UCOL software claims innovation award

UCOL software claims innovation award

UCOL’s Credit Achievement Management System (CAMS) has been recognised as the most innovative software development in the tertiary sector for 2010.

The new system, which allows daily monitoring of student academic progress, won the Applications prize at the Tertiary IT Innovation Awards announced last week.

Information Systems Manager Harry Faas was at the Auckland event to accept the award and the judges’ accolades for the originality and quality of the work, particularly given the relatively small size of UCOL’s IT team.

UCOL was one of three finalists in their category, with AUT and Auckland University. “We were up against the big boys,” says Harry. “The other institutions have 30 or more people in their software development teams. We have three.”

Harry and SQL/Report Developer Mike Jackson combined their skills to develop the system as the technical advisors to a small internal project team.

CAMS was introduced to UCOL users late last year. The system utilises information provided by UCOL’s Student Management System to provide up to date information on student academic progress. The reports are accessible to academic staff and managers and are updated daily.

General Manager Corporate Services Fiona Chard believes CAMs has provided UCOL with a common framework and the systematic intelligence to monitor, discuss, and respond to student progress. “We are all talking the same language and CAMs is bringing about changes to practices and policies right across UCOL”, she says.

The Dean of Humanities and Business Faculty Clive Jones says CAMS is an effective tool that allows him and his Heads of School to monitor how students are progressing in ‘real time’ and to quickly identify areas where additional student support may be required.

The awards, which are open to all NZ Universities, Polytechnics and Wananga, are sponsored by Microsoft New Zealand and are awarded annually at the Tertiary IT conference.

Harry’s presentation at the Tertiary IT Conference highlighting the capabilities of the CAMS system generated great interest among delegates. Microsoft’s Tertiary Sector Manager said CAMS was the best use of business intelligence that he knew of in New Zealand.

“I was happy enough to take that comment away with me,” says Harry. “But for UCOL to go on to win the award was amazing.”

As part of the Innovation Award, UCOL staff will travel courtesy of Microsoft to visit their headquarters in Seattle, USA.

They will then travel to Microsoft’s Los Angeles software development base to attend Educause, a four day workshop where they will be introduced to the latest in software engineering technology.

“Experiencing Microsoft first hand is a dream come true,” says Harry. “I’ve always wanted to go there.”

Ends

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