Projects and Programmes Digest: Hilary Term 2025
Find out about new and ongoing projects and programmes across the five digital portfolios and how these will affect you
There is a huge amount of ongoing work taking place to modernise and upgrade our existing infrastructure and systems and also several major new programmes starting up that will transform how we do things at Oxford across IT, HR, Finance and Research:
- Technology Portfolio Projects and Programmes
- Education Portfolio Projects and Programmes
- Engagement & Dissemination Portfolio Projects and Programmes
- Research Portfolio Projects and Programmes
- Administration Portfolio Projects and Programmes
Technology Portfolio Projects and Programmes
The Technology Portfolio ensures that key IT infrastructure remains supported while advancing the University’s digital ambitions. It also enhances the University’s ability to mitigate and respond to the growing cybersecurity threat. We are currently working to replace the network switches that connect departments and colleges to the backbone network and strengthen data back-ups to provide extra protection in worst-case scenarios. We continue to upgrade the University’s underlying infrastructure and enhance our security tooling and monitoring across the collegiate University.
Improving Wireless Programme
The programme continues to roll out upgraded Wi-Fi as part of the pilot, which has been extended until the end of March 2025 whilst a business case is prepared for an up to five year rollout of the Managed Wireless Service.
Telephony Replacement Project
The Technology Portfolio Committee has approved ending the Critical Line Service in July 2026, which now serves as the deadline for migrating all analogue lines. Replacement of analogue lines for lifts and alarms will be managed by Estates and colleges. Updates on plans for the replacement of the current telephony service, when the support contract with the supplier ends in July 2026 will be provided in 2025.
Cyber Security Programme
Within the programme, a project is underway to deploy tools on endpoint devices across the University Estate to discover assets and their cyber posture on all University-provided networks. This is creating a comprehensive inventory of hardware and software, which, as the rollout progresses, is significantly enhancing the ability to identify unpatched vulnerabilities on network-connected devices. Additionally, Departments, Divisions, Faculties and Colleges have the option to use the tools to automate remediation and mitigate threats. The project will also enable InfoSec to make much more precisely targeted interventions when specific vulnerabilities are announced.
Shared Infrastructure Services Programme
A shared infrastructure service is a way of collaborating across multiple departments and divisions to provide shared technical capabilities and support. Shared infrastructure services will aim to achieve an improved and consistent user experience as well as value for money, reducing complexity, improving efficiency and enhancing a culture of collaboration and innovation.
This programme will involve multiple projects and initiatives, starting with the Shared Device Management project which will support the launch of a new cohesive and consistent device management platform (including Microsoft Intune) across the University to manage all endpoint devices. Training is taking place in January 2025, and a webpage and roadmap of next steps will be available early 2025.
Education Portfolio Projects and Programmes
The Education Portfolio is currently supporting 42 active projects, aiming to: pave a sustainable pathway for technological innovation within Oxford’s teaching and learning, improve the user experience for students, academics and administrators, and allow them to navigate Oxford’s emerging digital environment.
Following its pilot with the University’s Digital Transformation’s new ways of working, the portfolio is working with service areas to develop and embed Continuous Improvement (CI) teams.
MyOxford student app
The Education Portfolio team is very pleased to have successfully launched the MyOxford student app, which currently has over 11,000 users, in Michaelmas term. MyOxford work has now transitioned into a Continuous Improvement squad to continue its growth.
Physical Teaching Spaces
The Physical Teaching Spaces project has audited 74 teaching spaces across the University, working with teaching staff, as well as IT and AV experts to establish inclusive standards to ensure Oxford’s teaching environments support innovation and the diverse needs of all students and the staff teaching them – both in person and online.
Currently, the project team is looking into upgrading some physical 'demonstration' spaces that feature trial applications of the new standards and respond to recommended audit outputs.
Online Undergraduate Admissions testing
Last term, IT colleagues supported the Undergraduate Admissions & Outreach (UAO) team in successfully delivering online undergraduate admissions tests in just eight months.The project was put together to establish a new supplier following the technical issues encountered in 2023.
Despite a technical issue which caused disruption on the first day of testing, the majority of tests took place smoothly with over 14,000 candidates completing an Oxford admissions test across 21 time zones.
The project team will remain in place for the coming year to support the delivery of 2025 tests, aiming to make improvements to the candidate experience and admissions test process.
On-course applications
In a step towards digitising our academic administrative processes, Phase II of the On-Course Application project is moving paper-based Graduate Studies Office (GSO) forms online. Moving to online applications makes life easier for students, academics and administrative staff, provides a faster, simplified process, and reduces the risk of data breaches.
Three more on-course application forms moved online this November. Two further GSO forms remain, with one scheduled to move online in March and the other’s transition still to be scoped.
Engagement and Dissemination Portfolio Projects and Programmes
The Engagement & Dissemination Portfolio aims to enable richer and deeper engagement with the collegiate University. The portfolio delivers projects relating to the University’s digital communications, world-leading collections, and development & alumni engagement ambitions.
Transforming Oxford's Digital Communications
The Transforming Oxford’s Digital Communications Programme, part of Oxford’s Digital Transformation, will transform our digital communications platforms and approach, improving the quality and effectiveness of our communications as well as the experience for content creators.
Enabled by robust platform and content governance and service support models, and a project dedicated to a controlled migration of content, the programme will deliver:
- Oxford Fresco - a stable, secure and flexible new web platform which will be the preferred platform for all the University’s public-facing web content including the University's main website
- OxIntranet - a new intranet platform that will provide an improved digital experience for all staff and students, alongside other digital communications tools
Both platforms are now in development, drawing on findings from ‘proof of concept’ pilots - and plans are being developed to support the migration to the new platforms during 2025.
Gardens, Libraries and Museums (GLAM)
Current initiatives are focused on enabling GLAM to make more of the University’s world-leading collections accessible to students, researchers and the general public; as well as supporting public engagement activities. Highlights are:
- Managing Museum collections at Offsite Stores (CSF & CTRC) - this project is providing the digital solutions that will support access to, and management of, the museum objects that will be moved to the Collections Teaching & Research Centre (CTRC) and the Collections Storage Facility (CSF) for storage, digitisation, and viewing by students and researchers.
- Galaxy Audience Platform - this project is introducing a new MS Dynamics CRM solution for GLAM, linked to GLAM’s key commercial system (Galaxy), that will enable GLAM to better manage its supporter and member data and to engage in a more joined-up way with its audiences in relation to events, exhibitions, and memberships.
Research Portfolio Projects and Programmes
The Research Portfolio aims to deliver sustained improvement in the digital services and capabilities that enable world-leading research at Oxford.
Oxford Research Management System (ORMS)
This new programme has emerged from a very successful Michaelmas term, with over 100 people participating in its first round of focus groups. These sessions examined the lifecycle of research administration, from project proposal to project closure. The team is now analysing the initial findings and embarking on the next stage of engagement where they plan to work with specific departments and broaden the scope of their engagement.
By working across departments, divisions, and service teams, the ORMS programme is enhancing its capacity to articulate and deliver major transformations in the systems, processes, and structures of research management within Oxford.
Research Data Management (RDM)
We are supporting researchers to plan and manage their data securely and efficiently:
- Researchers requiring a centralised solution for active research data can now use Research File Service (RFS), a live platform currently transitioning to a Continuous Improvement delivery model.
- For those handling highly sensitive data, including datasets shared by other institutions, we have started a Trusted Research Environment Programme to provide a more secure ecosystem, which will start by delivering a cloud-based solution
Check Oxford Research Data or come to research data themed events in Hilary term.
High Performance Computing (HPC)
We are working with Oxford's research computing teams to provide solutions for next generation High Performance Computing (HPC) capabilities at the University. In the short term we are developing a cooling infrastructure solution to retrofit into an existing Oxford data centre facility to provide direct to chip liquid cooling. This will allow researchers to procure dense hardware for use cases such as AI and ML for use on a scale that is not possible without direct to chip liquid cooling. We are working closely with the Estates team, IT services Finance, Procurement and Data Centre Services teams. We are also working to upgrade existing facilities to enhance performance, service resilience, and resource availability, including adding fibre network resiliency at Begbroke and procuring compute, storage, and GPU resources for the ARC and BMRC teams.
Research Excellence
To sustain and enhance Oxford’s research excellence, we rely on high quality data that is easily accessible and enables teams to proactively identify areas of growth opportunities and potential risks; funders and other stakeholders are also requiring increased levels of assurance. Several projects are aiming to deliver improved data-management processes and solutions including the REF and Increased Open Access Compliance projects; we are working with HR, Finance and other programmes to implement identified solutions, including capturing ORCHIDs to support more efficient reporting and to develop more comprehensive researcher profiles.
Administration Portfolio Projects and Programmes
People and Finance Service Transformation
The University is beginning an exciting and ambitious programme of work, aiming to improve, modernise and future-proof our People and Finance services, including reimagining our ways of working and adopting the right technologies to support us. The programme is currently in its initiation phase, and over 500 staff from across the University have contributed through a series of focus groups to understand our capabilities and needs for the future.
Workforce Management
This project is delivering a comprehensive solution within PeopleXD for managing leave and sickness absence, as well as rostering and timesheets functionalities for casual and variable hours staff. It aims to replace manual processes, centralise people management in one self-service location, and maximise existing investment in PeopleXD. The first wave of rollout for leave and absence was completed in October 2024, with 19 departments now live, and the next wave, which includes the Timesheets functionality, is scheduled for April, with engagement with those departments now underway.
We are also planning to launch the PeopleXD mobile app in February, which will allow all staff to access their payslips via the app.
Purchasing Hierarchy project improving purchasing approval
The Purchasing Hierarchy project aims to improve how we operate purchasing approvals. Administrators and finance leads attended a series of workshops to help design future ways of working, focusing on approval limits and levels, Buyer Work Centre approvals, self/auto approval, split coding. This project was initiated in response to feedback from departments about this process and these workshops will build on contributions from over 80 staff members in earlier sessions. We plan to begin delivery during Hilary term 2025.
'My Development'
To support the implementation of the University’s Charter for the Career Development of Researchers (requires SSO), we are introducing new functionality in PeopleXD called 'My Development'. This feature will enable researchers and their reviewers to record Career Development Reviews (CDRs) and professional development time directly through HR Self-Service. This went live in November and is being rolled out across departments during Hilary term 2025.
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