Information Services Newsletter
Welcome

Welcome to our first Newsletter in 2005-2006. IT User Services has witnessed another summer in which many
changes have taken place. The Division, in collaboration with the Physical Resources Department, has undertaken several significant changes to facilities and services in classrooms, lecture theatres and IT laboratories (see centre pages). Substantial structural works have occurred in several areas within short timescales, and residual issues are being attended to as a matter of urgency.

Our Calendar of Events (back cover) is a key means of engagement with our user base. The events enable you to
comment on current and projected facilities and services.  Invitations to attend have been issued  to Faculties
already. However, you can also make your interests known.

Several of our staff have successfully managed their time to enable them to develop their skills and knowledge. A number have completed the demanding A+ technical career development programme, others ECDL and, at a management level, ISD staff have now successfully concluded a new and innovative leadership programme devised by our colleagues in the Staff Development Department. Our commitment to service is reflected by our continuing staff development.
Recently, the Division’s management team completed initial training in the ITIL or “IT Infrastructure Library” concept. This is a “best practices” methodology for IT service development and service delivery.

The University has invested over £1.5 million on our facilities in the past 3 financial years. Almost £0.5 million was spent in 2004-2005, mainly in the development of video-conference services in key lecture theatres. A further twelve rooms were added to our schedule of digital classrooms. We have reached our target of approximately 50% of all centrally-managed teaching space having fixed technologies within a 3-year period.

In concluding, I wish to record my deepest gratitude to the many colleagues, past and present, with whom I have worked for a period of thirty years. Without their support, I would not have had the honour of being one of the first (two) staff upon which the University bestowed the award of Distinguished Learning Support Fellow, at its Summer graduations. I’m immensely proud of the University and very honoured to have been acknowledged in this way.
 

Noel Wilson