Consorzio Interuniversitario
Improving Scientific Research in Higher Education Institutions:
a process management experience in Italian Universities
www.u-gov.eu
Core Activities:
• Supercomputing services
for scientific research
• IT services for the Italian
Ministry of university and
research
• IT services for universities
University ConsortiumNo-ProfitFounded in 1969
39 Members:• 36 Universities• 2 Research institutes• Italian Ministry of
University and Research
Employees: 360 Owned company: Kion (.. and others)
CINECA for Higher Education
CINECA Solutions and Services for the University Administration
Department Organization
Head of DepartmentProduct Manager U‑GOV
Research & Developem
entExternal Relations
HRArea
ResearchArea
Product Development
Customer Services
• Help-desk
• Consulting
• Education
Accounting
Area
Planning &
Controlling
AreaProduct Development
Customer Services
• Help-desk
• Consulting
• Education
Product Development
Customer Services
• Help-desk
• Consulting
• Education
Product Development
Customer Services
• Help-desk
• Consulting
• Education
KION
Learning &Students Management Area
Product Development
Customer Services
• Help-desk• Consulting• Education
AccountManagement
Italian Higher Education context
Studentsand learning
Research Accounting HRPlanning &Controlling
StudentsDatabase
CoursesDatabase
Research fundsDelivery
ProfessorsDatabase
Ministry of University and Research
Single University
U-GOV Solution Map
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
Planning
Accounting
Research
Learning
Human Resources
Student Services (integration)
Controlling
Payroll (integrat.)
Re-engeneering
Beta Test Deploy
Project Management
U-GOV Roadmap 2006-2010Developme
ntBeta Test Deploy
Development
Beta Test Deploy
Development
Beta Test Deploy
Development
Beta Test Deploy
Development
Beta Test Deploy
Development
Beta Test Deploy
Development
Beta Test Deploy
Re-engeneering
Beta Test Deploy
www.u-gov.eu
Number of Users
Applications
•HR management (since 1990)•Accounting management (since 1997)
•Student management (since 1999, Kion)
•Research management (since 2005)
•Planning & Controlling (since 2002)
At least one CINECA’s solution
Total Italian Universities (public, private, telematic)
University Users
67 (69%)44 (45%)68 (70%)20 (21%)20 (21%)
83 (86%)
97
U-GOV Technological Architecture
www.u-gov.eu
CINECA’s vision on research processes
• Project management internally and externally funded (Gov, EU, Industry): administering the grant, complying with regulations, reporting to funders.
• Research results repository management (publications, patents, conference speeches, ..)
• Research results assessment (publication, projects, research groups)
• Research assets management (research teams and groups, research units, laboratories, equipments, facilities, skills..)
• Dissemination and Technology transfer• Integration with national and istitutional repositories/systems
• Projects
• Results
• Assessment
• Assets
• Dissemination
Research Management Processes
Call for Proposal
Proposal Assessment
Project Management
Financial/ScientificReporting
Final Results (Output)Management
Resources, Tools, Labs
Results Assessment
Dissemination and Exploitation
www.u-gov.eu
Research Project Management
• Project Configuration– Project type– Cost prospect model– Work package model
• Project informations– Total budget and annual budget– Work Packages definitions– People and resources
• Timesheet submitting by researchers• Business Intelligence facilities for Indirect Costs Allocation• Reporting for funders• Internal reporting about work in progress and results
www.u-gov.eu
Publication Repository IT issues
• No duplications: automatic recognition of publication already submitted
• Each publication has a unique data owner • Attachments to publications (e.g. full text)• Integration with the University’s human resource
database: infos about authors• Integration with national and istitutional IT
systems• Import and export using standards like MODS,
BibTex, ISI, OAI, Endnote, Pubmed • Gateways for systems interoperability and data
export (e.g. OAI-PMH pubblication metadata harvest, other web services)
www.u-gov.eu
Results Repository goals
• It gathers all the research results produced by an author that works for the University
• publications, patents, products, conferences, seminars
• It shows statistics about publications, researchers, research teams, research units, areas
• It is the start point for Assessment process• It exports data to:
• University Libraries• University Portal• National/institutional systems and websites
Assessment Process
Step 1Session
configuration
Step 2Assessment
session
Definition of publications and evaluators
Definition of session rules
Session opening
Peer to peerAssessment activities
Session endind
Assessments publication
Reporting
Committee
Referee/Peer
Author
Research Office
www.u-gov.eu
Assessment session
• Session opening• Referees can preview the assigned publications • Blind review• Automatic assessments
• Session management• Referees express their opinion about pubblications• Referees report errors/issues, view progress of requests.• President and Research Office manage session work in
progress and warnings (open/in progress/accepted/rejected)
• Reporting• Session analysis• Final results sorted by categories, authors, groups and
teams, areas.
www.u-gov.eu
Research Assets
• Research groups and teams (skills, areas, activities, ..)
• Additional information about grants• Annual research planning• Scientific partnership• Labs, equipments, facilities.• Cultural and technological transfer
Harmonization of Higher Education Area
(Bologna Process)
RS3G (Rome Student Systems and Standards Group) is group of software implementers and stakeholders in the European Higher Education domain focused to the definition and adoption of standards for the exchange of student data.
Metadata for Learning Opportunity
and
European Learner Mobility
www.u-gov.eu
European collaboration opportunities
• EUNIS workshop on research management system (october 2009 host CINECA)
• U-GOV user groups and focus groups as a starting point to European best practice sharing
• CORDIS data exchange automation ?• EUROPEANA repository• EuroCRIS• Others
www.u-gov.eu
Thank you for your attention
Nicola BertazzoniExternal Relations Manager
Fabrizio LuglioResearch Systems and Services
Division Manager
Questions?