BIC builds IT system for 16 NI colleges

Pro

The Northern Ireland further education sector has commissioned BIC Systems to design a computer system in a deal worth EUR8m.

The new system, called the Northern Ireland College Information System (NICIS), is intended to increase IT efficiency for Northern Ireland’s 16 further education (FE) colleges.

A review for the Department of Education and Learning carried out by PricewaterhouseCoopers recommended that a new IT system was required to support the future strategic direction of the FE sector.

The basis for the NICIS is HP-Compaq server technology running on a MS Windows 2000 operating platform integrated with software developed by Distinction Systems, BIC’s implementation partner and formerly known as Microcompass.

Alan Shannon, permanent secretary, Department for Employment & Learning, said: ‘the new system will provide colleges with performance data in all areas enabling managers to make quality decisions based on sound information’.

‘Improved links to the Department will streamline the assessment of allocating funding, will help measure progress in the areas of strategic objective and target setting for the sector, and of course evaluating the impact of policy initiatives,’ said Mr Shannon.

The new system is said to feature high levels of accessibility, user friendly reporting, improved interfaces with third party software and high quality asset management. It also has the ability to integrate with a number of existing systems — e.g. timetabling packages — as well other non-defined systems.

The pilot college for the new system is the North East Institute of Further & Higher Education. The student management element of the new system is scheduled to be in place at North East Institute (NEI) by June 2003. All enrolments at NEI for the academic year 2003/2004 will be conducted on the new system. The second college to receive the new system will be Limavady College. The relevant staff in both colleges will be trained by BIC Systems.

Personnel in the remainder of the 16 further education colleges in Northern Ireland will be trained by staff from the NICIS project team. According to the agreed timeframe, all of the NI colleges are scheduled to be fully functional in all respects of the new system by June 2005. The time lapse for implementation in any of the colleges is expected to be no longer than 18 months.

24/09/2003

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