The University of Hamburg was facing multiple challenges: The Bologna process, bringing new structures, complex workloads and international competition on the one hand, and the necessity for internal reforms on the other. The solution the university created was "STiNE" (Study-Information-Net), a fully integrated campus management system, which was implemented in October 2006. STiNE created a completely new infrastructure, connecting all academic and administrative processes. It manages the entire set of academic life and was an important tool to establish and organize a profound transformation process. STiNE is now the first completely integrated university platform of its kind in Germany.
Policy Context
The STiNE project work affects internal as well as regional, national and international levels and policies. On the internal level, the University of Hamburg started a change process that had long been overdue. The university had countless IT-solutions and structures. By implementing STiNE, the university gained the possibility to know more about its structures and to finally close the gap between the academic and administrational worlds, that usually exist at all organizations of that kind - but that very often hinder processes. By using one core platform, e.g. processes are more efficient and all data is centrally stored - and used on requirement by the decentral departments. So double data capture is not an issue anymore. On a regional level, the university is forced to deliver statistics and forecasts to the City State of Hamburg as well as to the Department of Science and Research. Facing the Bologna process, the university had to update its tools to deliver those tasks and it developed a new infrastructure to do this faster, easier and more cost-effective. In brief: the way from administration to management. Nationally, universities in Germany are currently facing a variety of projects and initiatives to reform and support educational institutions. The best-known is the "Initiative of Excellency", which supports the winner universities with financial resources. In the first round of this specific initiative, the University of Hamburg was not chosen. Therefore, it is working hard to meet those goals - one way is by improving and enhancing structures to support study and research. On the international platform, universities are facing the Bologna process that brings along a variety of necessities, among other things, to implement structures and methods for one unified European education area. STiNE is fully apt to meet the requirements according to the Bologna declaration.
Description of target users and groups
The University of Hamburg is the third biggest in Germany, including five further faculties and over 270 buildings all over the city. STiNE supports about 40.000 students, 4.000 lecturers and 6.000 employees in administration (including data management and hospital staff) to organize their everyday university life.
Description of the way to implement the initiative
For the project itself, the first step was to form a matching team. The university identified contacts from different departments and invited the main partners (e.g. Datenlotsen) as well as third parties (e.g. the “Multimediakontorâ€, a partly state-controlled company, consulting Hamburg universities) to join in the weekly and monthly meetings. After identifying the broad project structure, parameters and targets, the team started with analyzing the structures, tools, workflows and the broad range of IT-solutions of the university. Having identified those (which took several months), a project plan with specific targets and milestones was created. On a parallel scheme, a set of communication measures was initiated to inform students, lecturers and administration about the upcoming changes. This included, e.g., information flyers, handbooks and posters, specific trainings for user groups as well as email and telephone hotlines to answer urgent questions. Project Leader: the Department of Data Management at the University of Hamburg Software: CampusNet by Datenlotsen Informationssysteme GmbH Analysis, software development and implementation: the Department of Data Management and Datenlotsen Informationssysteme GmbH Server technology and software: Microsoft Deutschland GmbH
Technology solution
STiNE is the central organisation, communication and information platform at the University of Hamburg, its core being one central database. The software basis of STiNE is CampusNet, an application designed by the consulting and software company Datenlotsen Informationssysteme GmbH in Hamburg, Germany. First, the university´s structures and needs were thoroughly analyzed. Then CampusNet was adjusted to the necessary processes - and implemented. The first step of implementation was completed in October 2006. Students and lecturers are using the system via a common browser - no additional software is necessary. Every student and lecturer has an individual login. This way they can, e.g., register and update their courses, receive email or get information about their examinations. The administration department uses the system via software clients. The software is divided in different sections, according to university structures and processes. A complex rights management is behind the system, allowing staff only to work on the information needed for their department. The server infrastructure of STiNE is administrated by the university´s Data Management Department.
Main results, benefits and impacts
The university of Hamburg is the first university in Germany to implement a fully integrated campus management system that connects all academic departments and processes. Doing this, the software worked as a motor for a general and profound reform process at the University of Hamburg. But STiNE does not only integrate students and lecturers. It closes the gap between the academic world and the administrational world at educational institutions. This gap is a matter of different goals, culture and target groups, that need to be analyzed and provided with tools and measures to interact. With STiNE, the university implemented a system which found a mutual language for these often contradictive worlds. In brief, STiNE started to create a new culture at the university and to bring the user groups (students, lecturers, administration) closer together - initializing and enhancing organization, communication and information structures. As a direct impact, it met several necessities according to the Bologna process: - Bachelor and Master structures - new course/module and examination system STiNE is mandatory for all Bachelor and Master students. However, approx. 80 per cent of all students are using the platform in one way or the other. The online-platform offers: - a single point of entry for students and lecturers - an individual email address - individual accounts for students and lecturers - accessing the account at anytime from anywhere - registering for courses and examinations - changing personal data - creating a personal mini-website The administration department uses the STiNE client, the core software. The integrated client: - abolished double-capture and manual data entry - detects incompatibility of solutions - secures studies on a legal level - matches examination rules with course structures - has one central database but decentralized data care - manages resources centrally - gives statistics on one click (or two) - standardizes routine processes As an indirect impact, STiNE was the motor of a transformation and reform process at the University of Hamburg. It integrates new structures, cultures and infrastructures to meet national and international competition. The initial investment was a considerable step for the organization but different departments have calculated that the return of investment will be reached in three to five years. However, more important is the timeframe of the project itself: STiNE will develop and grow with user needs, being a long-lasting commitment that has already started to create a new understanding and a new sense for studying.
Return on investment
Return on investment: Not applicable / Not availableTrack record of sharing
According to the declaration of Bologna, any university in Europe has the duty to implement structures and processes to finally create a mutual education system. With sinking resources (basically staff and financial means) there are very few universities who are able to master the upcoming workload with existing solutions – especially if they are on paper. With StiNE, the University of Hamburg is one of the first in Germany, which are ready for this new era. For this reason various university representatives from all over the country (and from abroad) are visiting and consulting the team to find out more about how to start and implement a similar process.
Lessons learnt
Lesson 1 - Always keep every single user in mind. > A change like the described – with 50.000 users – is a huge step. Not just for the organization in general, but for every single person that is involved in the process. There is not one level of knowledge – e.g. about software solutions or workflows – and the first step is to bring everyone on the same levels in the required areas. That means not just information and trainings for the different user groups but trainings for the groups within the groups (s. above). You can never do too much! Lesson 2 - Calculate more time than estimated for a change process – and then put some more time on top. > Starting a change process, you have a project plan, a target list, and milestones identified. Everything is set – but you also have to calculate those parts, that cannot be measured or calculated. In addition, with a new tool further requests will come up – which can make project plans a lot longer. Lesson 3 - Software is not just a tool to install. > Software like CampusNet, or StiNE, can be a lot more than just a tool. It can be a motor for initialing, starting and enhancing activities that have nothing to do with software.
Scope: National