Introduction

The UNI consists of two Campus ...

Policy Summary

Special note on Software Development and Deployment

It is noteworthy from the analysis of ICT projects of the other three Universities in Nicaragua as well as internationally, that very similar needs are expressed with respect to Software projects: Academic registry, Human resources, Library, Accounting.

With todays possibilities of information interchange and communication across country and continental boundaries it seems feasible, that a joint effort to achieve Software Applications that not only fullfill the individual universities needs, but even are inter-operable across the Internet would generate more sustainable programs with lesser cost for the individual project partners.

In fact, similar projects have had quite great success and approved development models, like Open Source and Free Software are available.

To foster collaboration and make a starting point, UNI adopts a firmly albeit tolerant position toward Free Software Development and Deployment.

The following are general guidelines, to be understood as UNI politics to-wards Software Projects to be contracted and to be developed in-house:

1. If a Free Software Solution exists for a certain problem domain it's acquisition, training and use is prioritised before similar or slightly better commercial solutions.
2. Economical savings out of reduced acquisition costs with respect to the lowest bider of proprietary solutions are re-invested into improvement of the Free product or a lateral product like distribution, training, elaboration of manuals, translation or improvement of the software.
3. Participation of the faculties of computer sciences and systems in Free Software projects is incentivated economically.

   UNI installs typical implementation and collaboration tools like Savannah o the Sourceforge Systems in its computing facilities, to foster the creation of Free Software Projects.

4. Any externally or internally contracted Software production project will be produced and released under Free License terms.

   Programmers which can not agree to work under a Free Licence paradigm can not be contracted by the University.

5. Production Tools, operating Systems and application software with Free Licenses will be made available via own distribution means to the university population at most at the production costs.
6. Free Software development and usage knowledge will be made available to the university population by means of their integration into the standard curriculae and open accessible courses.