5.3 Information Management

We would like to start this topic by a 9 minute video with power points from Mr.Gino Schiavone. This video helps you collect analyse and use the relevant information as part of ongoing monitoring.

Reading

Now read the case study of the Institute of Tourism studies below (10 min reading)

Data Collection of Students

Data collection of students, both full time and part time, falls under the responsibility of the Registrar and the Registrar’s Department. ITS uses a central IT system, better known as SITS, which is a complex multi-purpose powerful database platform that can tackle anything related to school administration.

Over the past years we have been developing this software to meet our specific needs firstly through an external programmer and through a Tribal (software company) consultant and in the past months ITS has employed two developers that are making notable inroads in the area. This effectively means that we have moved away from the rigid timetable as provided below to a more dynamic and live environment whereby all stake holders can update themselves accordingly across the whole academic year with any statistical data they require.

Further to the above this is basically the main timetable we adhere to:

FULL TIME COURSES / FULL QUALIFICATION COURSES

a) Applications for the full-time courses to be opened on the first semester of the subsequent academic year are opened in March/April prior to the academic year (which starts on the first Monday of October)

b) Applications are fully online and as soon as submitted each entry is registered in the database system. This makes it possible to update details and statistics concerning applications in real time and this reporting is made available to whoever within ITS is interested, including the CEO, COOs, etc.., all through the academic year. This is by far way better than any static report issued occasionally.

c) Applications are also against a registration fee which means that it is far less likely for the system to be abused by spammers as this would incur them a fee per entry.

d)Students who are already at ITS are given the chance to apply through an online internal application, currently using MS Forms. Details on these forms are then inputted in the database system by staff. There are plans to link this internal application directly to the database system and work has already started in this regard.

e) Once applications are submitted, they are vetted for eligibility by the Registrar and his team. In borderline cases whereby it is not clear whether the applicant is eligible or otherwise the applicants are asked to send in more detail and/or documents and/or confirmation of their qualification levels through Malta Qualifications Recognition Centre.

f) Students who apply as needing additional support are referred to the Special Needs committee to identify what support the student would be needing and advise the Admissions Board on whether it is safe to accept the student/s with severe conditions. The final decision is taken by the Admissions Board.

g) The Admissions Board consists of the Registrar (chair) the Deputy Registrar (Secretary) and an Academic Manager. The board’s function is to make a final decision on admission of students where entry criteria are not clearly met and might be subject to interpretation.

h) All accepted applications are updated accordingly on our database and they are also updated on the statistics portal in real time.

i) Accepted students will of course be notified accordingly.

j) In preparation for the upcoming academic year the Registrar’s Department, through the scheduling office, prepares timetables for all courses, modules, staff and students in liaison with the Curriculum Department’s directions.

k) Timetables are sent in advance.

l) Along the academic year records for absences, sickness, quarantine, resignations, terminations etc. are kept and recorded by the Registrar’s department.

m) Rescheduling and cancellations of lectures are also taken care of accordingly.

n) All the records are recorded on the student management system database (SITS) and all details can be viewed by any office which is directly or indirectly involved with such details any day when needed. The database can reveal each student’s attendance record, dates of resignation / termination, results, etc. There is no excuse for anyone not to use the system to check things out and anyone within the Institute can be given read only access.

o) Student results are all inputted, vetted and calculated by the Registrar’s department and issued after each semester and are updated after rest sessions.

PART TIME COURSES

p) Applications for the PT courses being run in the next semester are opened 1.5 months prior to the semester.

q) Applications are fully online and as soon as submitted each entry is registered in the database system. This makes it possible to update details and statistics concerning applications in real time and this reporting is made available to whoever within ITS is interested, including the CEO, COOs, etc.., all through the academic year. This is by far way better than any static report issued occasionally.

r) Applications are also against the course fee which is paid upon application which means that it is far less likely for the system to be abused by spammers as this would incur them a fee per entry.

WEAKEST LINKs as overseen by IQA ongoing motinoring

In the whole process explained above the following are the areas that still need much improvement:

The Registrar’s department does thousands of hours of work which is invisible as most other departments only see the end product and fail to understand the (often very complex and lengthy) processes which led to this end product. To this effect, in view of ITS’ planned expansion ITS should invest in human resources whereby we need at least one other qualified person in the Registrar’s Office and not less than two (highly IT literate) persons in the scheduling department.

Excerise:

Self Reflection: If you gather this type of data what will your challenges be? How will you monitor it? Who is responsible to provide such data for discussion? Where is it discussed? What happens after the discussion? (30 min)