We have already had some fantastic successes in Library and Information Services (LIS) as part of the Digital Transformation Plan. In the All Staff email from May 2023 we provided key projects that fall under the Digital Transformation Plan and since that point we moved on at pace with the following updates of what our teams are doing:
Cyber Security Information Programme
The Cyber Security Information Programme has so far delivered:
- Hybrid cyber security monitoring of the University is in place 24/7/365.
- Standardisation of our approach to the re-certification of Cyber Essentials (CE) and Cyber Essentials Plus (CE+) and schedule 6 monthly Penetration Tests on the Universities networks and systems.
- Progressing in Attack Surface Reduction (ASR), reducing the amount of attack vectors that threat actors have to compromise our data and networks.
- Building in automation, initially for routine security checks.
- Improved coverage of multi-factor authentication on key University systems, to ensure personal information is robustly protected.
- Introduced a new and improved security awareness training platform for staff, and published a course for all students on Moodle, to better protect themselves, their families and the University.
Our next steps include:
- Increasing multi-factor authentication on key University systems that hold personal information
- Review of the IT Security policies to ensure they remain relevant and helpful
- Building a collaborative approach across LIS and the wider University to foster relations and enable a security conscious environment.
Information Management Improvement Programme & Learner Analytics
The Information Management Improvement Programme and Learner Analytics have so far delivered:
- The Student Experience & Course Outcomes (SECO) dashboard went live in January to prepare for the next year's course EquiP process. This was our first dashboard to be published and built-in Power BI and showcases the benefits well.
- Focus groups have been held on the student-facing engagement app and it has been well received from the students so far. More work to do for the next academic year.
- Nearly finished the migration of the student engagement dashboard for staff.
- The new Azure integration hub project is underway with the first few integrations getting started with our partner consultancy
- We worked on getting HR data into the warehouse and started a very early pilot of a manager's dashboard to show current staff and absence. Work to continue when it becomes a priority again.
- Determined some core reporting principles for definitions of data, populations, and design formats for Power BI.
- Created an environment to allow for citizen reporting and principles being developed.
Our next steps include:
- Creating an architectural plan to migrate away from Oracle for the data warehouse
- Working on the three core BI proposal priorities: Student Number Planning, Recruitment, and Course & Module performance.
- Exploring more Learner Analytics data sources to be included and more rules to go into the Data Quality dashboard to help with UK Visa & Immigration (UKVI).
- Producing other high-quality boards and report to support senior management decision-making
HR Digital
For HR Digital the programme has so far delivered:
- Launch of the iTrent Recruitment module (July 23) Adoption of this change has been positively felt by the whole university and now means that the whole recruitment process, from approval through to offer accepted, is now captured within the same system. This has removed many unnecessary manual processes and improved reporting potential regarding the HR recruitment process.
- Introduction of Hornbill for requests for variation to existing contracts such as change of hours, FTC extension and FTC to permanent.
- All permanent employees now have access to the Employee Self Service meaning that all staff can view and manage their own data.
- Introduction of the iTrent Onboarding Portal (July 23). Candidates receive a pre-recorded welcome message from the VC, as well as being able to sign and return their contract and complete a range of onboarding tasks all via the portal. Again, a move away from a paper-based process.
- Offboarding modules (July 23) - All staff now receive an online exit survey and have restricted read-only access to ESS for 30 days after they leave the organisation allowing them to view and print payslips and P60's.
Our next steps include:
- The link-up of the Identify Management Vault with the HR System, iTrent, resulting in the streamlining of the JML (Joiner, Mover, Leaver) processes significantly increasing efficiency and improving the user experience.
- Implementation of Paid Time module later this year. A systemised approach to the current manual, paper-based timesheet process increasing efficiencies and accuracies with the submission of the timesheets making payments made more accurate. User Acceptance Testing has completed, and the system is being configured for staff use.
- The launch of Organisational Charts within iTrent, enabling staff to effectively and dynamically understand how the University is structured.
- Provision of new reports to the UEB giving them an overview of their workforce on a yearly, rolling, and month by month basis.
- Streamlining of the contract variation process within iTrent.
- Implementation of the Performance Management module, to move the PDR process from Simative to iTrent. The functionality to record manager 121s will also be available.
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