INFORMATION COMMUNICATION AND TECHNOLOGY CENTRE

Strategic Plan: 2005 - 2015

VISION

To be a center of innovation in the provision of quality ICT services to Moi University.

MISSION

To effectively conceive, develop, implement, utilize, and manage appropriate information

systems in order to provide integrated and coordinated quality ICT services to Moi

University in line with its vision, mission and objectives.

CORE VALUES OF ICT CENTRE

· Provision of quality ICT services to the university
· Management, control and maintenance of ICT in the university
· Advising university authorities on all ICT matters
· Formulation of ICT policies for the university
· Interpretation of ICT policies and related matters for the university

STRENGTHS, WEAKNESSES, OPPORTUNITIES AND THREATS (SWOT) ANALYSIS

· Strengths

- Established ICT infrastructure e.g. IRM Center, KENET tower, fibre optic backbone
- Computer literate community
- Well-trained and competent technical staff
- Some degree of connectivity
- Strong support for ICT from the university management
- Enthusiasm from staff and students on ICT matters
- Availability of IPP and ICT Master plan documents

· Weaknesses

- Lack of full-time director of IRM Center
- Lack of transport for IRM staff
- Inadequate number of technical staff at the Center
- Lack of full connectivity in faculties/schools/institutes
- Varying standards of ICT resources
- Varying levels of ICT implementation in faculties
- Significant computer illiteracy among staff
- Less than 2000 PCs for a combined population of over 20,000 students (regular and PSSP) and staff
- Low remuneration and incentives for technical staff
- Lack of office space for IRM staff
- Lack of staff establishment and career progression
- Lack of national policy on ICT
- Lack of formal recognition of IRM Centre as a center of essential service in the university

· Opportunities

- Challenge from the Chancellor and Vice Chancellor of Moi University on ICT
- New developments in ICT
- Availability of hardware and software locally
- Cheaper hardware and software
- Availability of training opportunities for ICT staff

· Threats

- Expiry of donor support
- Anticipated Increase in turnover of technical staff
- Anticipated increase in charges for Internet access through KENET
- Accumulation of obsolete ICT in the university taking up space and increasing

. Maintenance costs

q Competition from other organizations on ICT utilization, notably banks

STRATEGIC ISSUES

Infrastructure (Finances, Hardwaren Software, Networks, Data
Sets, People, Procedures)

· Finances needed for

- Acquisition of hardware and software
- Development and implementation of ICT and LANs
- Upgrading of hardware and software including LANs
- Hiring of competent technical staff
- Training of staff in ICT

· Hardware
- Computers (servers, PCs, client workstations)
- Associated hardware (printers, scanners, plotters)
- LANs
- Routers
- Bridges
- Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS) units

· Software
- Operating system
- Application software
- Communication software UNIX based (TCP/IP)
- Dedicated administrative software packages FIS, HURIS, ARIS)
- Scientific packages
- Office software
- Public ware (news servers, web browsers, teach ware, games)
- Networks (fibre optic cabling, wireless connection, other technologies) for LANSandWANs.

·.Data Sets
- Academic data
- Student data
- Library data
- Examinations
- Hostels
- Administrative data
- Personnel records
- Medical records
- Financial data
- Assets data

· People
- Leadership at IRM Centre
- Students
- Academic staff
- Administrative staff
- Support staff
- Technical staff
- Staff establishment (Full time director)
- Career progression
- University management
- Local community

. Procedures
- ICT development, implementation and utilization
- Student admissions
- Student loans
- Student rules and regulations
- Medical records
- Financial control (budget, revenue, expenditure, auditing)
- Examinations rules and regulations
- Senate procedures
- Council procedures
- Research and extension
- Public relations

INFRASTRUCTURE

OBJECTIVE: TO HARNESS ICT AS A STRATEGIC RESOURCE TO MEET THE VISION, MISSION AND OBJECTIVES OF THE UNIVERSITY

Strategy 1: To create and maintain quality ICT infrastructure in line with the vision, mission and objectives of the University

ACTIVITIES

i. Install up-to-date ICT infrastructure, including LANs, wireless technologies and backbones

ii. Assist faculties/schools/institutes in the university to install ICT infrastructure in their respective sites and / or campuses

iii. Achieve full connectivity to the Internet in the entire university using fibre optic cabling, wireless technology, or any other proven technology of the time (2005)

Strategy 2: To acquire and maintain Management Information Systems (MIS)
applications that are online and real-time

ACTIVITIES

i. On-going projects I-X (See below)
ii. Provide the required ICT equipment and software available on the market
iii. Upgrade all equipment and software at regular time intervals
iv. Keep abreast of emerging ICT technologies
v. Enable staff and students acquire PCs from vendors
vi. Promote use of computers to solve problems in such areas as agriculture, education,

commerce, entertainment, geology, health, mining, science, tourism, trade, and transport

Strategy 3: To attract, develop and retain competent technical staff and build
capacity at all levels of the University in order to develop, implement, use and sustain ICT

that meets the University vision, mission and objective

ACTIVITIES

i. Appoint a full time director for the Center

ii. Provide leadership and vision in the strategic and practical application of ICT within the university

iii. Recruit and train required technical staff

iv. Fill all vacant positions at the Center

v. Establish a clear career progression for all staff at the Center

vi. Participate in the development of new ICT applications

vii. Provide solutions to problems affecting ICT users

viii. Provide appropriate and continuous training to all staff

ix. Organize and develop ICT training modules at all levels

x. Offer consultancy and training to users and other organizations on best ICT practice

xi. Develop new ways to improve ICT service support and delivery to the university

xii. Promote use of computers to overcome problems related to physical disability andgender disparity among staff and students

Strategy 4: To implement other management measures that ensure ICT facilitates the business of the University

ACTIVITIES

i. Provide management of ICT projects as a form of support to Moi University Management
that ensures project status is tracked and projects are addressed based on MU IPP

ii. Encourage the infusion of ICT into all functional components in order to maximize
productivity and effectiveness

iii. Promote communication among stakeholders

iv. Facilitate university-planning activities by helping to define ICT resource
requirements and set priorities based on available ICT resources

v. Organize seminars, conferences and workshops on ICT

vi. Learn from the experiences on ICT in similar organizations through visits,
attendance of seminars, workshops, and conferences

vii. Document and publish significant developments initiated at the Centre

viii. Achieve Level 5 of ICT service support and delivery to the university on the
Capability Maturity Model (CMM)

ix. Reduce use of paper in offices by 75% or more of its current levels

x. Enable staff and students to tele-compute and access the Internet from their homes

xi. Apply ICT in most university operations and activities

xii. Promote use of computers in research, science, technology, education, and in social
and economic spheres

PROJECTS (STRATEGIES)

ON-GOING PROJECTS

PROJECT I: (i) Communication Infrastructure
(ii) Upgrading functional application management expertise

Current status: (i) With KENET tower installed, access to the Internet is now
easier and more reliable

Installation of the Fibre Optic Backbone is due to be completed in June/July 2004

(ii) IRM staff have been trained in various packages, e.g. LINUX

PROJECT II: Moi University Students Information System (MU-SIS)

Current status: The ARIS project was not completed as specified, hence not in use.

PROJECT III: Skills upgrade training and end-user training

Current status: Has been going on at various intervals covering mostly IRM staff. New
training modules for all cadres of staff have been developed for implementation

PROJECT IV: Library Information System (LIS)

Current status: about 65% of LIS has been achieved, having changed from Ethernet topology
to UTP at MTL with some machines running on LINUX operating system; Some connectivity at Chepkoilel has been done; at FHS the network is being transferred to the new building. At
the SES documentation center, installation of LAN is on-going.

PROJECT V: Hardware/Software and Data Security

Current status: This is a continuous activity. For hardware, physical barriers (steel) have
been fitted in doors and windows; for software, up-to-date anti-virus tools are used to scan
and remove viruses and worms; and for data, access controls are used to allow legitimate
users only.

PROJECT VI: Moi University Human Resource Information System (MU-HURIS)

Current status: This project has yet to start. The relevant department needs to find the
required funds. The IRM is ready to offer professional advise on the package(s) needed.

PROJECT VII: Moi University Financial Information System (MU-FIS)

Current status: Currently, the Finance Office is using the packages obtained on World Bank project.

PROJECT VIII: ICT Curriculum up-date to make the curriculum responsive to industrial and
societal needs

Current status: This is faculty-based activity.

PROJECT IX: Moi University Website

Current status: With many faculties and departments sending in data and information, the MU Website has been updated. More still has to be done.

PROJECT X: Moi University Hospital Information System (MU-HIS)

Current status: This is a Medical Officer’s responsibility. The funds are required to develop and install the required information system. The IRM is ready to assist with professional advice.

PLANNED PROJECTS

Project XI: Moi University Research Information System (MU-RIS)

Project XII: Moi University Hostel Information System

Project XIII: Moi University Blackboard (Bulletin Board) Information System

Project XIV: Standardization of Hardware and Software & Communication Network components

Project XV: Moi University Physical Assets Record Information System

Project XVI: Moi University Management Information System (MU-MIS)

Project XVII: Moi University Medical Information System (MU-MEDIS)

Project XVIII: Communication and Office Automation

Project XIX: Telemedicine