Overview DiCe Project
DiCe_001_MATLAB
Project management University Computer Centre
Project start 11.2020
Project end 12.2020
MATLAB license consolidation
MATLAB is software for mathematical problem solving and displaying graphic charts of these results. At project start this software was in use at many University faculties and institutes under licenses individually administered by the respective units. The software was not accessible to all students.
Uncomplicated access to the software is necessary however so it can be broadly used for classes as part of our teaching mission, among other things.
In the initial DiCe project, the various independent license agreements in place were bundled under a shared campus license. The key objectives behind this project was resolving cross-departmental issues of license financing, software operation and integration of the licenses already acquired.
Now the MATLAB campus license is usable by all University staff and students for research and teaching-related purposes. Financing was initially secured for three years. Previous licenses/maintenance contracts were frozen; the remaining terms of these could be used when the campus license expires.
DiCe_002_Atlassian
Project management University Computer Centre
Project start 12.2020
Project end
Use of the Atlassian collaboration tool
The University of Bonn has been using the collaboration tools Confluence (wiki), Jira (task management) and Bitbucket (software development) of the provider Atlassian since January 2020 for work organization principally in the areas of knowledge management, project management and administration as a central collaboration platform that enables and/or facilitates collaboration between various central and peripheral units.
The project team addresses the core issues of goal defining, technical interfaces/borders to parallel services, overseeing administrative change processes and ongoing employee training on use of the collaboration tools to unlock the full potential of unlimited University-wide collaboration.
DiCe_003_Video_Conferences
Project management University Computer Centre
Project start 12.2020
Project end 03.2023
Long-term considerations around videoconferencing
Within a rather short period time, videoconferencing has become established as an integral, everyday part of teaching, research and academic self-administration. The University of Bonn approved the campus-wide use of the cloud-based video conference service Zoom in a rush resolution to ensure that teaching could continue in the ‘digital’ summer semester of 2020.
The use of Zoom as part of academic operations was thus approved for the period of pandemic-related restrictions. The University also rolled out a proprietary BigBlueButton web/video conferencing system that implements heightened data protection and IT security requirements.
The goal is to have plans in place before the corresponding Zoom license expires taking into account the scope of and technical requirements for long-term use of video conferencing services in teaching and research, as well as in administration to the extent such is possible and beneficial. The core objectives of this project are to ensure maximum control over proprietary data and enable hybrid teaching formats (regular classroom teaching in combination with use of a videoconferencing solution).
DiCe_004_Cloud_Strategy
Project management University Computer Centre, Bonn University and State Library
Project start 04.2021
Project end
Development of a cloud strategy
The University of Bonn needs to have a strategy in place for compliance with the data protection regulations governing the transfer of personal data in connection with the use of cloud services—which are now an essential feature in academia, used every day.
Such a cloud strategy must outline in particular as a primary element the approach to be taken for identifying trustworthy partner institutions, networks and services. It must be additionally determined in what areas of the University these services can only be used to a limited extent in view of heightened security requirements. The role of on-premise solutions must also be clarified.
The project team defines quality standards for the project and is responsible for defining and implementing the necessary structures and processes.
DiCe_005_Open_Science
Project management Bonn University and State Library
Project start 10.2021 (Integration into DiCe Project Logic)
Project end
Cultivation of an open science culture
Digitalization in the sciences and academia is steadily gaining in importance across all fields and disciplines. This will require tendering for both infrastructure and professional consulting.
Open access and research data management offerings at the University of Bonn are to be further developed by means of the project. The aim is to cultivate an ‘open science’ culture at the University through the development and expansion of digital infrastructures and through advising and training offerings allowing more impactful professional transfer of competencies.
Operationally, the open science initiative is anchored within the Research Data Service Center (https://www.forschungsdaten.uni-bonn.de/en?set_language=en) and the
Open Access Service Center respectively as its pillars (https://www.open-access.uni-bonn.de).
DiCe_006_IDA
Project management University Computer Centre
Project start 06.2021
Project end
Upgraded identity and access management (IdA)
Identity and access management (IdA) is about processes, policies and techniques for managing personal data and data objects and access rights to resources, thus representing a prerequisite for a host of other services. IdA poses a special challenge at universities because of the wide variety of users and their various roles within research, teaching and administration, and also because student data is involved in processing.
Central identity and access management is about the overarching organization and management of authorizations for various services so as to render a ‘digital identity’ for users. The project goal is the further development of existing central identity and access management structures and processes to meet actual requirements.
DiCe_007_PreCampus
Project management eCampus
Project start 06.2021
Project end 02.2024
Redesign of PreCampus
The University of Bonn PreCampus program is a program of approximately 45 preliminary courses currently. The program is utilized by some 2,600 individuals who do not yet have a Uni-ID because they do not yet have active student status. Digital teaching/course offerings thus have to be delivered via a separate educational platform outside the eCampus learning platform used for enrolled students.
The PreCampus program of preliminary courses has to undergo a major technical redesign due to significant underlying system changes.
In addition to the preliminary course program, a learning platform available to individuals without Uni-ID is also needed for the increasing number of digitally supported offerings, such as ‘bridge’ courses. The existing preliminary course program is thus being secured as part of the project and rules are being defined for the use of PreCampus for other courses.
DiCe_008_ViCo
Project management Rectorate for Learning, Teaching and University Development,
supported by Bonn Center for Higher Education
Project start 08.2021
Project end
Virtual Collaboration (third-party funded project)
Collaboration in which students and teachers jointly design and define their own roles and tasks is increasingly important in research, in science and academia-related professions across the spectrum of disciplines, and in today’s digital knowledge society in general. The purpose of the Virtual Collaboration (ViCo) project is to promote the development of such competency.
Four topical virtual rooms have been set up for pilot areas as part of this project, utilizing select software tools:- Collaborative working on media
- Collaborative scientific computing
- Collaborative working in and on realistic environments
- An overarching virtual space for systematic reflection and communication in regard to teaching at the University
This three-year project has received 2.15 million euros in funding from the Innovation in University Teaching Foundation under a call for proposals within the framework of the ‘Digitalization for Better University Teaching’ initiative.
In continuing to utilize the systems and support structures established in the project the University of Bonn is indicating a clear commitment to long-term further development of collaborative teaching and education scenarios, enabling transfer from the pilot teaching subjects to other application contexts.
DiCe_009_TrAIneE
Project management Institute for Informatics
Project start 12.2021
Project end
Bonn Transdisciplinary Artificial Intelligence Education (third party-funded project)
The University of Bonn, represented by its Institute for Informatics, was awarded funding in a call for proposals on Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Higher Education by the German Council of Science and the Humanities (GWK). The Bonn Transdisciplinary Artificial Intelligence Education project (TrAIneE) was thus launched on December 1, 2021.
This project principally concerns study and certification opportunities for students and faculty from wide-ranging departments to acquire core competencies around the effective use of AI technologies for professional purposes and the critical assessment of such use.
In this framework, computer science experts collaborate with teaching staff and students of other academic fields in interdisciplinary group projects and joint thesis projects to develop AI-based solutions for concrete applications, learning from each other in the process.
DiCe_010_CRIS.NRW
Project management Research and Innovation Services
Project start 12.2021
Project end
Research information system with CRIS.NRW
As recommended by the German Council of Science and Humanities, the Core Research Data Set (KDSF) is to form a suitable foundation for data-based reporting on research activities and research contexts, facilitating internal use and transfer of quality-assured data. This is to eliminate repeat data gathering work and ensure comparability and connectivity of/for the data provided. The Core Research Data Set can thus provide uniformity as a framework for legal reporting obligations (§§ 70 (4), 71a of the Higher Education Act of North Rhine-Westphalia (HG NRW).
The rollout of a research information system (RIS) will be crucial in this regard for the one-time recording of data on individuals, publications, projects, prices and patents which can then be used for various ad hoc reporting purposes.
A centrally coordinated and permanent RIS means structured data gathering processes are in place affording various entities continuous access to quality-assured data so that they do not have to gather data on their own. Researchers can also generate lists of publications, websites etc. via the RIS in addition to entering their own research work.
Efforts for the rollout and subsequent operation of a jointly run, state-wide RIS are supported by the state initiative CRIS.NRW. Initial rollout in Bonn will be conducted at individual pilot faculties.
DiCe_011_Campus-App.NRW
Project management University Computer Centre
Project start 12.2021
Project end
Rollout of Campus-App.NRW
The University of Duisburg-Essen has been using a proprietary app for a few years now called MyUDE. This app is now undergoing further development for use by other universities in the state of NRW and as a state-wide service.
The University of Bonn is participating in this state-wide project because it does not have its own app in operation at this time and is in need of a solution for mobile and digital services. Possible usage scenarios include student/staff member identification, delivery of the Semesterticket student transit pass and library card functionality as well as serving as interface with the campus management, study management or library systems.
The University of Bonn finds it advantageous to move forward in this area in partnership with other institutions in view of potential synergies and the greater flexibility afforded by the IT solution than can be had with commercial products.
DiCe_012_Exam_Administration_Security
Project management Bonn Center for Higher Education
Project start 02.2022
Project end
Enhanced exam administration security
The technical systems for exam administration at the University of Bonn are being upgraded as part of the UNI-CampusPro project, which factors in IT security and data protection considerations to a large degree in the relevant processes. The purposes behind this DiCe project are to organize support for the undertaking by the relevant IT security players, devise solutions, conduct pilot runs and evaluate success in a feedback loop for comparable business processes of the University of a highly interconnected nature.
DiCe_013_Bonna2
Project management University Computer Centre
Project start 06.2022
Project end
HPC cluster procurement and operational startup
The Bonna2 project involves planning for the procurement, installation and operation of a new HPC facility ('Marvin', formerly 'Bonna2') open for research purposes in order to meet rising demand for computing time among University research groups. In addition to ongoing user support, system usage training is also important for efficient, reliable operation, and corresponding training offerings are to be ready by the end of the project term.
DiCe_014_Hertz
Project management University Computer Centre
Project start 06.2022
Project end
University IT support for Hertz Professorship holders
There is one Hertz Professor for each of the six Transdisciplinary Research Areas (TRAs) at the University of Bonn, responsible for driving forward top-level research. These professorship chairs are central in nature, not belonging to any specific faculty.
University of Bonn IT support however is decentrally organized at the various faculties and institutes, which receive central IT services from University IT.
The project goals are the development and establishment of a new service structure within University IT for decentral support for Hertz Professorship holders without impacting the provision of central IT services by University IT and the ongoing optimization thereof.
DiCe_015_Data_Literacy_Education
Project management Bonn Center for Higher Education
Project start 06.2023
Project end
Creating a data literacy education program
The process of academic or scientific research in any discipline requires data to be collected, evaluated, interpreted and visualized critically so that it can ultimately be used to make considered decisions within subject-specific contexts. With digital data processing playing a greater role in this than ever before, the computing power of machines and a basic knowledge of coding as well as the use of artificial intelligence (AI) are becoming increasingly important for students.
A modular data literacy education program gradated by ability level is being developed within the project in order to help students improve their data skills and use of AI. The program allows individual modules, such as the basics of data analysis, data visualization and coding, to supplement existing teaching and learning with the aim of dovetailing them with the curriculum as part of elective modules or integrating them fully into actual degree program modules.
DiCe_016_Securing_VPN
Project management University Computer Centre
Project start 08.2023
Project end
Replacing and securing VPN access to services within the University network
VPN (“Virtual Private Network”) offers the opportunity to establish a secure, encrypted connection with the University network.
With many University of Bonn services only being accessible from within its own network, a VPN is required to use these services from home, for example. Similarly, most literature databases and electronic periodicals can only be consulted via VPN too.
The aim of the project is twofold: to review and, if necessary, adapt the technical solution and to make our VPN more secure.
DiCe_017_Anti_Plagiarism_Software
Project management Department of Law
Project start 08.2023
Project end
Introducing central anti-plagiarism software
In academia nowadays, a professional plagiarism check forms an essential part of the scrutiny applied at a university. The corresponding software packages help teachers to maintain academic and scientific standards while also sending a message to the outside world.
There is currently no consistent approach to the use of anti-plagiarism software at the University of Bonn. The project therefore aims within a short timeframe to introduce an optional plagiarism check for academic and scientific publications that meets the needs of all faculties, departments and teachers in technical and legal terms and under privacy and data protection law.
The centralized structure will enable teachers to act with greater confidence and enable a coordinated response to current and future trends such as ChatGPT.
DiCe_018_Video_Platform
Project management University Computer Centre
Project start 08.2023
Project end
Interim solution and long-term strategy for a central video platform for teaching and learning
With the DH.NRW project educast.nrw coming to an end on December 31, 2023, the platform that the University had previously used to record and upload teaching videos - especially recordings of lectures - is no longer available.
This project is designed to identify the resources required to keep the services available to teachers and students.
The initial plan is for an interim solution in the form of reactivating the University’s own video platform (opencast), maintaining the availability of all the University’s current data and coming up with a concept for a long-term alternative.
DiCe_019_Teaching_Planning
Project management Bonn Center for Higher Education
Project start 02.2024
Project end
Introducing a teaching and room planning tool
Adding a supplementary teaching and room planning tool to the existing campus management system is to be investigated in order to meet the faculties’ planning needs for clash-free courses and examinations that were identified during a preliminary project.
This project is to first address the question of whether using a planning tool would represent value for money and, if so, which tool to choose. In the event of a positive verdict, the tool in question will then be rolled out University-wide.
DiCe_020_Alma
Project management Bonn University and State Library
Project start 02.2024
Project end
Developing a range of services for acquiring items and recording loans by automated means using Alma for faculty libraries
Like all universities in North Rhine-Westphalia, the libraries at the University of Bonn switched to the cloud-based library management system Alma in August 2023. The Bonn University and State Library (USL) uses the system for all administrative processes relating to the items that it holds.
The project aims to expand the use of Alma in the University’s over 50 specialist and subject libraries, which have mainly employed it for cataloguing and stock management purposes up until now. All University libraries are now to be given the opportunity to introduce digital processes for acquiring and loaning items that maintain media continuity and to present their holdings and terms of use in a uniform and user-friendly way. This will also make it easier to provide information faster and develop the structure of the library system further.