Digital transformation of Zaporizhia Polytechnic National University

Wed, 10/08/2022 – 17:25 | 

According to the current models of higher education development for the next 10-15 years, a modern university is not only a physical space, but also a digital one. The traditional form of knowledge transfer is undergoing significant changes. Already now, leading universities are applying quite successful cases of using digital tools both in the traditional educational process, and new digital learning models are emerging. Leading universities are trying to be competitive and modern, to keep up with the times, therefore they are consciously undergoing a deep digital transformation of all structures in order to transition to a qualitatively new level of scientific, educational, management and communication processes. Zaporizhia Polytechnic University is not left out.

Thanks to the Erasmus+ project 619034-EPP-1-2020-1-UA-EPPKA2-CBHE-JP “Cross-domain competences for healthy and safe work in the 21st century” [WORK4CE], within the framework of the development of the digital information ecosystem and the university development strategy, the Zaporizhia Polytechnic University purchased the software package “Automated Educational Institution Management System” (ACS) from the company “MKR” in Kharkiv.

The system was chosen as the best among several similar proposals software products that are currently on the Ukrainian market. The experience of its implementation in more than forty educational institutions of Ukraine was also taken into account.

The ACS is a set of interconnected programs that ensure university management in a single information space, and contains modules that work in the Windows environment (educational module, dean’s office, applicant, methodological module, university workload, electronic journal, personnel department, etc.), and a WEB portal (displaying the class schedule, student performance, curricula, tuition fee calculation, tuition fee and dormitory payment control, etc.). All information is stored in a single common database.

The main distinguishing features of the complex are the presence of a tool for independently creating various printed forms and statistical screen forms, which makes the automated management system of an educational institution almost independent of developers. The current functional capabilities, as the analysis has shown, allow you to cover virtually all the individual features of the university without software code modification.

The ACS has a mobile application “Schedule”, developed for Android and the App Store. The “Document Flow” and “Control of Assignments” systems are functioning. The ACS also has a system called “Individual Teacher Plan”, which indicates the planned types of work and reports on their implementation.

The complex allows you to create and take into account individual learning trajectories of applicants. This possibility is implemented through the formation of various catalogs of educational components indicating credits, types of control and semesters. In the personal account of the WEB portal, applicants select educational components and add them to an individual curriculum.

Among the numerous advantages of the purchased ACS are also a system of anonymous survey of applicants, ordering certificates by applicants, an informant for applicants and teachers, a teacher rating system, etc.

Currently, the process of filling databases for ACS modules has begun, in particular, information about the university’s classrooms, scientific and pedagogical staff, educational components, curricula, education applicants, etc. is being added to the system. In parallel, the process of training the employees of the educational department, who will later share their experience of working with the system with other employees of the university, is underway under the supervision of developers.

After the implementation of the ACS in the National University of Zaporizhia Polytechnic, it is planned to launch it in separate structural units of the university – colleges, which will allow creating a single management complex of the National University of Zaporizhia Polytechnic.

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