To achieve the aim of having the best digital facilities that are fitting of the Top Modern UK University - we have further innovation on the horizon as detailed below:
Modern Workplace - Google to Microsoft 365
The migration of the University from Google to Microsoft 365 (M365) is one of the next key projects to fall under the Digital Transformation Plan 2023-2028. This project will build a new modern digital workplace in which staff and students will be able to more efficiently and effectively interact with the Universities systems, digital facilities and its data. This project will be done in stages to limit disruption to teaching or professional services. The changes will be done in conjunction with a specialist team of experts. Our London Campus have been the forerunners in moving to M365 and we look forward to bringing the rest of the University on board.
Digital Campus
Our aim is to create a digitally integrated physical and digital campus in collaboration with the Estates Masterplan. This programme will look at improving the management information on building space usage to allow for better management of space and effective use of the campus, improvement in security with better digital access controls, development of apps to signpost hot spots to campus users, direct our people to their next appointment through integration with the timetabling/calendar and maps and apps to augment physical campus tours/open days with the virtual campus. The teaching facilities within lecture and seminar rooms will also be enhanced to improve their performance, making them easier to use, and more integrated with modern user devices.
Developing the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) smart
AI is already around us helping us in our daily lives and the University is already using AI to improve the efficiency of some tasks and produce better outputs. AI will be used to improve the support given to users making it easier for them to find the solutions to the problems or questions they may have about the digital environment they are interacting with. AI will be used to provide better intelligence to the University enabling it to plan and make more informed decisions to improve the outcomes of the University and achieve our strategic ambitions.
Digital Superheroes
To support the implementation of the Digital Transformation Plan 2023-2028 Library and Information Services (LIS) have launched our volunteer Digital Superheroes to champion all things digital. We have successfully recruited 70+ Digital Superheroes from across the university who meet with Library and Information Services on a six-weekly basis.
Our Digital Superheroes role are to:
- Provide updates to their areas of business on key messages from Library and Information Services
- To be a voice for the user community - obtaining feedback and questions from their areas of business to be passed to the relevant project teams to help us delivery better delivery solutions and experiences.
- Become a superuser who will receive enhanced training on new digital technologies for their and colleagues benefits.
Since recruitment, our Digital Superheroes have been focused on:
- Attending six-weekly sessions with members of the Digital Transformation Plan project teams to understand and disseminate the latest updates on workstreams such as The Modern Workplace Project and Google Data Housekeeping.
- Providing updates to their areas of business on key messaging from Library and Information Services, e.g Google Data Housekeeping requirement by 1 July 2024.
- Being a voice for the user community - obtaining feedback and questions from their areas of business to be passed to the relevant project teams.
- Taking their first steps to become Microsoft superusers by receiving initial training from the Library and Information Services (LIS) Training Team on how to use Microsoft Teams. Our volunteers have also created a Digital Superheroes Teams Group in conjunction with members of Library and Information Services to support clear collaboration routes.
Please identify who your local Digital Superheroes are and reach out to them if you require support.
Feedback
Feedback from the university is important to Library and Information Services to make sure we get these changes right first time. Embracing the Digital Transformation Plan will mean changing the way that we work in order for our organisation to grow. A key element to the success of the Digital Transformation Plan is our people and affording opportunity for feedback through the duration of this process..
If you have any feedback on the Digital Transformation Plan please contact us: digitaltransformation@port.ac.uk.
New Data Centre Project
The new data centre will be used to host a proportion of the University's critical IT infrastructure that supports the IT services we all use. The new data centre will be located to the west of St Andrews Court building on the previous Nuffield building car park with construction works expected to start this autumn.
This project has been initiated to replace one of our legacy data centres on campus with a smaller, more energy-efficient data centre. Our legacy data centre has reached the end of its useable life, so to ensure we continue to provide secure, resilient and high-performing IT service a new data centre is required.
So far the location of where the new data centre will be built has been identified, and we have selected a specialist partner who will be building the new data centre and moving IT services to it in 2025.
The project's next steps are to focus on the design of the new data centre so that planning permission can be granted. We will look at how the new data centre will look from the outside for aesthetics and fitting into its environment, to internally how the facility will operate.