Major ICT Achievements 2023-2024

Access

Cross-Campus Moodle is a shared learning management system for delivery of cross-campus teaching and learning and online examinations. The usage of this platform increased by 24% during the period to include large courses such a LING1819: Sign Language that increased in enrolment to over 500 participants. The CCM hosted the delivery of Faculty of Medical Sciences’ course MEDC7200 Evidence Based Medicine while continuing to support MBBS and DM high stake exams.

In collaboration with Global Campus technical team who host the CCM/CCX instances, the following was achieved:

- Turnitin (anti-plagiarism) was integrated with the Cross-Campus Exams. This functionality facilitates the seamless submission of written assessment from Moodle to Turnitin

- Respondus, which is an online proctoring tool, was integrated in the Cross-campus Exam environment.

Microsoft (MS) SharePoint The continued use and administration of MS SharePoint has been pivotal in the UWI’s cross-campus collaboration and efficiency. This is evidenced in UWI’s Executive and Cross-campus meetings held throughout the academic year. Providing such a centralized platform for document management, communication, and team collaboration, SharePoint has streamlined workflows and improved accessibility to critical information securely. The use of SharePoint has enhanced operational efficiency and also strengthened the ability to collaborate effectively, regardless of location, ensuring smoother business processes and supporting our long-term growth.

Alignment

Policy on the Use of Electronic Mail

The OUCIO have revised the University’s Policy on the Use of Electronic Mail (2016) in continued acknowledgment of email as a most critical university record and to reflect the significant developments regarding the handling of data, particularly the handling of the personal data of the University’s stakeholders. Extensive stakeholder engagement was completed. The updated policy gained the approval of the University F&GPC in February 2024.

Cybersecurity

The evaluation, selection and acquisition of an Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) solution, SentinelOne, and its rollout across UWI was completed The UWI CIRT cross-campus team lead by the OUCIO. This EDR solution has enhanced the ability to proactively detect, investigate, and respond to potential threats across all endpoints, providing deeper visibility into suspicious activities. The SentinelOne solution was obtained with significant cost savings for the additional EDR features compared to the Symantec platform that used previously. This acquisition buttresses the UWI’s security against advanced cyber threats, minimizes response times to security incidents, and ensures compliance with industry standards. By implementing EDR, the University is better positioned to safeguard our critical data and assets, reduce the risk of breaches, and maintain trust with our stakeholders. The integration of this technology is a crucial step towards enhancing the overall security posture and future-proofing the UWI’s digital operations. Importantly, as UWI collaborates with other academic partners, it has become a prerequisite to have EDR in place before engagements in the realm of the Internet can be realized.

The OUCIO Cybersecurity Awareness Campaigns were held on October 31st and November 2nd with over 50 participants. These sessions had a positive impact on IT operations at UWI RHQ. These campaigns are designed to educate employees about the latest cybersecurity threats, safe online practices, and the role each individual plays in maintaining UWI’s IT security posture. In fostering a culture of security awareness, we significantly reduce the likelihood of human error-related breaches and enhance our overall IT risk management strategy. The campaigns have bolstered the security mindset of staff and contributed to more proactive identification and mitigation of potential vulnerabilities. As a result, UWI's ability to safeguard sensitive information, protect our reputation, and ensure the continuity of business operations has been strengthened.

Agility

OneUWI Email Rollout:

The period saw intense activities across the IT group related to the rollout of the OneUWI email, which involved migrating staff email to the @uwi.edu domain. The transition to the cloud-based Microsoft 365 (M365) platform was in progress for some time with each campus at an advanced stage. During this period, the following were accomplished:

- The final phase was the migration of all staff to the @uwi.edu domain.

- The Business Intelligence Data Exchange (BIDX) was developed to facilitate secure data exchange between campuses for email creation.

- The Email Arbitrator was developed and is currently running daily jobs. The Arbitrator is a collection of processes designed to automate the creation of email accounts across the UWI and prevent duplication regardless of name clashes.

- The cross-campus M365 Focus Area Group and the Marketing and Communications Teams across the UWI had a rich collaboration resulting from weekly meetings. The meetings are ongoing, and the collaboration has produced an increase in staff awareness of the M365 platform and the revised email policy.

Digital Transformation Programme (CDB Loan)

The OUCIO team worked closely with the Procurement Officer hired during the period. The Procurement Officer provided the expertise required to work through the rigorous procurement process and ‘no objection’ requirements of the CDB at each step. The Priority One ICT components for goods include RHQ audio equipment and network upgrade; and consultancies for which members of the OUCIO lead the coordination of the cross-campus IT teams. These components are at an advanced stage of procurement.

Professorial Tracker Application The OUCIO developed and delivered the Professorial Tracker Application to the Office of Administration to track and inform academic staff members applying for professorships. This online software application timely informs applicants and relevant stakeholders, such as Dean and HOD’s about the status of respective applications within their remit, as each step of the process is completed. This automated process has also lessened the administrative burden associated with such applications, driving operational efficiency.

New Websites created in the period in collaboration with the relevant departments are as follows:

- Risk Management

- Audit and Advisory Services

- Use of Electronic Mail Policy

- Microsoft 365 (M365)

- Technology Information Portal (TIP)