How to devise a sectoral ICT policy plan for HE

1. Models for ICT Policy Planning and
Implementation in Higher Education
Dr Eric Kluijfhout
Conference on National ICT Policy for Higher Education in Ethiopia
Addis Ababa, 26-27 February 2008
Ministry of Education of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia
&
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, the Netherlands

2. Outline
• ICT at three levels
– Work processes in HEIs
– ICT applications in HEIs
– Technical infrastructure
• Review of existing IP Plans for HE
• Some examples of national IPP approaches
• Dimensions in IP planning & implementation

3. Processes, applications and
technical infrastructure
Accounting
Student Services
lecturer HRM
student
Library
Facility
management
Processes student student
Wireless LAN
Applications/
Software services
Technical infrastructure
Internet

4. A process view of a university
institutional
inputs/re- outputs effects
processes
sources
students employees
graduates
staff entrepre-
new neurs
funds knowledge
economic
facilities University
Community developm.
information services
…………

5. institutional
resources outputs
processes
strategic management
students tactical management
staff core process:
teaching/learning & research graduates
funds
support processes new
facilities knowledge
student HRM accoun-
services ting
information
facilit. Library
manag. services

6. ICT applications in support of:
•Find content
Statistics
Office automation:
Library
Stores Ledger
General system
Positions
Admissions
MIS
Communication:
•Create content
Publish café
Internet &
Ordering share
Registration
QA system
Inventory
Staff records
•Mail processing
•WordPayable
Distribute content
research outcomes
Maintenance
Acc.
Allowances
Student Records
Document
CD-ROMs
•Communicate
Virtual
Allowances
E-journals
Timetabling
WorkReceivable
Acc. scheduling
management
Spreadsheet
Chat strategic management
•Cooperate
communities
Salaries
HRM system
Certificates
……………….
•Voice o I
•………….. tactical management
Drill & practice
Domain-specific
……………….
……………...
•Simulations
research tasks
www
•VLE
…………… core process:
•…………..
•…………… teaching/learning & research
support processes
student HRM accoun-
services ting
facilit. Library
manag. services

7. Technical infrastructure
ISP-1
Internet
router
modem
router
Home
MoE router
University 2
router
Internet cafe
router
University 1

8. Review of existing IPPs
• 12 national IPPs for HE
• Looked at major priorities/objectives
• Beware:
– Not all the same level of detail
– Sometimes objectives overlap
• Common topics: 
– Technical (data communication) infrastructure
– Strategic application areas/systems & services
– Digital content
– Organizational & regulatory framework
– Knowledge infrastructure/ICT capacity building

9. Some examples of IPPs for HE
• New Zealand
• Australia
• UK
• Netherlands

10. New Zealand
• ‘ICT Strategic Framework for Education
2006-2007’
• By the MoE
• 10-page high-level policy document
identifying national priority areas and their
implementation schedule 
• Covering the whole educational sector
• Implementation largely through the MoE

11. Australia
• ‘Learning for the knowledge society’
• By the Australian National Training Authority
• 95-page glossy 
• Covering the whole educational sector
• Implementation on the basis of various underlying
documents by councils, advisory groups, etc.
through programmes and projects for the different
sub-sectors 

12. UK
• ‘JISC Strategy 2007-2009’
• By non-governmental organization (the Joint
Information Systems Committee)
• 35-page report 
• Covering Higher Education & Research
• Implementation through direct investments
(network infrastructure), cooperation, promotion,
and innovation tenders (ICT services)

13. Netherlands
• ‘SURF Strategic Plan 2007-2010’
• By HEIs membership organization
• 27-page glossy with priority areas 
• Implementation on the basis of annual plans
through direct investments (network),
software services development, promotion,
and innovation tenders

14. Some dimensions in IPP definition
• Organise responsibilities & ownership:
– Policy development
– Policy approval
– Policy implementation
– Financing
• Topics/joint activities:
– Technical (data communication) infrastructure
– Application areas/systems
– Digital content
– Organizational & regulatory framework
– Knowledge infrastructure/ICT capacity building
• Demarcation between:
– National level
– Institutional level
• Time frame:
– Policy: 3-10 years?
– Implementation plans: (bi) annual?

15. Thank you
eric.kluijfhout@gmail.com

16. Models for ICT Policy Planning and Implementation
in Higher Education
author: Eric Kluijfhout, eric.kluijfhout@gmail.com
Commissioned by: Centre for International Cooperation, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
De Boelelaan 1105, 1081 HV Amsterdam, the Netherlands
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-
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Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 26-02-2008