Oxford's Computing Model
Delivering Computing Services to the University
The University of Oxford enjoys a devolved computing structure which provides local computing resources and support to complement centrally provided enterprise services. The ICT Strategy Programme (2007) consulted widely and confirmed that this model is the preferred choice. However, a devolved structure requires more overall investment than a centralised model, is more challenging to manage, and more difficult to ensure it is secure (Brian Hawkins, President, Educause, presentation October 2007).
The main central ICT service provider is Oxford University Computing Services (OUCS). This department, part of University Administration Services (UAS), is responsible for services direct to the user (network, backup, email, training etc.). The ICT Support Team (also within UAS) delivers a shared computing desktop environment for UAS, OUCS and the Bodleian Libraries. A further section within UAS, Business Services and Projects (BSP), provides commissioned ICT services which underpin enterprise-wide services (finance, student information, human resources, estates etc.). Finally, the Bodleian Libraries, within the University's Academic Services and University Collections section (ASUC) provides ICT services to support their users.
OUCS is responsible for delivering services to the front door of departments, colleges and institutes within the University of Oxford. Local ICT staff are responsible for delivering ICT services to their users. They manage the local networks, the desktop machines, laptops and the software which run on the computers. They have responsibility for making sure the ICT resources behind the front doors are secure, meet regulatory requirements, reliable, effective and provide an appropriate interface to the services run centrally.
There are c. 600 ICT Staff in the collegiate University of which approximately one third are based in the centrally provided services. One of the conclusions drawn by the 2007 ICT Strategy Programme (this recommendation emanated from the IT staff themselves) is that this cohort would be more effective if they had a forum through which they could share best practice, find ways to cooperate, and take a collective responsibility for the services that are offered. This recommendation was acted upon and an ICT Forum was formed in 2007: ICT Forum.
Diagram of the ICT Structure within the University, showing the divide between locally managed and centrally managed services:
*The PRAC ICT Sub-committee is responsible for
The 2007 ICT Strategic Plan recommended the creation of a new governance structure for information and communications technology with a new ICT Sub-committee of the Planning and Resource Allocation Committee (PRAC). This aimed to provide improved co-ordination and interoperability of services as well as more input from academic departments and colleges in determining the scale, quality and cost of ICT services. The same objectives have also been supported by the Services Funding Working Group of Council's PRAC. Against this background, as announced in the Gazette (2007), Council agreed to create the ICT Sub-committee of PRAC with a specific brief to inform and advise PRAC and Council on matters of ICT policy and budgetary issues. See now: The PRAC ICT Sub-committee (PICT)
Although some universities have adopted a centralistic approach to the provision of ICT, this would not be appropriate for the University of Oxford, and the challenge is to provide the most cost effective, secure, reliable ICT services which meet regulatory requirements within the devolved model (World-wide reviews of HE organisations conducted by Educause indicate that Universities are gradually moving back towards a more centralised approach: Educause Report [pdf 1.27 MB]) The University has to recognise that a devolved ICT structure requires more investment and is harder to manage than one which is delivered from a single central operation.
Furthermore, the federated environment in Oxford, where staff are deployed within autonomous units, must operate through consensus and collaboration. Software applications run on local machines must interoperate with enterprise services provided centrally. Quality-assured ICT services must be delivered from end-to-end, where the chain includes any combination of central and local services to the user. Best practice must be shared.
Whilst devolved ICT infrastructure may be found within the commercial sector, there is a fundamental difference from higher education. Companies use ICT to give competitive advantage and ICT tends to be measured by its ability to improve profits. In the HE context, the profitability of the organisation needs to be assessed in rather different terms: for example, in the extent to which it supports and fosters flexibility and creativity amongst its members. Furthermore, a devolved ICT environment within higher education, where the principles of academic freedom and subsidiarity are important, will tend to override any attempt by the centre to rollout uniform ICT services to all staff and students
Measuring the University of Oxford's ICT against frameworks (For example, the COBIT framework,) which define quality and performance is likely to lead to recommendations which need careful interpretation; frameworks of this type expect centralised provision (at least in the sense that an organisation has full control over its staff and services). Significant conclusions will be drawn because measurements will be made against robust metrics, but addressing the recommendations will be challenging. Changes within the highly devolved structure (It is widely thought that the University of Oxford has the most devolved ICT structure anywhere within higher education) will be far more complicated than within a centralised structure, more resources will need to be invested, and more time will be needed to bring the changes through consensus.
Ref: 17.ODIT.PWJ.University of Oxford's Computing Model, 7 Nov 2007 version 4.doc
Written by Professor Paul Jeffreys (2007), updated by Miranda Llewellyn (2011)