Following a year-long negotiation led by Jisc, UK universities have agreed a new, three-year read and publish open access (OA) deal with Springer Nature.
The deal meets the sector’s requirements to reduce costs and to expedite full and immediate open access in more than 2,500 Springer Nature titles, including Nature, the Nature research journals, and the Palgrave portfolio.
It also helps researchers and their institutions meet research funders’ open access requirements.
Results of the consultation on the latest proposal from Springer Nature were conclusive, with all 110 respondents voting to accept the offer, although a large number did so ‘with significant reservations’.
There were concerns around the high cost of publishing OA outside the agreement and the limited transparency, particularly with how Springer Nature’s article processing charges (APCs) are calculated.
Comments were also raised around Springer Nature’s approach to author rights retention, given the publisher’s commitment to gold OA, which some respondents felt created barriers to equitable OA publishing worldwide.
These include:
The UUK/Jisc content negotiation strategy group was at the heart of talks with Springer Nature. Its chair, Professor Stephen Decent, principal and vice-chancellor at Glasgow Caledonian University, said:
“This agreement will further extend the reach and impact of UK research by providing open access publishing in 2,500 Springer Nature journals.
“This means that the circa 6,000 papers published annually by UK researchers in those journals will be free to read and reuse for all, accelerating new discoveries and innovation.
“The deal also delivers greater value for public funds by reducing costs and providing greater levels of open access to UK research.
“While this is an important deal that delivers concessions, the goal of fully accessible open research still eludes us.
“What’s required is a more inclusive and open research culture, where all contributions to research are valued, regardless of the type of output or where they are published.
"The UK research community must work together, and with international colleagues, to ensure global equity of publishing opportunity and knowledge generation.”
Carolyn Honour, chief commercial officer, Springer Nature, said:
“Our eight-year OA partnership with UK institutions has played an important role in supporting the UK as it transitions to open access.
“It has enabled more than 30,000 research articles to be published OA, seen usage of this research increase ten-fold - meaning UK research is being read, used and reused more than ever - and contributed to the UK’s leading role in publishing research that is immediately and fully available.
“We are proud to have reached a new agreement, which, for the first time covers all Springer Nature journals, and importantly opens up access to UK research and extends publishing opportunities to a broader range of institutions and disciplines.
“We firmly believe in the benefits that that open access and open science bring, not only to authors and research, but to society as a whole. We remain committed to working transparently, through the publication of data and resources, and extensively with our global partners to drive progress towards this goal.”
via Jisc news
For the first time, UKRI-funded report brings together views of 15 major stakeholders from across the UK research community.
To gain an unprecedented insight into the UK’s academic research infrastructure assets, Jisc has collected the views of leading bodies from across the sector.
The new report, Optimising the UK’s university research infrastructure assets, aims to help identify more opportunities for collaboration, attracting investment, developing skills and reducing bureaucracy.
The UK’s university research infrastructure assets include equipment, facilities and the laboratories commissioned for research use across all disciplines.
The report outlines a range of perspectives from interviews with leaders and experts at 15 groups and stakeholder organisations from the UK’s higher education, research and innovation sector.
It highlights opportunities for new collaborative approaches to optimise the use, sharing, efficiency and sustainability of research infrastructure assets, and was funded by UK Research and Innovation.
The report identifies four key areas of opportunity for the research sector, which it recommends should receive extra investment to promote knowledge exchange and the commercialisation of research and development:
The stakeholder group will use the research to develop recommendations and sector-wide approaches. These will help the sector utilise the UK’s research infrastructure assets more effectively, efficiently and sustainably.
Dr Victoria Moody, director of research and higher education for Jisc, said:
“Managing, sharing and improving the sustainability of the UK’s university research infrastructure assets is a complex challenge: we hope to find ways to improve how all organisations involved in research and development collaborate and tackle new challenges, such as the rapid adoption of AI.
“We found a real appetite for improved ways of working and increased collaboration across the sector: for a more coherent approach to sharing what works and changing what doesn’t, using data, digital and technology solutions.”
Willoughby Werner, senior strategy adviser at UKRI said:
“We want to deliver more from the same level of investment and this report will help us do that by boosting collaboration between the HE sector and industry, increasing inclusion and developing new cost models.”
Antony Chapman, senior portfolio manager, Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, UKRI said:
“Bringing this vital knowledge together will help the sector expand the range of what is possible for research and development within the existing setup.”
Read the summary of the optimising the UK’s university research infrastructure assets report.
via Jisc news
Jisc's recent XR Wales Community of Practice event brought together educators from across the post-16 sector in Wales to share knowledge and build digital confidence.
Immersive technologies (such as augmented, mixed and virtual reality – known collectively as extended reality or XR) are transforming the education sector, offering new and innovative ways to engage learners. However, for those just starting out, getting to grips with the technology can be challenging.
This is where the Jisc XR communities of practice come in. Now with more than 100 members, the community group in Wales was formed in 2022 to bring together people from all post-16 education sectors including colleges, universities, work-based learning, and adult community learning providers.
The Jisc UK XR community was also recently launched to share this expertise with a wider audience.
These communities help members understand the benefits of emerging technologies in education, and assist them in building a collaborative culture to share information, knowledge and best practice (priorities for the Digital 2030 strategic framework for Wales for which Jisc is a key digital partner).
In March, the XR Wales community’s first face-to-face event at Coleg y Cymoedd’s Nantgarw campus in Cardiff took place with more than 50 attendees from across adult community learning, further education, work-based learning and higher education. The agenda for the event was based on feedback from the community and steering group members, highlighting the commitment to community members’ digital needs.
Feedback included requests for more on topics such as ‘how to take baby steps with VR’, and tips for effective collaboration. Community members made it clear they wanted more peer-to-peer experiences, to hear from experts working on XR projects across Wales and to see more examples of impactful use of these technologies.
Leigh Amor, digital content producer at the Open University Wales, said:
“The Jisc Wales XR community event was a fantastic day providing a unique opportunity to connect with colleagues using XR in Wales.
“What stood out for me was the genuine community spirit – everyone coming together to learn, share their expertise and experiences and help and inspire each other.”
The event kicked off with Cardiff University, which delivered a hands-on session on 360- degree filming and editing, which was used in the creation of its ‘virtual hospital’. As well as hearing best practice tips, attendees had the chance to use the cameras and consider how this type of technology could be utilised in their institutions.
NPTC Group staff brought along their AR welding kit, which they use to provide real-time feedback in a secure environment to students studying welding. This allows them to practice in a safe, more cost-effective and intuitive way.
Nicola Brandon, digital learning and innovation manager at NPTC Group, said:
“The event was an excellent opportunity for the digital team at NPTC Group to meet up with likeminded colleagues to share best practice on how VR and AR is being embedded into curriculum areas across Wales.
“Realising that we are going through the VR/AR journey together and that there is no one- size- fits- all was encouraging.”
Staff from Cardiff and Vale College (CAVC) came equipped with their Microsoft Hololens 2 and Oculus Quest 2 VR headsets which attendees were given the chance to try, with guidance from CAVC experts.
Coleg y Cymoedd also demonstrated how it is using VR headsets to help students gain anatomy experience, giving learners across a range of subjects, such as sports and health and social care, an interactive knowledge of the workings of the human body.
Finally, sector experts including Richard Fullylove (Coleg y Cymoedd), Stevie Emmanuel (CAVC), Olivia Sills (Coleg Sir Gar) and Scott Jenkinson (Youth Shedz) took part in a panel session discussing the practicalities of using immersive technologies on the ground.
Richard Fullylove, strategic ILT manager at Coleg y Cymoedd, said:
“The success of the collaborative XR community in Wales is a testament to the power of bringing together people from different roles and institutions to work towards a common goal.
“By combining their skills and expertise, members of the XR community in Wales have been able to drive innovation and push the boundaries of what is possible with a wide variety of XR technologies and approaches, creating new opportunities for learners and tutors alike.”
The aim of the day was to build confidence, and the results speak for themselves. At the start of the day attendees were asked to score their confidence in using XR equipment from one to 10. The average score across the room stood at 6.8, which is encouraging. By the end of the day, however, confidence levels across the room had soared to eight.
Alyson Nicholson, director of Jisc Wales, said:
“It was a great pleasure to be a part of the Jisc Wales XR community event. The enthusiasm to explore the possibilities of immersive technologies, how they can inspire and enhance teaching and learning, and how they can equip staff and students to thrive in the workplace of the future was incredibly exciting.
“Jisc is delighted to be working with the Wales XR community, which transcends sectors, is based on trust and respect, and is working for the good of the learner. We very much look forward to sharing this journey.”
Richard Fullylove concluded:
“This event provided a platform for attendees to share their experiences, showcase their work, and discuss the future of XR technologies in Wales. By continuing to collaborate and push the boundaries of what is possible, the XR community in Wales is sure to make a significant impact in years to come.”
For more information on how to get involved in our communities:
Or contact your relationship manager for more information.
via Jisc news
New report shares what international students need from universities to get the most from technology.
Jisc has released a report that states the UK higher education (HE) sector needs to address how it supports the digital needs of international students.
When international students first arrive at a UK campus, they can often experience ‘digital shock’ as they face a new range of unfamiliar systems and processes.
Sometimes affecting wellbeing and performance, it can take months for students to overcome this shock and become familiar and comfortable with a new technological culture.
The report builds on 18 years of research by Jisc into the digital experiences of students.
It finds that, while international students can have a wider range of digital skills than their UK counterparts, several challenges are apparent, including:
The report recommends higher education providers (HEPs) should:
Jisc CEO Heidi?Fraser-Krauss said:
“It is important to note that international students are not a homogenous group: we have found that students coming to the UK are increasingly diverse. They arrive with a wide breadth of personal perceptions, cultural backgrounds and prior experiences, both inside and outside formal education.
“UK HE providers are starting to better understand the expectations and differences of international students as they transition to a UK learning experience. I hope this report will prompt discussions across organisations about considering all aspects of international students’ experience through a digital lens.
“By taking a more inclusive approach, focusing on equity and outcomes for international students, we can create a digital experience that benefits all our students.”
The report is the first of a four-phase research project aimed at understanding the challenges faced by international students, brought to the fore by teaching and learning during the pandemic, and driven by feedback from Jisc members.
Jisc has worked closely with Advance HE, AGCAS, ALT-ELESIG, BUILA, the British Council, the Department for Education, HESA, HeLF, UCAS, UKCISA, UUKi and UK HEPs to inform this body of research.
via Jisc news
Our new report highlights how collaboration across the post-16 education sector can lead to successful digital initiatives.
To support post-16 education providers in Wales on their journey to Digital 2030, a new Jisc report and associated case studies profile the successful collaborative use of digital tools and technology in the sector.
The case studies highlight what is possible when communities work together to harness the power of digital in education, and provide institutions with innovative ideas, hints and tips from experts across the sector.
Marian Jebb, head of post-16 quality at the Welsh Government said:
“Over the past few years, the Welsh Government has been actively encouraging collaboration across the post-16 sector. This will only become more important as we move towards tertiary education reforms in Wales. We are now only a year away from the new Commission for Tertiary Education and Research, which will bring many further opportunities for partnership working and sharing good practice.
“Collaborative working to widen access to learning opportunities is one of our key priorities for the development of digital learning. I’m really pleased to see these examples of innovative practice drawn from across the sector, and particularly the success factors which are transferable to any project. Our thanks to Jisc and to all those who shared their experiences.”
Alyson Nicholson, director of Jisc in Wales said:
“This project highlights the value of community and collaboration, exemplifying the power of shared expertise for the benefit of our learners and our sector.
“I’d like to say a huge thank you to those who have shared their experiences to date and look forward to celebrating the success of continued collaboration as we move towards achieving the Digital 2030 vision and meeting the challenge of the minister for education and Welsh language’s Call to Action.”
The case studies are drawn from across further education (FE), sixth forms, higher education (HE), work-based learning and community learning following the principles of innovation, collaboration, co-production and social partnership, and include:
For more information on how Jisc can support your institution with Digital 2030, contact your Jisc relationship manager.
This work was commissioned and funded by the Welsh Government.
via Jisc news
It was with great sadness that we learned last week of the passing of our colleague and friend Andrew Cormack – a man who truly embodied Jisc’s ethos of using technology as a force for good in the world of education and research.
All those who worked with him will remember him as a man of intelligence, passion and warmth, and he will be greatly missed by colleagues at Jisc as well as across the sector and beyond.
Andrew’s achievements are too many to list here, but his contributions to increasing the effectiveness of law in protecting people, data and systems cannot be overstated.
Having joined Jisc in 1999 to lead JANET CERT (what is now Jisc CSIRT), Andrew became chief regulatory adviser. As well as his security, data protection and legal knowledge, his acknowledged mastery of the interplay between legal and engineering concerns made him one of the most respected experts in the global cyber security and policy communities.
A life-long distance learner and prolific blogger, Andrew was never too busy to be supportive to colleagues. We have already received many messages from across the globe paying tribute not only to his brilliance but also his kindness as a mentor and friend, and we echo those sentiments unreservedly.
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New deal enables authors to publish research open access without article processing charges (APCs) and gives institutions unlimited access to the ACM Digital Library.
On behalf of the UK’s higher education and research sector, Jisc has signed an open publish and read deal with ACM, the world's largest educational and scientific computing society.
Working closely with Jisc throughout the negotiations, ACM was transparent about its costs, which allowed the Jisc team to clearly demonstrate the good value of the deal to its members.
The agreement, which runs for 3 years until 2025, enables all affiliated authors to publish their research on a completely open access basis in the ACM Digital Library by selecting a creative commons attribution licence (CC BY) for article sharing and reuse.
This allows anyone to copy, distribute, transmit, adapt and make commercial use of the work as long as they attribute it as the author wishes.
Under the deal, the ACM will deposit copies of all published articles into the author’s university open repository. This means authors can share, re-use and re-distribute research after publication without extra costs.
The institutions that use the ACM agreement will also retain access to the ACM Digital Library. The library is a comprehensive collection of full-text articles and bibliographic records covering the fields of computing and information technology, containing 557,500 articles and 53 peer-reviewed scholarly journals.
Sarah Roughley Barake, licensing portfolio specialist at Jisc, said:
“We are thrilled to offer the sector this agreement. ACM’s openness around costs and pricing was appreciated by the negotiating team and smoothed the path to securing an agreement that is good value for our members and sustainable. This has resulted in more than 70 institutions signing up for the deal, surpassing our expectations.
“The agreement is a real boost for open access and clearly demonstrates ACM’s commitment to that process.”
Wyatt Reynolds, digital library and advertising sales director at ACM, said:
“ACM wishes to thank Jisc for their advocacy on behalf of their member institutions and for their efforts throughout the consultation process.
“We are so happy to see more than 70 institutions sign on to ACM Open, enabling affiliated researchers to publish unlimited open access articles in the Digital Library while retaining copyright to their work.
“This agreement represents a significant step forward for open access in the UK.
“We look forward to continued collaboration as we transition the Digital Library to full open access. As an independent non-profit society publisher, agreements like this are essential to our sustainability. We cannot thank Jisc and the participating institutions enough for supporting our publishing program.”
To read more about the agreement, see the ACM page of the Jisc licence subscriptions manager.
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Historical Texts aims to become a valued resource for researchers, students and teachers.
Jisc initiative Historical Texts has launched a set of tools to support using nearly half a million primary-source historical texts in undergraduate learning and teaching.
The new tools aim to make Historical Texts, which brings together four significant archive collections from the likes of the British Library, valuable to more people by broadening its focus from researchers to educators and undergraduates, allowing both to read and use primary source texts.
The available archives are:
The developments to the platform were made after academics at higher education institutions requested new tools to balance the needs of research and teaching.
In response, the Jisc team formed an editorial board that first created a prototype set of content and is now launching the tools to the wider HE community.
Students can now access many individual resources, including archives based on ecocriticism and black history.
Teachers looking for new ways to engage their students can access materials and guidance on using archive texts in the classroom, and guides to creating innovative and engaging forms of assessment.
There is also a collection of downloadable presentations, which are ready to use but can be changed to suit the needs of the downloader. These resources are free for all to use, although some may contain links to subscriber-only content.
The Historical Texts team are now looking for users to explore the new tools and help them develop and improve them by providing feedback.
Paola Marchionni, head of product for Historical Texts, said:
“The goal of this project is to extend the audience of those for whom Historical Texts can be a valuable resource by bridging the gap between the service’s original focus on researcher needs and the requirements of undergraduate scholars, who are increasingly looking to engage with primary source texts.
“We encourage users of Historical Texts to explore what is currently available and to provide any feedback they might have on the usefulness of the tools and how we might develop them further.”
To explore the new tools, check out the learning and teaching pages of the Historical Texts website.
via Jisc news
After a successful pilot in 2022, the open access community framework (OACF) is now open to submissions from not-for-profit monograph publishers until 5 May 2023.
The OACF connects not-for-profit ‘diamond’ open access publishers – those that operate under a free-to-read, free-to-publish model – with the higher education (HE) sector.
The scheme was launched to support diversity in the open access (OA) marketplace. Changes to this year’s framework, agreed with the HE sector, are also designed to reduce the burden of Book Processing Charges (BPCs).
Under the scheme, UK higher education libraries are invited to pledge their support to publishers over a three-year period.
The OACF can help smaller publishers expand the number of titles they produce, improve data processes and boost marketing efforts to increase sustainability.
The scheme is also being restricted to monographs and books in series to align it with the strategic objectives of sector libraries and the new UKRI monographs policy. Organisers hope phase two will receive submissions from publishers focusing on British-based authors and content.
To increase the chances of all submissions reaching their funding target, the second phase of the scheme will reduce the number of publishers put forward to the pledging stage of the process. This change to the scheme has been put in place after feedback to the pilot from stakeholders.
The successful publishers will be announced at a special webinar in June. Libraries will then be able to pledge support on the Jisc Licensing Manager platform until December 2023 or until publishers have reached their funding target.
Jisc licensing manager Caroline Mackay said:
“With the UKRI monographs policy launching in January 2024, we are keen to explore and support publishers and libraries with diamond OA initiatives, which collect library funding to operate under a free-to-read, free-to-publish model.
“This can prove an alternative path to BPCs, which are unaffordable and unscalable for many libraries.
“We hope funding from the OACF will improve the sector’s sustainability by boosting rather than replace existing revenue streams.”
Sarah Thompson is assistant director (content and open research) at the University of York’s Library, Archives & Learning Services, which participated in the OACF pilot in 2022. She said:
“OACF highlighted several diamond initiatives we weren't already aware of and provided us with an easy route to support those which matched the teaching and research strengths of the University of York.
“The scheme highlights how libraries have an important role in creating a sustainable OA future for book publishing.”
Philippa Grand, press manager of the University of Westminster Press (UWP), one of the successful publishers from the 2022 pilot scheme, said:
“UWP’s experience with Jisc’s open access community framework scheme has been very positive. We are thrilled with the support we have received as a result of taking part.
“It’s been a fantastic boost internally to have libraries across the UK endorsing UWP’s publishing programme. Schemes like this help libraries and publishers come together to offer a sustainable way forward for small open access publishers.”
To learn more about the OACF’s second phase, including the submission form, licence and additional information, check out the open access pages of the Jisc website.
via Jisc news
Jisc is a partner in the new Open Book Futures (OBF) project that launches in May
The OBF, which works to increase access to valuable research, has announced it will receive more than £5.8 million in funding.
Led by Lancaster University and funded by the charitable foundation Arcadia and the Research England Development (RED) Fund, it will develop and support organisations, tools and practices that enable both academics and the wider public to make more and better use of books published on an open access basis.
The OBF launches on 1 May 2023 and builds on the Community-Led Open Publication Infrastructures for Monographs (COPIM) project, which was also jointly funded by Arcadia and the RED Fund. It will significantly increase and improve the quantity, discoverability, preservation and accessibility of academic content.
This will be done by building the infrastructures, business models, networks and resources needed to deliver a future for Open Access books led by communities of scholars, small-to-medium-sized publishers, not-for-profit infrastructure providers, and scholarly libraries, rather than large commercial operations.
The project also aims to deepen COPIM’s long-term impact and to make sure a wide range of voices have the opportunity to shape the future of Open Access book publishing.
To achieve this, it will strengthen existing networks in the UK and North America and engage with a diverse set of publishers, universities and infrastructure providers.
Arcadia is a charitable foundation that works to protect nature, preserve cultural heritage and promote open access to knowledge. Since 2002, Arcadia has awarded more than $1 billion to organisations around the world.
RED supports innovation in research and knowledge exchange in higher education that offers significant public benefits.
Principal investigator Dr Joe Deville, of Lancaster University, said:
“It is exciting to be able to contribute to a project that promises to profoundly reshape the very mechanisms through which academic knowledge circulates in a context in which far too much high-quality book-length scholarship remains widely inaccessible.
“I am so pleased to be able to bring together such a talented group of scholars, librarians, publishers, infrastructure providers and advocacy groups with the skills to deliver the new technical infrastructures and ways of working that can respond to the many and varied needs of a global scholarly community.”
Neil Grindley, director of content and discovery at Jisc, said:
“Jisc is delighted to be working with consortium partners to take forward the Open Book Futures project. It will help ensure long-form academic publishing has the best possible chance of reaching everyone who will benefit from it.
“The further development of sustainable publishing business models and the establishment of broadly accepted workflows around open access books is a vital pathway to democratising access to scholarship.
“The support from Research England and the Arcadia Foundation will be transformative in helping UK HE institutions embrace and embed these evolving approaches.”
Partners joining Lancaster University and Jisc in the consortium include:
For more details on the project, its aims and the consortium, visit the COPIM website.
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Jisc reveals innovative new approaches to digital transformation at CPD-accredited Networkshop 2023
Jisc, the UK’s digital, data and technology agency, will be showcasing the vital role of the Janet Network in transforming education and research at Networkshop 2023 from 14-16 June, 2023.
In a programme packed with new ideas, the event will see experts from Jisc - alongside customers, technology partners and sector bodies - demonstrate how organisations can leverage the latest technologies to support digital transformation.
Over three days of panel discussions, presentations, workshops, immersive sessions and online content, the event will explore the impact of next generation networking on the future of not only education and research but other sectors as well.
Steve Masters, chief technology officer at Jisc, says:
“This promises to be the most exciting Networkshop event yet, full of exciting demonstrations of new technologies and a real sense of progress in how we are applying them for the benefit of the wider community.
“Networkshop 2023 will be useful to anyone who needs to understand the impact that these technologies can have on improving the learning environment, and how best to leverage them. That includes the public sector, local government, the NHS, independent schools and charities as well as tertiary education and research.
“There’s a lot happening at the moment across the sector, and at Networkshop 2023 we’ll be sharing the innovation work that’s going on to support our members through these changes. I’m really looking forward to bringing people together to discuss challenges and explore solutions that leverage technology as a force for good.Net”
The Networkshop 2023 programme includes topics such as:
In recognition of the event’s learning value, the CPD Certification Service has confirmed that attendance at Networkshop2023 counts towards CPD programmes.
via Jisc news
The HESA Data Platform (HDP) is now live and open for providers to submit data.
The HDP launch marks a technological milestone in HESA's sector-wide transformation programme for higher education (HE) data.
Jisc has been the Data Futures technical delivery partner since March 2020 and HESA merged with Jisc in October 2022.
The HESA Data Platform includes:
Providers will use the HDP to complete the May and August 2023 interim submissions ahead of the Student 22056 collection Return deadline in October. All providers have received identity system (IDS) roles to log in to the new system.
CEO, Heidi Fraser-Krauss, said:
“The HESA Data Platform is an achievement that helps us deliver integrated data and digital services across UK higher education. It demonstrates that the merger of Jisc and HESA has created an organisation with the expertise and resources to deliver solutions for the sector’s needs.”
Chief data officer, Rob Phillpotts, said:
“We have worked closely with Jisc since 2020 to deliver the HESA Data Platform (HDP) and I am delighted we have reached this significant milestone in the Data Futures programme.
“The launch of the HDP is a resounding endorsement of what we can do as a combined force in the HE sector; we will continue our efforts to deliver the latest digital and data capabilities for our colleagues and customers.”
Director of digital transformation, Annette Vancil, said:
“The HDP supports the single data model and provides increased automation in the quality assurance process.
“We appreciate all the engagement from providers in the pilots, training and other activities. We will continue to support providers as they prepare for the first Student return using the new solution.”
Chief technology officer, Phil Richards, said:
“We’re delighted to launch the new HESA Data Platform. Its development, which took place during the pandemic, shows how organisations can work together and deliver digitally in the most challenging circumstances.
“The new platform’s scalable cloud-native architecture has set a high bar for software development at Jisc and underpins other exciting new data and digital services for the sector.”
Please contact liaison@hesa.ac.uk for your operational queries or pressoffice@hesa.ac.uk for any other queries.
Support materials for the HDP:
via Jisc news
Two people with extensive experience in the technology sector are bringing their expertise to Jisc.
Simon Bolton, who was most recently CEO at NHS Digital, and David Chalmers, who is a director at Amazon Web Services (AWS), have both been appointed as trustees.
Simon has a wealth of experience in the technology sector. Since starting his career at Hewlett-Packard, he has helped some of the UK’s best-known organisations develop and deliver transformational technology strategies.
Most recently, in his role as chief executive at NHS Digital, Simon was responsible for running the NHS’s national technology infrastructure. He was also responsible to parliament for collecting, curating and disseminating healthcare data to support the delivery of care in England, and for its use within the life sciences industry.
Before working at the NHS, Simon held a number of senior technology roles, including group CIO at Jaguar Land Rover and divisional CIO at Rolls-Royce Ltd.
He now has a small portfolio of non-executive and advisory roles, including as an independent governor and audit chair at the University of Derby.
Simon said:
“I’m delighted to be joining Jisc as a trustee. I have a longstanding interest in higher and further education, which facilitates social mobility and the supply of skills into the economy.
“I hope to be able to use my deep experience of working in the technology sector to help Jisc to continue providing great value, high quality services to enable education, research and innovation to thrive in the UK.”
David Chalmers was most recently the director of solution architecture for AWS in EMEA. Describing himself as an IT leader, evangelist and advisor, David has 41 years’ experience helping organisations find, develop, use and gain benefit from technology.
His previous employers include Hewlett-Packard, Macro4 and IBM. He has worked with and helped a wide range of organisations from start-ups and individuals with little more than an idea to government departments and some of the world’s largest commercial businesses.
David said:
“Throughout my career I have developed a real passion for working with, learning from and helping young people. Finding ways to encourage them to use technology as part of their lives and careers is something that I believe is very much to the benefit of us all.
“I am very much looking forward to working with Jisc to help UK education and research add real value to the lives of young people.”
Jisc has also appointed Nav Sidhu, former finance director at EV Cargo UK Ltd, to its finance and treasury committee.
Susan Bowen, president and CEO of Aptum Technologies, and Professor Mark Smith, president and vice-chancellor at the University of Southampton, have both come to the end of their terms as trustees.
via Jisc news
A Jisc-run community group for cyber security professionals at colleges, universities and research centres in the UK has just signed up its 1000th member.
Launched at the Jisc security conference in November 2021, the cyber security community group runs through a Microsoft Teams site hosted by Jisc.
It is designed to help Jisc members improve their security posture by providing helpful peer-to-peer support and meaningful content. In a relaxed environment, members can create and join discussions, share cyber security challenges and learn about best practice.
Members also have exclusive access to webinars and clinics run by Jisc experts that provide specific advice on current threats and cyber- security measures that help control those threats.
Now run exclusively through the community, these events and workshops have become extremely popular. Recent events have included ‘Getting the most out of PingCastle’, which attracted more than 400 attendees, while the Cyber Essentials’ drop-in clinics regularly register 200 people or more.
David Batho, Jisc’s head of security, is delighted, but not surprised by the swift growth and popularity of the community and its activity. He explains:
“With connectivity and digital technology now underpinning nearly all aspects of running a university, college or research centre, cyber security has never been more important.
“This, coupled with the well-reported increase in ransomware attacks globally against education providers and other organisations has pushed cyber security up the priority list of senior leaders.
“As a result, we're finding that IT and cyber security staff are, quite rightly, paying more attention to threats and keen to learn about current risks and how to combat them. The community group is proving a popular and valuable support platform for that.”
The community is for anyone working within the education and research sector who is interested in cyber security. Among those signed up are chief information security officers, chief technology officers, security analysts, IT and information security managers, security architects and penetration testers.
To join the community, visit the cyber security community page.
Sign up to receive personalised instructions on steps to improve security posture.
Find out more about Jisc’s cyber security services and support for members.
via Jisc news
In a sector first, Jisc has released a framework to help universities make strategic moves towards digital transformation.
Underlining the importance of digital technology in delivering education, Jisc has released a framework to help universities improve strategic planning around necessary digital transformation.
The first framework for digital transformation in higher education contains a clear structure for senior leaders, managers, and change agents to follow. It outlines elements necessary for successful digital transformation, including:
Developed in consultation with a range of UK professional bodies, the framework is accompanied by materials to help assess digital maturity across all business activities, and to signpost readers to support from UK sector bodies.
Sarah Knight, Jisc’s head of learning and teaching transformation, higher education, said:
“The framework is designed to help HE organisations navigate digital transformation in their own way, as each provider has its own needs and culture. Some might benefit from upgrading existing systems, while others might need to explore completely new ways of using digital to solve organisational challenges.”
Liam?Earney, Jisc’s managing director for HE and research, said:
“Taking a calculated, organisation-wide approach to technology is vital for the long-term success and sustainability of universities. Digital transformation is an investment that can take on some of the sector’s biggest challenges, from improving flexible teaching and learning to boosting organisational efficiency and offering greater resilience during disruption.
“Our recent report on digital strategies shows there is certainly appetite among universities to make meaningful change. Digital is now so vital to higher education that some leaders have noted that, if organisations still need to write a digital strategy, they should make it their last.”
Reflecting on the impact of positive digital transformation, he surmises:
“Digital transformation is about using technology to better meet the needs of students and staff; it is really all about the people who benefit from innovative improvements.”
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Jisc’s 2023 community champions explain what motivates them to go the extra mile.
Jisc’s community champions programme brings together inspirational groups that help people and institutions adapt and learn through the use of digital.
Since the programme was established in 2020, the community space across education and research has grown. And with good reason. Communities play a vital role in making voices heard, combatting feelings of isolation and ensuring that best practices are shared for the benefit of all.
This year’s community champions highlight the inspirational achievements of individuals who have enriched the experiences of their peers across the sector through collaboration and information sharing.
We asked some of our community champions what motivates them.
It’s clear that making connections is one of the major drivers for our community champions.
Joy McLean, senior librarian at West College Scotland, who was nominated for her proactive approach and commitment as part of the leadership team of the FE library LRC community of practice, explains:
“Although we work across the whole college, providing support and access to resources for all students and staff, it can be difficult for librarians to make their voices heard. Community is important because it provides a safe and welcoming space to share experiences, ask questions and learn from others who understand their role and what we’re trying to achieve.”
She sees the connection with others throughout the sector as invaluable, not only for shedding light on common problems and frustrations but also in identifying solutions that can benefit the wider sector.
Joy adds:
“Sharing with and learning from my peers in our community helps me to feel connected and more confident in my own practice. I feel it’s important for everyone to have that same opportunity.”
Erika Neck, learning resources co-ordinator at The College, Merthyr Tydfil, agrees:
“As a librarian, it can sometimes feel like we work in isolation and are adrift in the world. I value being part of a wider community: having people to ask advice and guidance is of great importance.”
Building the confidence of community members is high on the list of motivations for our champions.
Rachel Öner, an English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) education consultant, co-chairs a community to support the National Association for Teaching English and Other Community Languages to Adults (NATECLA), a volunteer-run organisation which connects ESOL teachers. She says:
“What motivates me is seeing the immediate impact that the services and opportunities offered by NATECLA has on our members and supporters. They can take what they learn in our online spaces and use it to enhance their teaching and learning. Being able to access things like networking forums and continuing professional development (CPD) programmes really helps educators become more confident, more knowledgeable and more empowered.”
Creating the very best learning experiences for students lies at the heart of many of our communities.
Susan Robbins, senior fellow of the Higher Education Academy (HEA) and senior lecturer at the University of Sussex, was nominated for her work supporting colleagues with online teaching resources while focusing on the individual needs of students. She finds working to positively impact student success and equity both challenging and rewarding.
“My motivation comes from helping students feel invested in the process of learning. Though all students are concerned about the outcome of their studies, the ones who arguably gain the most from our work are those who are interested in the process of learning.”
A community provides support for all involved, and a great community fosters collaboration, both internally and with other institutions and organisations.
Lisa Charkiewicz, learning resources manager at South Essex College of Further and Higher Education and part of the FE learning resources centre leadership team, explains what drives her commitment to sharing knowledge, encouraging peer-to-peer support and facilitating participation across the community.
“A strong support network is what motivates me. For example, if someone reaches out asking for help or advice within the FE learning resources centre community group, someone will always answer. It’s so lovely to see engagement between colleges near and far and to see colleagues from across the sector immerse themselves in such a safe and supportive space online.”
Valerie McCutcheon, research information manager from University of Glasgow, is inspired by the belief that working together means reaching solutions more efficiently.
Susan Robbins concurs. Communities, she says, have a pivotal role in sense-checking ideas to ensure they meet real needs.
“Rather than seeking to incorporate new ideas, approaches and technologies simply because they are new, I’m of the view that innovation can mean connecting people and ideas, facilitating dialogue, and curating existing research and resources to create value in a sustainable way that is context-sensitive and responsive to existing needs.”
Committing time and resources to building skills and competencies can be challenging, but communities provide support for staff looking for opportunities to develop.
Seima Mahmood, an ESOL lecturer at Bradford College who created its Global Learning Project, observes:
“Trying to succeed on your own is not as fun or as rewarding as succeeding together with a community. Communities inspire and help other staff members to discover their own CPD needs and then motivate themselves to embark on a learning journey.”
The new cohort of Jisc community champions will be at Digifest to share details of how their communities have made a difference in the education and research sectors.
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Professor Edward Peck is urging higher education providers to use their data to improve student services and support student wellbeing.
A new report from the government’s recently appointed student support champion is encouraging education leaders to place analytics and data governance at the heart of their services to support wellbeing.
'Student analytics: A core specification for engagement and wellbeing analytics', will be launched by Professor Edward Peck at Jisc's Digifest 2023 conference in Birmingham today.
Professor Peck, who is vice-chancellor of Nottingham Trent University, was appointed higher education student support champion by the government in June 2022. He has been canvassing opinion in the education sector to set clear priorities for the improvement of student services.
He has found they are coming under increasing pressure due to rises in student registrations, the cost-of-living crisis students are facing, and funding challenges across the sector.
In a speech at the annual event, he will discuss the potential for student analytics to tackle these challenges and how he aims to raise the profile and utilisation of analytics at scale.
He will outline his vision for using commonly collected data as the basis for predictive analytics, creating more responsive and scalable student services.
The new report has been produced with the support of Jisc’s data analytics team. It uses a pilot project at the Northumbria University, which was supported by the Office for Students, as a model of best practice.
Using data already collected by the university, the Northumbria project targeted resources more effectively, improving outcomes whilst reducing the strain on its student services.
Professor Peck said that he wanted to show sector leaders that student analytics, and the data governance that underpins it, are vital to the effective scaling of student services as enrolments increase:
“My intention for this report is to help higher education providers higher education providers begin a journey towards good data governance to support student services. It illustrates that there are a relatively small number of data points required to deliver insights into student engagement and wellbeing and these are probably being collected by institutions already.
“I hope it inspires and challenges higher education providers to consider how an effective and sustainable system of support can be accomplished only through the integration of analytics into its design and delivery.”
Jisc CEO Heidi Fraser-Krauss said it was vital leaders create better student support and speed up digital transformation efforts by embracing data governance:
“We are delighted to support Edward in his mission to improve student services through analytics. Data governance must become an acknowledged priority for higher education providers, alongside cyber security, estate management and financial planning. The sector’s leaders must invest time to build new data strategies involving infrastructure and training.
“These strategies will facilitate a new breed of student services, driven by data and predictive analytics, that will improve the whole student experience, reduce regulatory burden, and create efficient and effective services.”
To understand Edward Peck’s vision for data governance and student services, read the full report: Student analytics: a core specification for engagement and wellbeing analytics.
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From today, 6 March 2023, the Jisc service desk will be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
This is to facilitate constant pro-active monitoring of the Janet Network, which will quickly help resolve critical network incidents and any loss of connectivity to member sites.
All connected organisations will now be able to call the Jisc service desk 24/7 to report problems.
Before today, the Jisc service desk operated 07:00 to midnight, Monday to Friday. The change to 24/7 working is delivered at no extra cost to member organisations and has been introduced following a consultation with a number of members.
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After two years of online-only conferences, DCDC23 returns both in-person and online 11-13 July at Durham University.
The call for papers for this year’s conference is now open, and proposals can be submitted on the DCDC call for papers page, with a deadline of 31 March 2023.
Organised jointly by the British Library, the National Archives and Jisc, DCDC23 is one of the largest cross-cultural sector conferences in the UK and will bring together professionals from across the galleries, libraries, archives, museums and academia (GLAMA) sector.
Archivists, librarians, heritage professionals and academics will be exploring ways of enhancing cross-sector collaboration between professional communities during the three-day event.
It is the first conference in the series since Jisc and the National Archives welcomed the British Library as a co-organiser in October last year.
Organisers are looking for papers that reflect the chosen themes of the conference, based around the challenges facing the sector and the opportunities they present for innovative new ways of working.
The DCDC23 organisers also aim to create opportunities for its community to discuss the challenges of navigating the interplay between physical collections and digital, virtual ones.
Neil Grindley, director of content and discovery at Jisc, said:
“The pandemic has catalysed a radical reimagining of how we work in the GLAMA sector. How we collaborate, interact, engage with our communities, and the skills and tools we rely on have all changed substantially. DCDC23 is an opportunity for our communities to reflect on these changes and look to find new ways to work and collaborate. We look forward to seeing what our colleagues bring forward for discussion.”
For more details on how to submit a paper for the event, please visit the DCDC23 conference call for papers page.
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A collective of education and research sector organisations has today appealed to digital content, hardware and software vendors seeking “pricing constraint” in the face of the growing cost-of-living crisis.
Signatories to the statement, which cites a “perfect storm of declining resources and increased demands”, include:
Professor Stephen Decent explains:
“The combined impact of an extraordinary hike in energy and equipment prices, the cap on student fees and the need to support students struggling with the cost of living means that institutions are facing unprecedented financial challenges.
“Additionally, while some digital content, hardware and software suppliers offered free access or discounts during the pandemic, these have now largely disappeared.
“For all these reasons, budgets are under huge pressure and many institutions cannot afford to provide the resources that staff and students need for effective teaching, learning and research.
“This is why we’re calling on suppliers to do right by students and researchers and make every effort to ensure their products are affordable.”
The statement in full reads:
“Universities, research institutions and colleges have a vital role to play in driving growth, jobs and prosperity.
“Sector finances however face fresh challenges; the cost of living crisis means that the sector’s costs including energy, equipment and estates have soared at a time when income, particularly domestic student fee income, has reduced in real terms.
“While the UK government is protecting research and development (R&D) spending, long term strategic challenges persist. This includes increasingly precarious international recruitment combined with the fact that 30% of research is unfunded and is heavily reliant on international student fees.
“The cap on domestic student fees remains meaning that each years’ tuition fee received is worth at least 18% less than when first introduced in 2012–13. English universities reporting an in-year deficit has increased from 5% (2015–16) to 32% (2019–20)1.In English institutions, net operating cashflow has decreased from 8.4% of income (2019–20) to 4.2% (2020–21).
“At the same time, the sector needs to deliver more, from providing extra support to students and staff struggling with the cost of living, achieving net zero, training approximately half a million nurses, doctors, and other health and care professionals between 2021 and 20262.
“Furthermore, the UK government estimates that the R&D workforce will need at least an additional 150,000 people by 2030 to build on its position as a global R&D leader.
“Put simply, the sector faces a perfect storm of declining resources and increased demands. Exchange rate fluctuations are in many cases amplifying the impact. Every item of our expenditure is subject to intense scrutiny.
“We ask that providers work alongside us and not impose price increases, bundle products or otherwise require conditions that limit our ability to meet our community’s needs or manage our spend.
“We call upon suppliers to offer flexibility, pricing constraint and to partner with us to meet these challenges.”
Find out more about university finances.
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College group triumphs in the effective use of digital technology in further education (FE) category.
Activate Learning has won the 2023 Association of Colleges (AoC) Beacon Award for effective use of digital technology, which is sponsored by Jisc, for supporting adult learners to study remotely.
The college group, which spans three counties, identified the challenges of providing fair access to learning for adults studying alongside jobs and personal commitments, which can lead to high levels of attrition and low achievement rates.
With the use of their learning philosophy, they developed an online programme that prioritises continual feedback to help learners develop and succeed at their own pace.
Since implementing the programme, Activate Learning has seen improvements in GCSE pass rates and received positive feedback from learners who are benefitting from a more flexible way of working.
Paul McKean, director of further education, skills and training at Jisc said:
“Jisc has been a sponsor of the AoC Beacon Awards for over a decade. The effective use of digital technology category highlights the advances being made in digital transformation across the whole of the UK FE sector.
“Activate Learning should be proud that their innovative use of digital technology is improving experiences for adult learners. For the UK to sustain a truly effective and agile workforce, everyone should have fair access to digital learning throughout their careers and beyond.
“Congratulations to the well-deserving winners, and well done to the other finalists, USP College and Heart of Worcestershire College.”
Mark White, Chair of AoC’s Charitable Trust said:
“The AoC Beacon Awards showcase exactly why colleges are so important to every community and why people value them.
“This award recognises examples of excellent practical teaching and learning. The work of the winning college shows how important colleges are in providing students with the necessary skills for the real world.”
via Jisc news
The Association of Colleges (AOC) Beacon Awards has celebrated excellence for colleges, learning providers, staff and students since 1995.
Heart of Worcestershire College, USP College and Activate Learning are finalists in this year’s Jisc-sponsored ‘effective use of digital technology’ award for their use of digital solutions to help solve real-world problems.
The college created a blended learning programme that gives learners the opportunity to hone important soft skills relevant for the workplace.
Amy Hollier, director of blended and online learning, said:
“We’ve been using blended learning for about ten years now, so it’s not new, but about two or three years ago we started a major project spanning the whole institution.
“We consulted with students first and asked them what they wanted to see from a blended learning programme. We also spoke to staff and local employers.
“We realised that we needed to help learners gain 21st century skills - skills that industry said they wanted us to develop, like communication, problem solving, creativity and critical thinking.
“Learners are assigned tasks on a weekly basis that are embedded into timetables. They are encouraged to work independently using industry relevant digital tools to really draw out those skills through our virtual learning environment (VLE).
“We also set students projects using different types of digital tools with set timeframes, like they would experience in real life working scenarios. These skills are transferrable across most jobs available today.“We’re proud of our staff for embracing and being instrumental in integrating this new way of working. It can be hard changing the way things have always been done, but thankfully the results speak for themselves.
“We’ve received great feedback from learners. We thought it would take longer for them to engage and for the new ways of working to embed, but more than 85% of them agree it has been a success.”
Immersive teaching spaces have been introduced to enable cross-campus, blended and hybrid teaching to address teacher shortages and additional challenges.
Principal and CEO, Dan Pearson, said:
“Six or seven years ago, USP was formed from a merger of two colleges with different approaches to finance and quality, and different numbers and abilities of teachers.
“Students were having different experiences when studying the same subject across the two campuses and we wanted to standardise this approach, ensuring all students had access to the best teachers.
“Recruitment and retention of staff is always difficult, and we were being priced out of the market by businesses, so we decided to take a different approach.
“In 2019 we installed immersive rooms at both of our campuses, with room-to-room video conferencing.
“The immersive rooms were widely used throughout the pandemic and helped connect students and teachers, regardless of their location.
“Principals from across the country have been able to see for themselves how well these rooms work. They provide a great return on investment and in our first year of using them at USP we saved more than £100,000.”
The college group developed an online learning programme that provides continual feedback to adult learners to aid development, while simultaneously building strong relationships with learners.
Group digital director, Sharmen Ibrahim, said:
“Thirty percent of our adult cohort don't come to site except for exams. We know they have busy lives and can be studying alongside jobs and other commitments, so we use online learning to maintain close relationships.
“Through the use of our learning philosophy and the CenturyTech platform, we developed a sequence of learning that can be applied to every subject to help achieve success.
“Starting with a ‘learning nugget,’ a standalone mini activity focused on a specific topic, learners work through a mix of live and recorded sessions. They can revisit any aspect in their own time and really get to grips in the style that best suits them.
“Because of the nature of the cohort, the iterative way of working meets learner needs. Having a flexible way of learning really works.
“Our teachers are more like coaches and provide one-to-one as well as group learning sessions. They also use a visualiser tool which allows them to see how learners work in real time. This means they can provide immediate feedback and instant intervention should any problems arise.
“The GCSE pass rates using this new model of learning were above and beyond what we expected. We're also really proud of the feedback learners have provided to us and to their peers.
“Because our staff have been integrated into the design and implementation of this approach from senior leader to teacher level, our learning philosophy is truly embedded into our culture, and we’re looking forward to growing our online provision based on our existing success.”
The winners of this year’s Beacon Awards will be announced on Monday 27 February 2023.
Activate Learning and USP college will be sharing more information on their digital transformation journeys and the future of digital in further education at Digifest. Register for Digifest to find out more.
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Three OA publishing initiatives to be fully funded through 2022 pilot scheme that aims to boost smaller publishers and improve decision-making.
A new approach for supporting diversity in the open access (OA) marketplace, in which UK higher education institutions pledge to support publishers over a three-year period, has achieved funding targets for three initiatives.
The open access community framework (OACF) was announced in February 2022 and launched at the ‘Supporting community-based open research initiatives’ webinar in May.
It aimed to help small publishers reach a wider potential pool of supporters and to group funding requests to institutions to help their strategic decision-making and budget planning.
Eligibility was limited to publishers using the ‘diamond OA’ model, with no charges for subscriptions or article or book processing charges, that also operate on a not-for-profit basis.
To facilitate Jisc members’ engagement with OA initiatives such as the OACF, three institutions shared their experiences of creating strategies and managing budgets to support diamond OA at the webinar.
After the event, member institutions could commit funding to whichever of the ten approved initiatives they chose. The pledging window closed on 30 November.
Each initiative had a funding target, and Jisc worked with publishers to determine a range of fee levels aligning broadly with Jisc bands to ensure that institutions of all sizes and budgets could engage with the OACF. Twenty-one institutions pledged support, 17 supporting more than one initiative, and a total of 67 orders were made, valued at £128k.
All ten initiatives received some funding and three achieved their funding target:
Helen Dobson, licensing portfolio specialist for research at Jisc, said:
"The OACF has provided a simple mechanism for small publishers to increase awareness of their diamond OA initiatives with our members and we're delighted three publishers have reached their funding target.
“The pilot has raised the profile of community-based funding models and stimulated conversations among Jisc members on how to support diamond OA and open research infrastructure more broadly.”
Paula Kennedy, head of publishing at University of London Press, said:
“We’re very pleased to have received support through the OACF for our ‘New Historical Perspectives’ series, which we publish with the Royal Historical Society and Institute of Historical Research.
“This successful OA series, aimed at early-career researchers, has high demand from authors and with OACF funding we can now publish three extra titles a year.
“As a smaller university press publishing on behalf of a society, we wanted to pilot a model that we hope other learned society publishers can benefit from.”
Dr Jan Willem Wijnen, strategy officer for Scipost, said:
“The OACF has worked out very well for us, so we are happy. Not just for the provided funds but also because OACF has turned out to be a smart and successful way for academic libraries to work together to support developments in open science.”
For more details on the OACF pilot and how it worked, visit the Jisc open access webpages.
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In collaboration with the Scottish Funding Council, Jisc is working with colleges across Scotland to boost digital transformation.
Scotland’s tertiary education and research authority, the Scottish Funding Council is advocating that Scottish colleges use Jisc’s digital elevation tool (DET) to achieve their digital transformation ambitions.
DET is a self-assessment tool that supports education leaders and learning providers to better understand their current digital infrastructure and build an effective digital strategy for the future.
Created in collaboration with the UK’s further education sector, the tool focuses on five themes: leadership, governance and culture, learner experience, staff experience, curriculum development, and underpinning technologies.
DET helps colleges progress from foundation level (digital transformation must haves) to elevation level (innovation leaders) with support from Jisc’s in-house experts and the wider DET community of practice.
Erica Russell-Hensens, SFC’s deputy director of student interests, access and pathways, said:
“We know college leaders want to explore accessible learning opportunities and develop digital technology for the benefit of a wider range of learners.
“Our work with Jisc and the potential of the DET to accelerate progress will strongly support the sector’s digital ambitions.”
Jason Miles-Campbell, Jisc’s director, Scotland, and Northern Ireland said:
“Scotland’s colleges have helped many learners to improve their lives and as the world has transformed over the last three years, colleges have transformed too.
“As sponsors of the digital learning category in the Colleges Development Network Awards, we've seen many examples of technology being put to good use.
“Innovation is a clear priority, whether it’s health and social care students using virtual reality to better understand the experiences of patients with dementia, or a ‘virtual schools’ project providing a varied, accessible, and inclusive curriculum across the highlands and islands of Scotland.
“By using DET, and with support from Jisc, Scottish colleges can make the best digital transformation choices for their teachers, learners, and communities.”
For more information on DET, register for Digifest where college leaders experienced in using the tool will be hosting a session alongside Jisc experts.
You can also join the community of DET users or sign up for a user-friendly workshop hosted by Jisc. For more information contact your Jisc relationship manager.
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OpenAthens, a Jisc service providing access to knowledge in the education, research and public sectors, has revealed the programme for its annual library resource conference, Access Lab.
Speakers and delegates at the international event for publishers, providers and library and IT professionals will discuss the global challenges and opportunities they encounter when searching for resources.
Taking place online from 20-23 March, Access Lab 2023 offers a range of free sessions running at all hours of the day to cater for an international audience in varying time zones.
Sessions will be recorded and available to view after the event closes.
Topics include user experience, customer case studies on moving to federated single sign-on and systems integration, the impact of cookie privacy changes, and data trends.
Keynote speaker, Emily Singley, VP for North American library relations at Elsevier, will discuss how librarian partnerships drive innovation, improve user experience, and ensure equitable and secure access for everyone.
Other speakers include:
An exciting feature of the event is the Best Publisher UX Awards, now in its fourth year. Jane Charlton, international marketing manager at OpenAthens, will announce the winner on Monday 20 March at 12:50pm EDT/16:50pm GMT.
User experience is a key theme throughout this year's programme. OpenAthens’ e-resources manager, Emma Wilson-Shaw, will chair a panel debate discussing ‘Why consistent user experience is essential for global research (and how to achieve it)’. Delegates will be able to ask questions to the live panel.
For more information about Access Lab 2023, including the full programme, and to register to attend, visit the OpenAthens website.
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