DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION TO FOSTER COLLABORATION AND CREATIVITY
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GLOBAL IMPACT ENABLED BY DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION
WRIT TEN BY NIKI WA LDEGR AVE PRODUCED BY MIK E SADR
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THE UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY SYDNEY (UTS) FOSTERS CONNECTION, COLLABORATION AND CREATIVITY. ITS CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER TELLS NIKI WALDEGRAVE HOW UTS’ DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION IS SHAPING ITS TOMORROW
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Ranked Australia’s top young university and ranked 10th globally in the QS Top 50 Under 50 in 2019, the University of
Technology Sydney (UTS) is a leading public technology university, with 45,000 students and 3,800 staff. UTS is known for its emphasis on real-world research, as well as its unique approach to learning and cutting-edge facilities. Since its inception UTS has been founded on strong industry links, and the exchange of resources and expertise with its industry partners continues to be a core part of its identity today. This is seen in research partnerships with industry and a strong practice of students completing industry internships, in line with UTS’s model of practice-oriented learning. This all translates into a complex set of requirements for IT support. “The technology environment at a modern university is complex” says UTS Chief Information
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Officer, Christine Burns. “On one hand we are running a significant business
ting edge audio-visual technology.” The smart application of these var-
and, like large organisations in other
ied technologies has been integral to
industries, we face challenges such
the continued growth and success of
as how to automate and streamline
UTS. On many levels the university has
processes, improve staff experience,
undergone a vast amount of change
and get the most from marketing tech-
in recent years, and the digital trans-
nologies. On the other hand, we have
formation led by Burns, supported by
research-specific challenges such as
Deputy CIOs Peter Gale and David
supporting extremely large and diverse
O’Connor, has played a crucial part.
data sets (and having these large data
In 2008, the university began its
sets move around our network), and
decade-long, $1bn-plus “City Campus
learning-specific challenges such as
Master Plan” - a significant enhance-
a growing campus filled with cut-
ment of the university’s physical cam-
E X E C U T I V E P R OF IL E
Christine Burns Chrissy has worked closely with senior leaders across the university to develop an IT transformation strategy and is responsible for its implementation. Chrissy has operational responsibility for a team of more than 250 people across IT, Printing Services and Audio Visual Services functions. In line with the university’s vision, Chrissy oversees a large portfolio of IT capital projects to support teaching, research and engagement and maintain the university’s technology footprint.
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pus. This has resulted in a range of
Faculty of Science that includes a vast
new and upgraded buildings and open
‘Superlab,’ which can host a range
spaces to support both research and
of simultaneous teaching sessions
the way the organization approaches
across different subjects. Determin-
learning. This includes a technology-
ing how to enable this posed a range of
rich building to house the Faculty of
technical challenges for the IT team to
Engineering and IT. In addition to the
solve. Perhaps the best known build-
innovative collaborative teaching and
ing to date has been the iconic Dr Chau
student spaces, the building itself
Chak Wing Building which houses the
incorporates a vast array of sensors
UTS Business School, designed by
that are used in UTS research. It has
Frank Gehry, the architect responsible
also included a new building for the
for the iconic Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles, California. Like the
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other buildings this includes an array of innovative learning spaces – such
“THE TECH LAB IS A REALLY IMPORTANT FACILITY FOR ENABLING OUR ACADEMICS TO COME TOGETHER AND INNOVATE WITH INDUSTRY, AND THAT’S PART OF THE VISION FOR WHAT WILL HAPPEN IN THAT SPACE” — Christine Burns, CIO, UTS
CLICK TO WATCH : UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY SYDNEY (UTS)
as 360 degree collaborative classrooms. In 2018, the university launched its new UTS Tech Lab, where engineering and IT researchers from diverse fields work in close partnership with industry and government to develop new innovative technologies. This facility is the size of several aircraft hangers. “The University has a really strong background in industry partnering and partnerships,” explains Burns. “The Tech Lab is a really important facility for enabling our academics to come together and innovate with industry, and that’s part of the vision ht t p:/ /uts . ed u . a u
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for what will happen in that space.” UTS’s research footprint has ex-
number of ground-breaking initiatives. One of the most recent is “Provisioner”,
panded rapidly over the past decade
a framework for research data man-
– both in volume and global impact.
agement and curation of research data.
That expansion has led to enormous
Provisioner provides UTS research-
demands on the IT team for software,
ers with storage in an automated and
compute, storage and data manage-
managed way. The initial implementa-
ment support. UTS has been lever-
tion of Provisioner links into a curation
aging cloud technologies since 2012
platform for microbial imaging called
to simplify its infrastructure and gain
OMERO that can generate several ter-
access to capabilities that are increas-
abytes of data a day from microscopes.
ingly difficult to obtain on-premises. The IT team has fostered a number of
“One of our key strategies is that we want to do research that is re-
innovations to support the university’s
producible, so that when research is
researchers. UTS has rolled out a
done, it’s not based on somebody’s
E X E C U T I V E P R OF IL E
David O’Connor As Deputy Chief Information Office, with specific responsibility for strategic planning and enterprise architecture, David’s teams help drive the university’s strategies though the smart and innovative use of technology. He has recently led a significant business transformation delivering a new ‘product line’ based technology investment and delivery framework, which also incorporates a shift to agile delivery methodologies and various enhancements to the IT operating model.
ht t p:/ /uts . ed u . a u
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“THE TECHNOLOGY IS REALLY TRANSFORMING THE WAY THAT RESEARCH IS DONE. THIS IS MUCH BROADER THAN JUST MAKING IT EASIER TO STORE, AND PERFORM CALCULATIONS ON RESEARCH DATA” — Christine Burns, CIO, UTS
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subjective click on a particular but-
gree visualisation of data, is also used
ton, but we can reproduce the results
by those same researchers to look
from the data,” explains Gale. “Or,
at bacteria under a microscope in
if new data becomes available, we
a highly-visual way,” he explains.
can provide the exact same com-
The intention of Provisioner is to be
putational environment to that data
a framework that supports a multi-
set. Provisioner facilitates that”
tude of different technologies and use
Gale says another reason this
cases. “We are actively working with
capability is important is because
other research disciplines so that they
it allows UTS researchers to use
can plug directly into Provisioner.”
a variety of technology tools to access
Leveraging data as an asset can be
the same data. “Our immersive Data
instructive in a completely different
Arena, which is a purpose-built
research discipline, and Gale gives an
physical space allowing the 360-de-
interesting analogy of iceberg obser-
E X E C U T I V E P R OF IL E
Peter Gale Peter joined UTS in 1991. He has over 20 years experience in the Australian Tertiary Education sector leading the delivery of IT technical services at UTS. He has managed IT operations in the Faculty of Information Technology, developed an eResearch computing and support capability, and managed all IT Technical Services for the University. He is currently Deputy CIO, IT Infrastructure and Operations, responsible for the development and delivery of data centre services, cloud services, voice and data networks and eResearch computing and storage platforms.
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UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY SYDNEY
• More than 150 companies partner with UTS • It has more than 45,000 students and more than 3,800 staff • In 2008, the university made a $1.2 billion investment to fundamentally change the way it delivers research, teaching and learning through its decade-long UTS City Campus Master Plan 16
• UTS has been moving apps to the cloud since 2012 • Its Data Arena allows the 360-degree visualisation of data • In April 2018, UTS launched Tech Lab • Office365 was deployed in 2017 • There are 2,200 wireless access points across its campus • The UTS chat bot can answer 130 common questions students would ask • Amazon Redshift-based data analytics platform is being used for a range of solutions
“THE UPTAKE INTERNALLY IS ACCELERATING AND WE’VE NOW GOT HUNDREDS OF RESEARCHERS USING THE STASH PLATFORM” — Peter Gale, Deputy CIO, UTS
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vations made by 19th Century whal-
explains that data visualisation enables
ers as an example. “In the past, they
researchers to ask fundamentally
would just keep logs to show the ship’s
different questions than they would
journey,” he says. “Now, it is possible
have been able to do it in the past.
to use 19th century whaling ship logs
“So, the technology is really transform-
to map the recession of the Ice Shelf
ing the way that research is done in
in Antarctica over time. So, you get
more ways than just making it easier
information from one particular dis-
to store, and perform calculations on
cipline, and then later if you maintain
it.”
it well, you can use it in a completely different discipline to inform research.” The Date Arena Gale mentions is
Some of the technology in the Data Arena is world first, including the ‘Data Arena Virtual Machine’ – a virtual
a completely immersive, three-dimen-
machine on a USB stick that research-
sional visualisation space. Burns
ers can plug into their laptop, to utilise
“WE ARE A PUBLICALLY FUNDED INSTITUTION, WE DON’T HAVE MILLIONS TO INVEST IN UNDERLYING TECHNOLOGY CAPABILITY THAT MIGHT NOT PRODUCE RESULTS FOR SEVERAL YEARS, WE NEED TO BE MORE NIMBLE AND EMBRACE THE OPPORTUNITIES OF CLOUD TECHNOLOGIES WHEN IT MAKES SENSE” — David O’Connor, Deputy CIO, UTS 19
the entire functionality of a data arena
the researchers because ultimately
on their laptop. “This basically enables
it needs to make their job easier.
us to replicate the data arena for
Wherever there are opportunities for
development as widely as we want,”
automation, for example in the creation
adds Burns.
of data management plans, we take
UTS values cross-university collabo-
them. One of our goals is to remove
ration, and has teamed up with other
as much administrative overhead as
institutions to develop a research data
we can from our researchers, it’s an
catalogue, “Stash”, which is already on
ongoing process”. “This is just one
its third iteration. “The uptake internally
example of our broader evolution from
is accelerating and we’ve now got
project-thinking to product-thinking”
hundreds of researchers using the
says O’Connor, “In the modern IT world,
Stash platform,” says Gale. “We design
very little is launched and finished.”
and develop in close consultation with
The team has also needed to be ht t p:/ /uts . ed u . a u
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flexible and creative in response to learning and teaching needs at the
as PhD research opportunities. In order to deliver all these chang-
university. For example, Burns and
es Burns’ team has been through a
her team were required to act fast to
process of transformation. Burns
implement cutting-edge technology
identifies two key factors which have
to enable the rapid set up of the UTS
supported development of the agility
Animal Logic Academy – a unique
required to deliver against the fast
collaboration between UTS and digital
moving demands of the university.
animation and visual effects produc-
The first is that the team has invested
tion studio Animal Logic. In a world
considerable effort in its IT architec-
first, this award winning educational vfx
ture and the second is that it has
studio launched in 2017 and offers an
worked hard on developing a user
industry-led and first-of-its-kind Master
centric approach to every aspect of
of Animation and Visualisation as well
its operations.
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One foundation of the team’s IT
drivers, one being financial, because to
architecture is the platform strategy
invest in the type of on-premises data
developed by O’Connor. For example,
infrastructure to do the innovative work
Amazon Redshift was selected as the
we had in mind would have cost a small
university’s core data platform. UTS
fortune. We are a publicly-funded insti-
was one of the first organisations in
tution, we don’t have millions to invest
Australia to use the Amazon Redshift
in underlying technology capability that
data platform for a range of solutions,
might not produce results for several
including providing lecturers with key
years, we need to be more nimble and
information that enables them to bet-
embrace the opportunities of cloud
ter tailor their approach. “It was a bold
technologies when it makes sense.”
move at the time, but a good move,” reveals O’Connor. “There were several
In its quest to develop a UX capability, the team drew on existing expertise
£1.5bn Approximate revenue
2002
Year founded
1,800 Approximate number of employees
within the university’s Faculty of Engi-
IT team have done with Dr Tuck Wah
neering and IT. “There are some unique
Leong, a UTS researcher who special-
and exciting aspects to being an IT
ises in human-centred approaches of
team within a university of technology”
inquiry and technology design. “Work-
says O’Connor. “Certainly having so
ing with Dr Leong has been absolutely
many experts in the room can have its
fantastic” says Burns. “We have used
moments” he quips, “however there
his insight to guide many of our pro-
are some really nice intersections of
jects, every year we put a selection
academic and professional skills and
of IT staff through one of his subjects,
experience that we have been able to
and we have also leveraged the exper-
harness which would be impossible
tise and drive of his PHD students”.
in any other industry”. One example of this in action is the work that the
Looking forward, the trio are excited about the part that technology has to ht t p:/ /uts . ed u . a u
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play in the university’s future. UTS has just released its new long term strategy “UTS 2027”. Staying true to its collegial and collaborative culture, UTS took a unique approach to the development of its new strategy, ensuring that the strategy was informed not by the ideas of a few, but instead by the ideas of its huge community of staff, students, alumni and industry partners. Through workshops, advisory boards and an ideation technology platform (which was a huge success), com24
plex themes and ideas were shaped and moulded into the final strategy. The IT team has played an important role in the development of the strategy. “We are moving to a world where technology really is at the heart of business strategy,” says Burns. “It’s exciting that the IT team has been able to show some thought leadership in the strategy development process.” While the UTS IT team is through its first phase of technology transformation, further change is required to support the required digital enablement for the university’s new strategy. Burns likens the next stage to a ‘Mission to Mars,’ saying they are now looking at
“THERE ARE SOME REALLY NICE INTERSECTIONS OF ACADEMIC AND PROFESSIONAL SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE THAT WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO HARNESS WHICH WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE IN ANY OTHER INDUSTRY” — David O’Connor, Deputy CIO, UTS
than ‘business requirements.’ This enables us to make reasonably solid bestbets without having 100% of the information, which is no longer possible.” O’Connor reveals there’s enormous goodwill across the IT team towards the university’s mission, and says the team’s culture is supportive of the need for ongoing change. “That has really enabled the journey of developing, learning new skills,” he concludes. “It does a take a constant vigilance, to see the new side and not let the wagon wheels run in the old rut all the time. But I think we’re getting there.” Burns adds that “what is critical is that every member of the team has a mindset which is about constantly learning, developing, and re-skilling. We’re committed to developing that mindset and our focus is on bringing everyone along. We’ve invested a lot of where the university needs to head,
effort in cascading down workshops,
and which skills and technology are
investing in the team, and getting
needed for this. Planning for the fu-
feedback into what we do. These are
ture is always difficult, says O’Connor,
big challenges, but we have proven
particularly as the pace of business
again and again that we have a team
change continues to increase. “We
that is ready to take the next step.”
tend to think in terms of underlying capabilities that will be required, rather ht t p:/ /uts . ed u . a u
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