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•QUICK
SCAN SURVEY
PART B: PRIORITY AREAS FOR DEVELOPMENT
Developing
Information and Communication Technology (ICT) services for institutes
of higher education and research.
QUESTIONNAIRE
January 2000
General Information
Universidad
Nacional de Ingeniería, UNI
1. Responsibility
for strategic management
1.1 Which group
(office, directorate, department, committee, council others) is
the main responsible body of the university for strategic planning
and decision making concerning university wide developments:
In the order
of importance:
University's
Direction Committee: In charge of the decision about priorities,
planning and evaluation of planned activities for the whole University.
University's
Technical Council: In charge of University problems discussions
,proposals about planning, and priorities.
1.2 What is
the composition (who are members) of the groups mentioned in the
answer of 1.1:
Members of
the University's Direction Committee:
- Rector
- General
Vicerector
- General
Secretary
- Administrative
Vicerector
- Academic
Vicerector
- Research
and Development Vicerector
Members of
the University's Technical Council:
- Rector
- General
Vicerector
- General
Secretary
- Administrative
Vicerector
- Academic
Vicerector
- Research
and Development Vicerector
- Dean of
the Science and Systems Engineering Faculty
- Dean of
the Electrothechnic and Computer Engineering Faculty
- Dean of
the Architecture Faculty
- Dean of
the Chemistry Engineering Faculty
- Dean of
the Industrial Technology Faculty
- Dean of
the Civil Engineering Faculty
1.3 Does the
university have a recently updated and well-documented strategic
plan? If the answer is yes, can a copy be made available to the
consultants?
UNI does have
a long term plan for strategic development (2000 to 2010), here
you can find it as ANNEX B1 as well a short term plan (2000 to
2002), attached as ANNEX B2. Both are in spanish.
1.4 Does the
university have a group (office, directorate, department, committee,
other) directly responsible for the development of ICT based university
wide applications? If the answer is yes, what is the name of this
group and who are members:
No. We don't
have a single group or entity in charge of it for the whole UNI.
1.5 Does the
university have a computer centre (or other ICT oriented entity)
what provides ICT services to the administrative and academic sector?
If the answer is yes, name the main services the centre is providing
to internal clientele:
Yes, UNI has
two campuses, Campus "Simón Bolivar" and Campus
"Pedro Arauz Palacios". In each campus we have one main
Computer Center, the Computer Center at the Faculty of Science
and Systems Engineering for the Campus "Pedro Arauz Palacios"
and the Computer Center at the Electrotechnic and Computer Engineering
Faculty for the Campus "Simón Bolivar".
Main services
provided:
- Support,
installation, and maintenance of Information Systems to the whole
UNI
- Network
and connectivity responsible for the LANs and amongst the LANs
at UNI
- Provision
of UNI connectivity to INTERNET
- Design,
implementation, and planning of the Communication infrastructure
- Basic ICT
training demanded for the faculties they belongs.
1.6 Does the
computer centre provide services to external clientele? If the answer
is yes, which services does it provide?
Yes, in the
case of the Computer Center of the Campus "Simón Bolivar",
at the Electrotechnic and Computer Engineering Faculty. The Computer
Center is providing INTERNET connectivity to several external
clients. It is also provided some courses about UNIX, LINUX, Server
Configuration, etc. to external clients demanding such courses.
> Up
2. Priority
areas for development
2.1 What are
the main areas for development identified in the strategic plan
or (if such a plan is not available) defined by the university management?
- To upgrade
the existing computer capacity for research and education to a
minimum standard of 1 PC per 3 teacher (140 PCs in total), 1 PC
per 20 students (450 PCs in total) all of them with a reliable
connection to INTERNET (email, browsing, etc.).
- To set a
computer facility at the central libraries (50 PCs per campus)
for bibliographical consults to specialised educational and research
databases (virtual library) for students and teachers, as well
offering INTERNET connection for academic use.
- To set a
computer facilities (15 PCs) at each faculty library (six faculties)
for bibliographical consult to specialised educational and research
databases (virtual library) for students and teachers, as well
offering INTERNET connection for academic use.
- Definition
of sustainable management (i.e. reposition, maintenance, and normative
of use) of the computer capacity at UNI, including the Computer
Centers.
- Setting
up of videoconferencing facilities for the continuous education
at UNI, with partners from international Universities.
- Automation
and standardisation of the database and control systems for Human
Resources management at the whole UNI.
- Automation
and standardisation of the financial systems at the whole UNI.
- Designing
and standardisation of a UNI's Research Database for information
to the whole UNI about the Research activities, this database
will cover the thesis done by the students.
- Automation
and standardisation of a central information systems about teachers
plan of activities, administration of classes supervision and
other academic information.
- Promotion
of the UNI activities, teachers and student achievements, internal
normative, research production, publication of on-line magazines
using INTERNET (web site of UNI).
- Implement
the Academic Registration System, to record the academic student
situation, curricula data, examination results, status of the
scholarship given, and the professional record of outcome "production"
from UNI. This information system should cover the statistical
systems about the academic work at UNI.
- Implement
an automated and open service about Academic Registration via
PCs for students.
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2.2 Please define
priorities for the following (possible) areas for development by
ranking the areas with a number in the range of 0 to 10. The number
0 will indicate “no priority/need at all” and the number
10 will indicate the highest (top) priority. Please try to avoid
to give same numbers to different areas
|
Possible
area for development |
Priority
10 = top
priority 0
= no priority |
| Setting
up (or upgrading) of university wide Internet/e-mail facilities
ncluding
the satellite connection for UNI or better to the pool of
Universities in this project (UNA, UNAN-M, UNAN-L and UNI).
This INTERNET facility should provide interuniversitary connectivity.
Promotion
of the UNI activities, teachers and student achievements,
internal normative, research production, publication of on-line
magazines using INTERNET (web site of UNI).
o
upgrade the existing computer capacity for research and education
to a minimum standard of 1 PC per 3 teacher (140 PCs in total),
1 PC per 20 students (450 PCs in total) all of them with a
reliable connection to INTERNET (email, browsing, etc.).
|
10 |
| Setting
up (or upgrading) of university wide telephone system |
3 |
Implement
(or rehabilitate) a computerized financial information system
Automation and standardisation of the financial systems
at the whole UNI. |
7 |
Implement
(or rehabilitate) a computerized library information system
To set a computer facility at the central libraries
(50 PCs per campus) for bibliographical consults to specialised
educational and research databases (virtual library) for students
and teachers, as well offering INTERNET connection for academic
use.
To
set computer facilities (15 PCs) at each faculty library (six
faculties) for bibliographical consults to specialised educational
and research databases (virtual library) for students and
teachers, as well offering INTERNET connection for academic
use.
|
9
|
Implement
(or rehabilitate) a computerized human resource management information
system
Automation and standardisation
of the database and control systems for Human Resources management
at the whole UNI. |
5
|
Implement
(or rehabilitate) a computerized academic register information
system
Implement the Academic
Registration System, to record the academic student situation,
curricula data, examination results, status of the scholarship
given, and the professional record of professionals educated
by UNI. This information system should cover the statistical
information about the academic work at UNI and it should be
centralised at the UNI Academic Register Center with link and
connectivity to/from the Faculty Academic Register office (six
Faculties). It is foresee the need for PCs in LAN-WAN configuration
at every Faculty's management layer as well the University's
management level.
Implement
an automated and open service about Academic Registration Information,
via PCs, for students.
Automation
and standardisation of a central information systems about
teachers plan of activities, administration of classes supervision
and other academic information.
Designing
and standardisation of a UNI's Research Database for information
to the whole UNI about the Research activities, this database
will cover the thesis done by the students...
|
8
|
| Implement
(or rehabilitate) a computerized public and external relations
information system |
4
|
| Implement
(or rehabilitate) specific, ICT based, applications for education
and research such as GIS and CAD |
3
|
Implement
(or rehabilitate) ICT based (distant) learning programs
Setting up of videoconferencing facilities for the
continuous education at UNI, with academic partners from international
Universities. Such videoconferencing capacity should be ready
for external campus lecturing (rural areas) as well the most
important cities without University covering. |
7,5
|
Other
1 (please specify)
Training in management of Computer Centers with focus
in sustainable management (i.e. reposition, maintenance, and
normative of use).
Acquisition of technological software for academic
use for the different Engineering at UNI in order to have the
"state of the art" tools supporting the knowledge
base of each curricula. |
6
|
In the past
years, the Internet has become the main communication infrastructure
and contact point for the global scientific and academic community.
However, for many institutes of higher education and research
in developing countries (already facing for many years a decreasing
access to international scientific publications and other information
resources) this main communication infrastructure is yet not available,
thus increasing the already existing isolation of the scientific
and academic community in these countries.
Many if not
most institutions of higher education and research consider access
to the Internet as of utmost strategic importance. On line, real
time access to various information resources such as libraries,
scientific news groups, electronic journals, training materials,
public software pools, academic and scientific data bases and
educational programmes available now a days on the Internet will
improve the management, administration, research and education
of the institutions. In turn, it will also enable the institutions
to present their research, educational and other outputs matching
international standards to the outside world and it will improve
the competence, societal position, and (national and international)
reputation of the respective institutions being public institutes
for research and the dissemination and distribution of expertise
and information.
2.3 In case
setting up university wide Internet/e-mail is ranked as one of the
5 top priority areas for development, what impact (or benefits)
can be expected of making access to the Internet available to management,
administration and service support:
Improved communication
with external organisations
Enhanced public
and international relations through publishing on the web the
UNI activities, UNI plans and projects, activities of teachers
and student achievements,
Improved
internal communications, with an increasing knowledge of internal
normative at UNI
Access to
databases through the World Wide Web (WWW)
2.4 In case
setting up university wide Internet/e-mail is ranked as one of the
5 top priority areas for development, what impact (or benefits)
can be expected of making access to the Internet available to education
and research.
Staff and
students will be exposed to ICT by the upgrade the existing computer
capacity for research and education. The a minimum standard proposed
of 1 PC per 3 teacher (140 PCs in total), 1 PC per 20 students
(450 PCs in total) all of them with a reliable connection to INTERNET
(email, browsing, etc.).
Internet/e-mail
will allow cost efficient communication with lectures and researchers
in other parts of the world, as well internally and inter-universitary
researchers.
INTERNET publication
of the research production, and publication of on-line research
magazines.
The students
and staff will get access to external data bases and electronic
information resources. This will be the vehicle for bibliographical
consults to specialised educational and research databases (virtual
library).
> Up
2.5 Describe
in brief on the following pages for the five areas for development
having the highest ranking, the problems the application of ICT
may address and the benefits you expect to gain from successful
application of ICT in these areas. If the setting up of university
wide Internet/e-mail belongs to the top five areas, refer to the
question given in 2.4
2.5.1 First
priority area for development:
Description:
Setting
up (or upgrading) of university wide Internet/e-mail facilities
Including
the satellite connection for UNI or better to the pool of
Universities in this project (UNA, UNAN-M, UNAN-L and UNI).
This INTERNET facility should provide inter-universitary connectivity.
Promotion
of the UNI activities, teachers and student achievements,
internal normative, research production, publication of on-line
magazines using INTERNET (web site of UNI).
To upgrade
the existing computer capacity for research and education
to a minimum standard of 1 PC per 3 teacher (140 PCs in total),
1 PC per 20 students (450 PCs in total) all of them with a
reliable connection to INTERNET (email, browsing, etc.).
|
|
Problems
to be addressed:
Lack of reliable INTERNET connection, which is
limiting the access to knowledge, research experiences in
the areas of interest of UNI, interchange of ideas amongst
collegues in other Universities. INTERNET is by fact the most
common communication way amongst the academic, and probably
becoming like that to all society sectors. Not having INTERNET
connection is becoming an island with any chance to get in
to the global knowledge production and international quality
standards at the UNI's academic and technological interest.
|
|
Benefits
expected:
A reliable
INTERNET connection, will open the access to knowledge, research
experiences in the areas of interest of UNI. Will allow interchange
of ideas amongst colleges in other Universities. We expect
to set and increase the tradition of knowledge interchange
as a tool for developing. Having the contact via INTERNET
will allow to the global knowledge production and international
quality standards at the UNI's academic and technological
interest. By the INTERNET connection we can have access to
specialised research and educational databases.
|
> Up
2.5.2 Second
priority area for development
Description:
Implement
(or rehabilitate) a computerized library information system
To
set a computer facility at the central libraries (50 PCs per
campus) for bibliographical consults to specialised educational
and research databases (virtual library) for students and teachers,
as well offering INTERNET connection for academic use.
To
set computer facilities (15 PCs) at each faculty library (six
faculties) for bibliographical consults to specialised educational
and research databases (virtual library) for students and
teachers, as well offering INTERNET connection for academic
use.
|
|
Problems
to be addressed:
Lack
of reliable library connection to INTERNET, which is limiting
the access to databases for the work on the research and educational
material available at specialised databases as well the INTERNET
it self.
Lack
of actualised information of the books available at each Central
Library (one per campus, 2 in total) and at the Faculty Libraries
(a least 6 in total). Lack of administration of the lend-borrow
system about the books in circulation.
Limited
facility for the demand of the 9,000 students looking for
information and/or books all over the UNI. Lack of information
about the books available in other Universities, probably
useful in educational and research projects.
|
|
Benefits
expected:
A
reliable and open library connection to INTERNET, which allow
access to databases for the work on the research and educational
material available at specialised databases as well the INTERNET
it self.
Access
to information about the books available at each Central Library
(one per campus, 2 in total) and at the Faculty Libraries
(a least 6 in total). Better administration of the lend-borrow
system about the books in circulation.
Covering
the demands and use of the 9,000 students looking for information
and/or books all over the UNI.
Hopefully
this Library System can be linked amongst the other Universities
for inducing the availability of books from other Universities,
so we can have a National bulk of books available to this
Information System.
|
2.5.3 Third
priority area for development:
Description:
Implement
(or rehabilitate) ICT based (distant) learning programs
Setting
up of videoconferencing facilities for the continuous education
at UNI, with academic partners from international Universities.
Such videoconferencing capacity should be ready for external
campus lecturing (rural areas) as well the most important
cities without University covering.
|
|
Problems
to be addressed:
Limited
education available or accessed by cities far from Managua,
capital city. There is a need, no attended, for training and
qualification of people living not in Managua. The situation
is leading to a migration of some population originated by
the search for better education, such migration is having
an impact in the personal economics, expensive living in Managua,
as well an impact to the housing in the capital.
|
|
Benefits
expected:
To
strength and to enlarge the education services to remote areas
of the Country. This area includes training and support to education
programs about prevention for catastrophes, community development,
community projects and alternatives for facilitate the learning
and develop process, based in education, to a National wide
spread way. |
> Up
2.5.4 Fourth
priority area for development:
Description:
Implement
(or rehabilitate) a computerized academic register information
system
Implement
the Academic Registration System, to record the academic student
situation, curricula data, examination results, status of
the scholarship given, and the professional record of professionals
educated by UNI. This information system should cover the
statistical information about the academic work at UNI and
it should be centralised at the UNI Academic Register Center
with link and connectivity to/from the Faculty Academic Register
office (six Faculties). It is foresee the need for PCs in
LAN-WAN configuration at every Faculty's management layer
as well the University's management level.
Implement
an automated and open service about Academic Registration
Information, via PCs, for students.
Automation
and standardisation of a central information systems about
teachers plan of activities, administration of classes supervision
and other academic information.
Designing
and standardisation of a UNI's Research Database for information
to the whole UNI about the Research activities, this database
will cover the thesis done by the students.
|
|
Problems
to be addressed:
At
present the Academic Register Systems of the university is
mainly characterised by:
Largely
manual operations and hence long processing cycles;
Duplication
of same information in various registers and also sections;
No standard
procedures and data management not standards by each Faculty
and the Central Registration Office.
High possibility
of human errors and consequent additional manpower efforts,
time and costs
Up to
date and reliable information not readily available;
Situation
of backlogs of works with an increasing trend each year
|
|
Benefits
expected:
Shortened
processing cycles;
Standardisation
of the information in all the Registration Offices ;
Standardisation
of the procedures and data management , including open access
to the whole UNI officess.
Direct
availability of up to date and reliable academic data for
decision making (groups of classes definition, clasrooms administration,
educational resources management), search of information open
to students (avoiding manual answers, cues, etc,), better
vision of the academic dimension and foreseeable bottlenecks
in the Academic Administration and Management, both for top
level managers as well the Faculty level managers.
Planning
with back-logs and historical trends the academic management
and priorities at UNI.
|
> Up
2.5.5 Fifth
priority area for development:
Description:
Implement (or rehabilitate) a computerized financial information
system
Automation
and standardisation of the financial systems at the whole
UNI
|
|
Problems
to be addressed:
At
present the financial system of the university is mainly characterised
by:
Largely
manual operations and hence long processing cycles;
Duplication
of same information in various registers and also sections;
High possibility
of human errors and consequent additional manpower efforts,
time and costs
Up to
date and reliable information not readily available;
Situation
of backlogs of works with an increasing trend each year
|
|
Benefits
expected:
Shortened
processing cycles
Direct
availability of up to date and reliable financial data for
decision making
Direct
availability of up to date and reliable financial data for
planning and prioritisation of budget use and good knowledge
of the incoming sources and its behaviour.
Budget holders
within the faculties will have direct access to the central
financial database for budget queries. |
2.5 In case
an comprehensive project on ICT will be started for your university,
who will be assigned the role of project supervisor (or director)
with the responsibility to supervise and monitor the whole implementation:
Name project
supervisor:
On discussion.
Most probably will be a committee in charge with representatives
from the two campuses' Computer Center. This committee will have
a co-ordinator acting as a project supervisor.
Present function:
The members
are currently related to the Computer Centers operation and Management.
Telephone
number:
(505) 2772650;
2705126
Fax number:
(505) 2773709;
2705125
E-mail address:
For the time
being all information should be addressed to Ing. Mario Caldera,
Rector: rectoria@uni.edu.ni, Ing. Marcia Vargas, Vicerectora:
mvargas@uni.edu.ni and to Leonel Plazaola, Project Director: leonelp@tmx.com.ni
.
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2.6 In case
such an ICT project will span five areas for development with the
highest ranking, mention the names of the persons who possible will
be assigned the responsibility as sub-project managers for project
management of the respective areas of development?
|
First
priority area for development:
Name
sub-project manager:
On
discussion. Most probably will be a committee in charge with
representatives from the two campuses' Computer Center. This
committee will have a coordinator acting as a project supervisor
and the members will act as sub-project manager.
Present
function:
Telephone
number:
Fax number:
E-mail
address:
|
|
Second
priority area for development:
Name
sub-project manager:
IDEM
Present
function:
Telephone
number:
Fax number:
E-mail
address:
|
|
Third
priority area for development:
Name
sub-project manager:
IDEM
Present
function:
Telephone
number:
Fax number:
E-mail
address:
|
|
Fourth
priority area for development:
Name
sub-project manager:
IDEM
Present
function:
Telephone
number:
Fax number:
E-mail
address:
|
|
Fifth
priority area for development:
Name
sub-project manager:
IDEM
Present
function:
Telephone
number:
Fax number:
E-mail
address:
|
3. Recurrent
cost for operation and maintenance of ICT services
3.1 Please give
an estimate of the annual cost for (national and international)
communication in the past year
Cost for international
communication (telephone calls, cellular phone calls, fax, other)
in 1999 US$ 30.000,-
Cost for national
communication (telephone calls, fax, other) in 1999: By law the
public Universities are exempt of paying national calls.
3.2 For many
counterpart universities in development the main bottleneck for
operating Internet services are the recurrent cost for bandwidth.
For a modest facility (for instance: an Internet channel with a
bandwidth of 128 Kbps out, 512 Kbps) serving the whole university,
the recurrent costs may vary in the range of US$ 5.000- 7.000/month.
In case financial
support can be attracted from an external donor organisation for
setting up a comprehensive data communication network and advanced
Internet facilities, but no external financial support can not
be expected covering the recurrent costs, what would be possible
scenario’s for the university to solve this problem of high
recurrent cost.
In the coming
4 years it will not be realistic to expect that our University
can cover the amount of US$ 5000-7000/month from its own resources.
Taking into account the strategic importance of Internet for education
and research, our university will make budget reservations for
this purpose trying to cover such costs partially and increasingly
every year.
<End part
B>
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