Leapfrogging to the Future: Transforming Otago University’s Research Landscape
John Milnes1, Cate Bardwell1, Rasha Abu Safieh Alfar1 1University Of Otago, Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand
Abstract
In 2021 Otago University launched the ORIS project to provide a new Research Management System. In 2022 Otago also launched the Research Outputs Management project to replace its outdated current institutional digital repository.
These two projects brought into high relief how outdated Otago’s research systems are, but also enabled Otago to forge ahead of early adopters to embrace the benefits of data-driven decision making. Internal and external drivers have provided the opportunity to demonstrate what can be achieved by using the data captured as part of research administration.
This presentation will encompass three discrete areas.
1. The ORIS journey. This will be a joint presentation with Brisbane-based Endpoint IQ. The talk will chart how ORIS developed, selection of EPIQ, and our journey together. It will also examine the project’s many benefits.
2. A case study in the use of research data to help guide senior leadership decision making. It will focus on Otago’s desire to identify its research strengths to better target funders. The case study sees the linkage of data from research administration, Library, outputs, and commercialisation. It will explain why this approach was taken, the dataset’s advantages and disadvantages, and how it is used.
3. Digital transformation of the University’s research landscape. This talk will focus on Otago as a case study where the initial decisions to replace two systems surfaced the need for an integrated research digital domain plan. It will chart our journey digital transformation in Research domain that is focusing on people, processes, and technology.
Biography
Dr John Milnes has been part of the University of Otago’s Research & Enterprise since 2013, first as its Operations Manager and, since 2018, as the Research information Manager. He is the Project Owner for the University’s new research management system and is the portfolio manager for Otago’s centrally funded research funding rounds. He has a particular interest in the collection and use of research data as a means of better informing decisions.
Rasha Abu Safieh is a champion of making transformative technology inclusive, an innovative and experienced leader named a Time Magazine Next Generation Leader in 2018. She is IT Projects Manager at the University of Otago, ITS. She is also the Co-founder of STARlab, “Systems Transformation Action Research Lab” the winner of the best academic initiative 2022 by GEN NZ. Rasha is also an Edmund Hillary Fellow, the founder of the 1st Impact IT social enterprise in Palestine- a business model that created hundreds of jobs for youths and women. She is also the Co-Chair of the Catalyst 2030 New Zealand Chapter.
Cate Bardwell is Deputy University Librarian at the University of Otago responsible for the portfolios of Education and Research Services. She has over 25 years’ experience in academic libraries developing and delivering outreach programmes for academic research skills and post-graduate health informatics. In 2017 she established the Library’s Research Services Unit to advance library support for Open Scholarship, Research Impact and Research Data Management. Cate is passionate about advancing Open Research and never misses an opportunity to contribute library expertise towards the development of sustainable institutional research infrastructure. She also enjoys a nice Aussie red (wine not kangaroos)!