Table of Contents
Acknowledgement .................................................................................................................................. i
List of Figure ........................................................................................................................................ iii
List of Table.......................................................................................................................................... iii
Executive Summary ............................................................................................................................. iv
1.0
Introduction............................................................................................................................... 1
1.1
DEME University Background ............................................................................................ 1
1.2
Vision and Mission ................................................................................................................ 2
1.3
Core Values ........................................................................................................................... 2
1.4
Strategic Plan Initiatives (SIP)............................................................................................. 2
1.5
Strategic Information System Planning (SISP) .................................................................. 4
2.0
Environment Analysis .............................................................................................................. 5
2.1 SWOT Analysis ........................................................................................................................... 5
3.0
IT Strategic Goals ..................................................................................................................... 6
3.1
Teaching & Learning............................................................................................................ 6
3.2
Research................................................................................................................................. 8
3.3
Infrastructure ...................................................................................................................... 10
3.4
IT Governance..................................................................................................................... 12
4.0
Funding .................................................................................................................................... 13
5.0
Conclusion ............................................................................................................................... 14
6.0
References ................................................................................................................................ 15
i
List of Figure
Figure 1: DEME University organizational chart.............................................................................. 3
Figure 2: Teaching and learning roadmap ......................................................................................... 7
List of Table
Table 1: McFarlan Strategic Grid ..................................................................................................... 11
Table 2: SISP funding for DEME University ................................................................................... 13
ii
Executive Summary
In line with IT strategic planning for higher education at the Ministry of Education, the strategic
plan of DEME University Information Technology (IT) is intended to be a roadmap for
information technology for the next five years, the culmination of a year-long, campus-wide
collaboration. The plan will be updated as necessary and aims to maximize IT resources and
investment results by:

Identifying strategic objectives and behavior capable of bringing about sustainable
changes in three main fields: Research, Teaching and Learning, and Infrastructure.

Alignment of IT resources with projects that best promote the strategic strategy of the
university

Provide guidance on decision-making, priority setting and IT action in the above areas.
We're in higher education at a moment of transformation. The rapid pace of change, coupled
with the spread of new technologies and increasing compliance requirements, has created
demand for agile, responsive, easy-to-use and pervasive IT functions. Strategic planning is not
only desirable for information technology, but also imperative. Careful and deliberate IT
scheduling offers a view for the future, anticipates how we can react to evolving developments
and allows the university to obtain strategic benefits.
In this scheme, we purposely use a wide definition of IT to cover the entire environment. This
scheme offers an overarching view aimed at unifying and streamlining the different fields and
operations of IT presently working on campus. In our preparation and behavior, our purpose is
to include universal design and accessibility requirements and norms. On the flagship campus,
information technology includes all the technology for professors, employees, and learners,
both on campus and beyond. As the campus becomes more international and technology allows
for teaching, learning and research in a wider variety of locations and media, this is equivalent
to increased demand for.
The three IT steering committee (representatives mentioned at the start of the plan) linked to
the main fields (Teaching and Learning, Research and Infrastructure) recognized particular IT
objectives for each region, complemented by action items aimed at achieving these objectives.
The goals are deliberately broad, whereas the action items have a completion horizon of one to
five years. As such, these products provide an overall path for multi-year IT as well as a
coherent benchmark for committee annual reviews.
iii
1.0
Introduction
1.1 DEME University Background
DEME University is a revolutionary university that provides world class education and is
fully committed to offer students a high quality education and a transformative student
experience. Since its inception in 1981, Deme University has continuously provided
excellent educational services for its students in terms of study programmes, extra
curriculum, e-learning technology, strong partnerships with leading universities worldwide,
key industry player and well-equipped facilities around the campus. The university’s
curriculum encourages lifelong learning and make use of curiosity taught by distinguished
professors in their respective fields.
In 21st century, DEME University is at a transformational time in higher education. DEME
University’s has been consecutively developing and implementing innovative teaching and
learning method or pedagogy to ensure its students are able to get the best educational
experience and the university is able to produce high quality graduates that can contribute
to society as a whole. The university’s teaching and learning method focuses on developing
well academic and extra curriculum balanced graduates, which is taught with enhanced
curriculum, through industry collaboration, through professional experience and sharpen
critical including soft skills employers look for when hiring potential candidates.
DEME University consist of four faculties which are Faculty of Innovation and Technology
(School of Architecture, Building and Design, School of Engineering, School of Computing
& IT and The Design School), Faculty of Business and Law (Business School and Law
School), Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences (School of Medicine, School of Pharmacy
and School of Biosciences), and Faculty of Social Sciences and Leisure Management
(School of Hospitality, Tourism & Events, School of Culinary Arts & Food Studies, School
of Media and Communication, School of Liberal Arts and Sciences and School of
Education).
1
1.2 Vision and Mission
Vision

To provide world class higher education and create high impact research.
Mission

Enhance our position as one of the world’s leading research and teaching
universities and to measure our performance against the highest international
standards.

Provide the highest quality learning and teaching environment for the greater
wellbeing of our students and deliver an outstanding educational portfolio.

Produce graduates fully equipped to achieve the highest personal and
professional standards.

Make a significant, sustainable and socially responsible contribution to
Malaysia and the world, promoting health, economic growth and cultural
wellbeing.
1.3 Core Values
A. Respect
B. Excellence
C. Compassion
D. Hospitality
E. Integrity
F. Life-long learning
1.4 Strategic Plan Initiatives (SIP)
Strategic Plan Initiatives have been developed by the Top Management of the University
in order to improve the overall university education experience as follows:
A. To improve its capabilities in the research area.
B. To improve university’s capabilities in the teaching and learning area.
C. To deliver the best quality of teaching and learning environment in producing
versatile graduates with an outstanding educational portfolio.
2
1.5 Organizational Chart
Figure 1: DEME University organizational chart
3
1.5 Strategic Information System Planning (SISP)
In recent years, Information Technology (IT) has become a part of organizational strategy
in order to gain competitive advantage in market competition. Information Technology has
been recognized by many and now its roles in strategic making of organization has become
very important. Information system used by the organization need to be aligned with the
organization system development strategy and need to be aligned with the organization
goals and objectives. This can be regarded as Strategic Information System Planning
(SISP). Strategic Information System Planning is a process of identifying information
systems used by the organization and related infrastructure to support the organization
business strategy and business goals in order to achieve competitive advantage, improve
performance and develop new business opportunity. Information Technology built in an
organization will be ineffective, inefficient, integration difficulty and might cause financial
losses if there is no good Strategic Information System Planning in hand. Strategic
Information System Planning effectiveness will enable organisation to practice guidance
on how the information systems should be developed and ensures that information systems
resources, personnel, and funds will be used correctly.
In order to support DEME University Strategic Initiatives Plan (SIP) which are to improve
its capabilities in the research area, to improve university’s capabilities in the teaching and
learning area and also to deliver the best quality of teaching and learning environment in
producing versatile graduates with an outstanding educational portfolio, Information
Technology Steering Committee (ITSC) has been created to direct, monitor and evaluate
Strategic Information System Planning (SISP) in DEME University to ensure information
system and infrastructure existed currently will be able to support the university goals and
objectives including identifying future opportunity.
4
2.0
Environment Analysis
2.1 SWOT Analysis
The following observations on the current state of IT at DEME University are results
from discussions of Information Technology Steering Committee (ITSC) and direct
feedback from students, faculty, staff, IT professionals, and campus leaders.
Strengths
 Engaged students, faculty, and staff willing to advise on improving IT service
offerings.

Dedicated and highly-skilled IT professionals across campus.

Graduates of DEME University in key positions at national and international IT
organizations.
Weaknesses
 Information system and staff in silos across campus and a need to more-effectively
share information.

Better IT governance prioritization and transparency in a very large decentralized
environment is complex.

Dependence on IT from almost every area across campus at a transformational time
in an environment not fully adjusted to this change.
Opportunities
 capacity to improve student outcomes and improve affordability with technology.
Technology enables closer, easier collaborations world-wide.

The speed of research breakthroughs are accelerated with the help of technology
efficiencies.

The opportunity to deliver improved regional, national, and international outreach
through technology, regardless of geographical boundaries.
Threats
 An increasingly competitive market with a decreasing supply of students from our
traditional geographic areas in which we will not remain competitive without the
proper planning around technology as a key resource.


Growing compliance with an increased cost and without increased funding.
Expanding and more sophisticated information security threats targeted at higher
education.
5
3.0
IT Strategic Goals
3.1 Teaching & Learning
Any learning technology requires to concentrate on greater cognitive learning, not just
fundamental teaching processes. Campus officials, teachers, IT, and other interested
partners need to share technology governance with continuing student feedback. Ideally,
technology knowledge should be incorporated into each department.
We see the potential classroom as an unlimited teaching room. Classrooms must be more
flexible and organic, and equally flexible must be the technology housed in that space.
Students must be able to more easily access information related to their learning from
multiple sources in an effort to streamline the student experience. To allow the faculty
to concentrate on its strengths, they need further access to instruments suitable to their
personal educational needs, easy to use and updated at reasonable times.
As we move into software pilots used in classrooms, we need to plan for the future and
recognize that pilot-supported software may not be supported in the long run. We also
acknowledge that professors involved in software pilots may need to have a sustainable
route to continue using these instruments or have help in moving to similar instruments
after a pilot period has finished.
3.1.1
Action items
A. Help establish a transparent process of governance that addresses technologies
used in all types of teaching and work together with the Information Technology
Steering Committee (ITSC)

Further clarify the method for handling the development stages: proposed,
evaluated, piloted, implemented, supported, reviewed and decommissioned

Develop a route for potential progress in classroom technology, including
implementation of technology change and financing, and empowerment of
fresh techniques of learning.

Address the impact of technological change on education, particularly when
fresh techniques involve the re-design or re-creation of current curricula.

Provide the professors with data to assist them assess and compare the
instruments available
6
B. Address the need for settings to test and evaluate inventions. Combine this with
the need for stable settings in which normal training and learning can take place.

Select creative initiatives to be studied in the next five years (e.g. eportfolios,
student-centered
virtual
workspaces,
advanced
teaching
instruments) and evaluate the interoperability and accessibility of current
instruments.

Provide ongoing financing and help for teaching innovations to the
professors in DEME University
C. Support continuing investment in DEME University IT infrastructure so that
internet and physical spaces are fitted with suitable concentrations of innovation
technology.

Determine a roadmap for efficiency-based wireless capacity assessment for
full Bring You Own Device (BYOD) work in all classrooms.

Advance the evaluation of audiovisual (AV) skills in schools and add
characteristics to enable more effective learning and team-based methods in
a variety of school environments where feasible.

Provide the Integrative Learning Center's laptops and portable devices to
allow flexible and affordable online testing and include server upgrades to
meet the requirement.
3.1.2
Roadmap
Figure 2: Teaching and learning roadmap
7
3.2 Research
Educational research had already grown in on recent decades due to partly new
development of new technology and advance statistical test that facilitate the handling
and analysis amount of data (Ary, Jacobs, Irvine, & Walker, 2013). Besides that,
educational research can be defined as “purposeful and systematic enquiry to solve a
problem, illuminate a situation or add to our knowledge” (Mutch, 2005). As stated by
Borg (1963) that research is the combination of cognitive and experience and must be
observed as the most successful approach to the discovery of truth.
All the stakeholder especially lecturer and staff must have research skills in order to
build the knowledge and facilitate learning process, to understand various issues and
increases public awareness, to share valuable information, reading, writing and analyzes
and also to support truths and prove lies. There are stages in process of doing research
which are select the problem, review the literature, design the study, collect the data,
analyses the data, interpret the data and report the findings. DEME University had list
research as one of IT strategic goals due to must be conducted in order to provide
genuine information regarding any problem especially in educational problems and also
to provide the solutions.
8
3.2.1 Goals
The goals will help create an integrated, shared research platform for the faculty to
publicize their work and utilize IT training campus-wide.
A. Information & Data Management
To achieve the desired future state, DEME University collaborate with stakeholders to
select an enterprise system for storage, transmission and use of research data. Library
staff will expend one of services called consultation services where DEME University
will send the staff to training before consult with students and faculty on planning,
creating and preserving the information. Digital information and develop a consultation
services portals that provides information and data infrastructure. The services portals
will be maintaining by IT department.
Second, to develop a maintenance and protection policy that incorporates a new
generation approach to information management that combines institutional
information and research data under a university-wide structure while addressing
compliance and risk management needs. Lastly to develop an IT policy framework that
captures the issues of privacy, security and web conventions for information and data
management. Nowadays, security data is very crucial in order to protect the data from
security threat.
B. High Performance Computing
DEME University desire to achieve high performance computing skill for stakeholders
especially lecturers and staff. To achieve this goal, need to follow the recommendation
that agree by Information Technology Steering Committee such as by establish full time
high performance computing expert within DEME University who will be key person
for faculty need. In additional, key person must have scientific computing background
in order to engage with on-campus researchers. To support this goal, key person can
establish a subcommittee with Research and Community Engagement such as help desk
to support needs for a robust large-scale data storage options for high performance
computing data.
9
3.3 Infrastructure
In achieving the success of an effective strategic information system planning,
information technology infrastructure will be one of the key factor that will contribute
to it. In maximizing and improving the current information technology resources,
strategic infrastructure planning is required where it will be one of the key area that will
support the whole planning of strategic information system. According to Technopedia
(2019), information technology infrastructure can be referred to various components that
exist in enterprise information technology environment consist of the hardware,
software, network, data and storage. All these components will act as enabler to the
business where it will allow organization to deliver their vision and mission in an
effective and efficient manner with information technology assistance.
One of the strategic goals that DEME University would like to focus in improving their
strategic information system planning is by improving the efficiency and effectiveness
of their current information technology infrastructure setup. By referring to various
types of revision process, additional improvement on the setup is required to support the
needs of the strategic information system planning such as server hardware upgrade,
operating system upgrade, application upgrade, network connectivity and bandwidth
upgrade. The improvement of the setup is required due to the enhancement of
information system where it will result to an increase in the infrastructure requirement.
By looking at this angle, a significant relationship between information system
implementation with the infrastructure requirement was identified where the capacity
will be the major concern. There are three strategic initiatives stated by the university
which are to improve its capabilities in the research area, to improve their capabilities in
the teaching and learning area and also to deliver the best quality of teaching and
learning environment in producing versatile graduates with an outstanding educational
portfolio. In order to achieve this strategic initiatives, three years’ information
technology infrastructure was proposed. As a part of the strategic roadmap, McFarlan
strategic grid was used as the tool to assess the current infrastructure setup and evaluate
on the future need of information technology infrastructure. By using this approach all
information systems were divided into four quadrants which are strategic, high potential,
key operational and support. The result from this strategic grid is tabulated in Table X
below.
10
Table 1: McFarlan Strategic Grid
Strategic




E-Student
Marketing Information System
Learning Management System*
Strategic Research Profiling
Analysis System*
Key Operational




Quality Assurance IS
Corporate website
Financial Management System
Library Online Catalog System
High Potential




Mobile Application
Executive Information System
E-Library
Student Performance Analysis
Information System*
Support




Human Resource Information
System
E-Assets
IT Support Information System
Travel Request Information System
*New proposed information system
Referring to this McFarlan Strategic Grid, there are four information systems under the
key operational quadrant that operate the university’s business processes and which has
the direct service to the staffs and students. Besides that, there are also four information
systems that act as the support system which will affect partially of the university
operations if the services are unavailable. Furthermore, there are four information
systems that has the capability to provide high potential services to the staffs and
students which operate the core business functions of the university. Last but not least,
there are four information systems under strategic quadrant where it is able to provide a
competitive advantage for DEME university which covers the advance areas of teaching
and learning processes and analytics. From this strategic grid, the three-roadmap for
application development and infrastructure was developed in order to meet the
university’s strategic initiatives.
As stated in the McFarlan strategic grid, there are three new information system
proposed to support university’s strategic initiatives. For the first year, the planning
process will be conducted to develop these three new information systems which
includes the proposal process to the management and other stakeholders. For the second
half of the first year, user requirement process will be conducted as well which it will
gather all the potential users to understand their business needs. For the second year of
the implementation is more focusing on the development areas and for the third year of
the plan is to focus on the deployment and maintenance of the information system.
11
As for the information technology infrastructure planning, the first year of the plan is
to focus on data center revitalization and procurement of information technology new
hardware to upgrade the current existing hardware. On top of that, on the first year, the
improvement on expanding the wireless connection will have done to support the BringYour-Own-Device (BYOD) initiatives which to encourage the usage of information
systems within the campus. For the second year, information technology infrastructure
plan will focus more on the tightening the security aspects of the infrastructure including
the installation and updates of anti-virus and security patches on all the application
servers. On top of that, new initiative will be introduced which is the installation of
security firewalls to protect all information system from any external intrusion. For the
third year, the infrastructure plan is more focus on the maintenance and fine tuning all
the new hardware and systems implemented in the first and second year where
compatibility assessment will be done to ensure all information system developed works
perfectly with the current information technology infrastructure.
3.4 IT Governance
In order to manage all information technology infrastructures and processes, a good
practice of Information Technology Governance (IT Governance) is required. This area
is to ensure all the processes are complied with all the policies and framework
implemented within DEME University. In other words, IT Governance is a framework
for any respective leadership or committee that exist in an organization to set compliance
standard in every information technology area such as service levels, processes,
documentations and management. This is to ensure the organization’s information
technology initiatives is capable to support in achieving organization’s mission and
vision. For DEME university, Information Technology Steering Committee was formed
as a think tank to provide goals to all information technology strategic initiatives as well
as the decision makers to make decision on vital business areas that related to
information technology assistance. This committee consist of various representative
from senior management level and above to discuss and provide insights on the planning
of information system initiatives.
12
4.0
Funding
IT Strategic plan funding for all the goals and target by 4 years from now starting 2019.
Table 2: SISP funding for DEME University
Financial Mechanism
Teaching & Learning
 Technology use with ITSC
 Test and evaluate inventions
 Maintenances of IT infrastructure
RM520,000.00
RM650,000.00
RM250,000.00
RM520,000.00
RM450,000.00
RM250,000.00
RM520,000.00
RM300,000.00
RM250,000.00
RM520,000.00
RM150,000.00
RM250,000.00
RM2,080,000.00
RM1,550,000.00
RM1,000,000.00
Research
 Information & Data Management
 High Performance Computing
RM500,000.00
RM800,000.00
RM450,000.00
RM800,000.00
RM450,000.00
RM800,000.00
RM450,000.00
RM700,000.00
RM1,850,000.00
RM3,100,000.00
RM250,000.00
RM150,000.00
RM150,000.00
RM150,000.00
RM700,000.00
RM500,000.00
RM500,000.00
RM500,000.00
RM500,000.00
RM2,000,000.00
RM75,000.00
RM75,000.00
RM75,000.00
RM75,000.00
RM300,000.00
RM3,545,000.00
RM3,195,000.00
RM3,045,000.00
RM2,795,000.00
RM12,580,000.00
Infrastructure
 Improving the efficiency and
effectiveness of their current
information technology
infrastructure setup
 Deliver the best quality of teaching
and learning environment in
producing versatile graduates.
IT Governance
 To provide decision making and
support committee
Sub total
Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
Year 4
Amount
13
5.0
Conclusion
Strategic Information System Planning (SISP) plays an important role in directing
organization’s information system development strategy to ensure Information Technology
(IT) is able to support organization’s goals and objectives. Organization who had better
Strategic Information System Planning had fewer problem with their infrastructure and had
more effective implementation of the plans. Through this Strategic Information System
Planning (SISP), IT Steering Committee (ITSC) has created four important IT Strategic Goals
which are to support DEME University teaching and learning, research, infrastructure and
Committee. These four IT Strategic Goals are supporting the university’s Strategic Plan
Initiatives (SIP) including to improve its capabilities in the research area, to improve
university’s capabilities in the teaching and learning area, and to deliver the best quality of
teaching and learning environment in producing versatile graduates with an outstanding
educational portfolio. This strategic blueprint also will provides a vision for the future and can
help anticipates how the university can respond to emerging trends and enables university to
gain competitive advantage. It is hoped that the new IT strategic blueprint provides the best
support in the university’s Strategic Plan Initiatives.
14
6.0
References
Ary, D., Jacobs, L. C., Irvine, C. K., & Walker, D. (2013). Introduction to Research in
Education. Boston, MA: Cengage Learning.
Essays, UK. (November 2018). The Role and Importance of Educational Research Philosophy
Essay.
Retrieved
from
https://www.ukessays.com/essays/philosophy/the-role-and-
importance-of-educational-research-philosophy-essay.php?vref=1
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