensure access to digital information. 2012 marks the 10th anniversary of... >>
How to feed, nourish and sustain your digital resources
From the late Nineties, European and UK funding agencies across sectors, from education to cultural heritage, have invested significant resources in the creation of digital content in the not-for-profit sector. The grants have facilitated major digitisation and encouraged innovative work that paved the way for forms of scholarship and communities possible only in an online environment. In the words of... >>
Why “open education” matters
The first thing that has struck me about Open Education Week is how genuinely global it is. Scroll through the list of events and webinars and you’ll spot Brazil, Mexico, China, Korea, Africa, Spain, Europe. The big brand US universities might get more press coverage but they are certainly not the only innovators or the only approach. Look to OERu... >>
The digital humanities surrounds you
Stanley Fish recently published a blog post in the NY Times with the grandiose title, The Digital Humanities and the Transcending of Mortality . The article is engaging; it seems to sharpen the knife for the Digital Humanities but then decides not to stick it in (although that might be to follow). What strikes me about the post is that... >>
What is activity data and why is it useful?
Activity data is big business. We see it in the recommendations we get every time we look at something on Amazon, we see its importance every time we get asked if we have a club/nectar/loyalty card when we buy something and we see it in the fascinating story of the Netflix million dollar prize to improve film recommendations for their... >>
Remembrance Day: an opportunity to revisit our cultural heritage around WW1
To mark this event in international history is therefore a key priority for custodians of heritage and educators alike. We’ve already made considerable efforts to preserve online the memories and writings of those active during the First World War. The popular Great War Poetry Archive was funded by Jisc to digitise precious documents relating to the poetry of the Great... >>
Research data – why now?
This is very good time to talk about effective research data management. It has recently hit the headlines and now that a tweet can be considered a valid freedom of information request, the issue will become even more pressing for researchers and the organisations for which they work. Universities are already thinking about their submissions for the research excellence framework,... >>
Reviewing peer review
Last month I was asked to submit evidence to the UK parliament’s science and technology committee for their report about peer review. Though most researchers agree with the principles of peer review, many feel there is room to improve how that process is implemented. Jisc is already looking into tweaks to the current system, such as open peer review, including... >>
Why watching TV can be good for you
One hundred years ago this year the very first explosive device was dropped from the air in Libya, of all places, and the age of “war from the air” was inaugurated. Somewhere in Italy’s state archives in Rome are the photographic and audiovisual records of that war. But how easily accessible are these documents to researchers and learners? It is... >>
