Executive Summary – Adopting Software Standards in the University

1. Background
2. Benefits of adopting software standards
3. Selection Criteria for standard software
4. Current recommended University Software Standards
5. Installation and deadline of compliance by Administrative Units
6. Cost Implication
7. Updates of Software Standards
8. Enforcement of Software Standards

1. Background

The IT Strategy Committee Report (January 1999) suggested that software standards should be adopted in the University, and such standards should be mandatory for administrative units while advisory for academic departments/units. Information Technology Services Centre (ITSC) has thoroughly studied the issue, defined the scope of recommendations and assessed the possible impact. A list of standards is prepared and endorsed by AAC.

2. Benefits of adopting software standards

Adopting campus-wide software standards is beneficial to the overall IT development of the University as standardization helps to facilitate intra-campus collaboration and electronic document exchanges, shortens software adoption time and reduces software training and support costs.

3. Selection Criteria for standard software

The selection criteria for the recommended software are

1. being commonly used in the University;
2. low cost;
3. rich in features;
4. supporting both Chinese and English;
5. could run on different platforms;
6. easy to use and easy to learn; and
7. not easily becoming obsolete.

ITSC has studied and compared products in the most important categories and come up with a list of standard software, based on the selection criteria.

4. Current recommended University Software Standards

The recommended standard software can be found in here.

5. Installation and deadline of compliance by Administrative Units

It is mandatory that all administrative units should conform to the standards as soon as practicable. IT Support in the administrative units are expected to carry out the software installation or upgrade, if such work is necessary. The concerned offices should also budget for any required hardware and software upgrade.

6. Cost Implication

If administrative units need to upgrade their PCs in order to conform to the Standards, they have to use their own budget. Finance Office is recommended to note for such requests. Also, the training, maintenance and supporting costs should be allocated from the departmental budgets as well.

7. Updates of Software Standards

ITSC will regularly update the standard software list to cater for technological changes and new users requirements. All administrative units should conform to the updated software standards within the timeframe recommended by ITSC. All departmental IT support and coordinators are requested to cooperate with ITSC to apply software service packs and security patches as failure to catch up in one department could affect all the others.

8. Enforcement of Software Standards

ITSC will implement the following measures to enforce the standardization of software:

1. ITSC will not support any non-standard software if a standard software has already been recommended and published.
2. ITSC will not support any mal-functioning machine installed in administrative units if the mal-functioning is suspected to be caused by non-standard software installed on it.
3. ITSC will widely publicize the endorsed standards and disseminate the policy to departmental IT support and coordinators.