Page 20 - DUT Annual Report 2020

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DURBAN UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY ANNUAL REPORT 2020
In 2020
90%
Culture. The Moving the Middle focus area is being piloted in one academic programme per faculty.
Digital Environment
The migration to and institutionalisation of digitisation seeks to help us achieve the following two sub- objectives: agile, efficient and effective ways of learning and working and, in turn, optimised service delivery. The outbreak of COVID-19 accelerated the uptake of our digital platforms like Moodle and MS Teams, that we had taken for granted for some time. Almost all of our operations have since taken place virtually, with different divisions and faculties conducting their meetings, lectures and support programmes to staff and students virtually. We had to implement blended teaching and learning in an attempt to save the 2020 academic year. During 2020 at least 90% of our students were active on DUT’s learning management system (Moodle) and other online platforms.
In an attempt to improve the turnaround time on procurement of goods and services, we piloted the electronic requisitioning process up to the value of R200 000.00. Indications are that the system is functioning optimally. Processes are already afoot to implement the next limit of up to R500 000.00. Further, we implemented a number of digital sub-systems in various portfolios, including Procurement, HR, Teaching-Learning, Research- Innovation. For example, a new DUT data warehouse was implemented utilising the PowerHEDA platform late in 2019 and AutoScholar, a data analytics system used to track student performance, was further enhanced during the year. As part of these information technology (IT)-related developments we will also introduce an electronic security system in 2021.
As reported earlier, the approval of the SRC Electoral Policy by Council paved the way for online SRC elections for the 2020/21 SRC held from Monday 16 November 2020. That marked a watershed moment for the University, after protracted engagements with various student leadership formations including the SRC.
The DUT Information and Communication Technology (ICT) strategy calls for the migration of all ICT systems
DUT’s learning
active
system (moodle)
of students
on
management
other online platforms
to the cloud computing environment, thus removing highly risky dependence on physical infrastructure. This will allow for work to continue despite circumstances caused by strikes and other natural disasters. It will also increase efficiency, with less dependence on individuals and manual processes. Moving the ICT systems to the cloud also means that all new systems that DUT acquires must support cloud deployment. It also means that old ICT systems need to be replaced. A typical example here is where we have concluded investigations into a new Customer Relationship Management/Service Management platform, as the current system does not provide all of the features required.
DUT has an archaic ERP that is not cloud-based. ERP solutions using a closed business architecture were designed to support the process improvement needs of the past, such as transactional efficiency and data integrity. These ERP systems are not flexible enough to enable a business to succeed in the digital economy, which demands new products and services and the ability to respond to new business moments. An attempt to procure a new ERP system was made in 2020. As noted earlier above, under Performance Management, we will have it in place in 2021 after more work has been done to ensure that this occurs.
State-of-the-art Infrastructure
The framework for DUT’s infrastructure development is the Long-Term Spatial Plan 2020 – 2040, which was approved by Council in 2019 and submitted to DHET. The concept of state-of-the-art infrastructure involves, amongst others, creating learning, working and living spaces that are interactive, dynamic and shared and that foster collaboration. Such spaces will also imbue a yearning for education, creativity, imagination, interaction and experimentation. In addition to everything else that these spaces will afford us, they will also serve as crucibles for lasting social moments to be treasured into the future.
When the year 2020 started, two new projects – namely the engineering building at Indumiso Campus and student administration and leisure facilities at