Questions and acronyms

What is the Student Systems Programme?

The Student Systems Programme is overseeing the replacement and improvement of Oxford's current range of IT-based systems used in support of the administration of applicants and students. In practical terms, there are three main components to the programme:

1. To prioritise the replacement of the functions of the University’s existing core student records system, the Oracle Student System (OSS), by August 2013 when Oracle will stop providing support for it;
2. To work on better integration and data-sharing between the new student records system and other systems that are used in support of applicants and student administration, and to improve administrative processes;
3. To review those other systems to determine whether they are meeting requirements, and if they are not, to carry out development or replacement work where appropriate.

The aim is to provide systems that are easy to use and that effectively underpin improved administrative processes. Access to a single, or better integrated, source of applicant and student-related data will enable effective data management, analysis and reporting to support decision making and planning and Oxford’s commitment to world-class teaching and learning.

What are the workstream areas of the new system?

There are 11 workstreams in total. Each workstream is chaired by a senior member of academic or administrative staff with expertise in the workstream’s activities.  Workstream members have been nominated through consultation with divisions and colleges, the University administration and others in order to ensure that each workstream has a strong and focused team and is representative of colleges, halls, departments, faculties, divisions, central services and students.

How have work areas been prioritised? 

The Product Evaluation Group gave initial consideration to the prioritisation of activities and their timing over the coming four year period to help inform planning. In order to ensure that requirements for the new system are addressed appropriately, the development and delivery of each area of the new system is divided into eleven distinct parts (termed ‘workstreams’). These workstreams will ensure that requirements for the new system are addressed and developed appropriately. Each workstream will operate to its own timeline and priorities. Whilst the Planning & Resource Allocation Committee and Council have approved spending for the first two years of the Programme, detailed plans and business cases will be required in order to draw on this funding.

When will we see the new system in use?

The aim is to launch Degree Ceremonies functionality for September 2012. Core functions of OSS will be replaced by August 2013 and gradually rolled out, including Student Self Service. Between 2013-2015 review and replacement of other systems, for example, OxCORT and GSS will take place, alongside the consideration of new added features.

How can I keep up with the activities of the Programme and how they might affect me?

Subscribe to our progress update on Sharepoint for a monthly supply of programme news to your inbox.

The fortnightly AAD News Alert provides updates on the Student Systems Programme (you can tailor to just receive updates on system news) each term.

Progress reports are provided on a termly basis to the UAS Information Systems Board, Budget Sub-Committee of PRAC, Council’s main committees, and to Conference of Colleges and Divisions for inclusion with committee papers as appropriate. If you would like to request a termly update paper on the current status of the Student Systems Programme for a committee meeting, please contact AcademicAdmin.Comms@admin.ox.ac.uk. The latest report is available to view and download on the workstreams section of this site.

The governance of the Student Systems programme includes academic and administrative representatives from across the collegiate University, with a responsibility for effective local communication and acting as a consultative representative for staff members in local areas.  Each phase of the programme will include specific workstream groups to progress the necessary activities. Your workstream representative or a member of the programme team would be happy to discuss progress with you.

How can I get involved?

This ambitious programme of work needs the involvement of colleagues from across Oxford to help make sure the administrative requirements of the widest possible cross-section of users are addressed. The success of the programme depends on delivering systems that meet the needs of departments, faculties, divisions and colleges and that everyone will want to use, within the constraints imposed by finance, sustainability and the regulatory framework.

It is very important to the success of our systems that ideas and suggestions from around the University are captured, and from a range of levels of experience and expertise. There are a number of communications channels in place, providing an opportunity to actively contribute to the development of the new systems: 

• Discuss your ideas, or concerns, with your local workstream representative or a programme team member;
• Sign-up to receive the AAD News Alert for regular updates on programme activities and events (you can opt to just receive news on systems);
• Attend one of the termly Communications Briefings; 
• Follow progress through this Student Systems Programme website;
• Contact us with questions at: AADsystems@admin.ox.ac.uk.

How will the Programme engage with Colleges?

Colleges and Halls are already reasonably well represented in the development and delivery of the new system.  A number of academic and administrative staff members were involved in the procurement and selection phase, and others sit on the Programme Governance Groups and Workstream Implementation Groups. In addition, we are seeking to put in place a framework of College Champions to act as points of contact to receive and circulate communications about the Student Systems Programme; to help raise awareness of the timetable for changes that will affect Colleges, and to engage, consult and provide feedback into the programme to ensure that College requirements are fully represented. We hope that the College Champions will find their role rewarding, and there will be networking opportunities with College and University colleagues. During February 2012 we are writing to Senior Tutors and Bursars to seek nominations for a ‘College Champion’ to be involved in the new Student Systems Programme from each College and Hall to ensure that each has appropriate and sufficient representation.

How will the Programme engage with Students?

The Student Advisory Group will ensure that students are consulted and communicated with as the programme develops, will provide feedback on the requirements and proposed functionality of Oxford’s student systems, and will act as a forum for discussion of student expectations, views, and use of emerging technologies - such as social media and file sharing sites. The group will meet formally once or twice a term with immediate activities to include looking at the digital tools currently available to Oxford students and taking part in a research exercise. This group is not limited to those who are knowledgeable in IT.  

Why is Oxford replacing its core student record system?

Oracle’s support provision of statutory updates for OSS will discontinue in 2013. Whilst service will be maintained and regulatory updates developed by Business Services & Projects until OSS is replaced, there will be no further enhancements, just essential fixes. The need to replace our core record system offers an opportunity to evaluate these other systems that underpin administrative processes, the integration and data-sharing between these systems, and the processes that support their functions.

Which other systems are affected?

At the core is the Oracle Student System (OSS), our student record database. A range of important services are delivered by other student systems which connect with OSS. These include: for student progress reporting, the Graduate Supervision System and the Oxford Colleges Online Reports for Tutorials (OxCORT); for the management of teaching and learning provision, the Student Enrolment System and DAISY; a separate examination timetabling system (CMIS); for support of postgraduate applications, Embark (a third-party product); and ADSS (Admissions Decision Support System) and ADMIT (bespoke systems supporting undergraduate admissions). Alongside are other established systems that are key to our support for teaching and learning activities across Oxford, including Tableau reporting, WebLearn, Nexus, Infosys, and the pilot of the Scientia timetabling system.

What is the timing for this work and who does it affect?

The Student Systems Programme will be running through to July 2015, affecting students, academic and administrative staff. The initial priority will be to replace OSS by August 2013, followed by a further two years of improvements to other systems and administrative processes.

Who will design the look and feel of the new system?

An e-vision specialist group is to be set-up as a sub-group of the TOOL workstream. The aim of this group is to discuss and agree on the requirements and the design of the to-be Staff and Student portals once SITS, the new student system goes live.

Who is responsible for this work?

Responsibility for centrally-provided systems in Oxford lies with the Registrar, reporting to Council, with advice and oversight for administrative systems provided by the University Administration & Services Information Systems Board. Recommendations are taken up through the Planning & Resource Allocation Committee and its Budget Sub-Committee. In the case of student systems, proposals are further considered by Education Committee.

Coordination and leadership of student systems strategic development is provided by the Student Systems Programme Board, chaired by Michael Sibly (Deputy Registrar). The Board, which includes academic and administrative representation from across the collegiate University, is overseeing the procurement, replacement and development work. Regular operational review is provided by the Student Systems Management Group, chaired by Keith Zimmerman, Director of Student Administration & Services, and Programme Sponsor.

Under this framework, the development and daily operation of the Student Systems Programme is provided by staff in the Academic Administration Division, working in close partnership with Business Services & Projects and Computing Services.

What is the selected product?

The product is SITS:Vision, the UK market-leading student management software system, supplied by Tribal Group. Tribal is a leading provider of technology products and services to the education, learning and training markets. With over 70% of the market, SITS:Vision is currently used by more than 130 higher education institutions around the world to manage student admissions and course administration, including over half of the Russell Group of universities.

SITS:Vision comprises a ‘back office’ database that will mostly be used by a small number of super-users and supported by class-room training, and ‘e:Vision’, a user-friendly ‘front office’ web view, which will be used by the majority of academic and administrative colleagues and by students. e: Vision enables the input of data and taking of information and reports from the system and is designed to be intuitive to the user. Support will be available through online help and step-through guides.

Oxford will use SITS:Vision to support all the major stages in the student lifecycle, from pre-application to graduation, and to improve data-sharing with other key systems that support activities associated with Alumni and Development, Finance and Personnel. The aim is to provide timely access to consistent and up-to-date information for academic planning, oversight, and teaching and learning. Access to e:Vision will be through the same web URL for staff and students, from any internet connection, and requiring only the University Single Sign-on.

What about the home-grown option?

The Product Evaluation Group representatives discussed the merits of evaluating a bought-in product vs an in-house development option. The following summarises the main points of discussion:

• Before embarking on an in-house project we must see what is state-of the art and commercially available and then assess if it could be done better in-house.
• Those who would build the in-house system would need to assess themselves whether or not it could be made better than an off-the-shelf system.
• In-house will take a long time and if we follow that route, the human resources will need to be ring-fenced at great expense. As a result it was suggested that if there is an 'off-the-shelf' system that is suitable, we should take it.
• We may be able to build a system that will accommodate all our requests but the cost could be significant.
• Looking at bought-in gives us a start to consider what we might do better ourselves if necessary.

There was agreement within the Product Evaluation Group for assessing first core end-to-end student record products and considering in tandem whether we can build ourselves or buy off the shelf and develop as we need. When we get this right, we can then consider various add-ons and development of the satellite systems using the supplier specialist areas via work stream groups. The suppliers specialising in providing only certain modules should be analysed at the same time as the two short-listed end-to-end suppliers.

When will work on the selected product start?

From August 2011. We aim to allow up to four years for an incremental implementation of core aspects of the chosen solution, function by function. This will enable development of systems that effectively support our processes and requirements.

From June 2011, work will take place with Legal Services and Procurement in negotiating contracts with the new supplier, alongside technical preparations to enable the foundation work to commence on 1 August. This will entail making the software available to the core team to use for initial set-up and to gain a good understanding of the basic functionality to inform discussions around the definition of the academic model within the product.