UC to sign contract for Jade student management

30 September 2004

UC to sign contract for Jade student management system

The University of Canterbury has chosen the JADE Student Management System (SMS) for its student administration software and will sign a four-year contract with Jade Software Corporation today.

Installation of the software will start on 1 October, with the aim of trialling the JADE SMS for enrolment in July 2005 prior to full operation for the 2006 enrolment process.

The selection and implementation of JADE SMS is part of a wider $4 million project, named Catalyst, which has reviewed the business processes involved in the University’s student administration, leading to a translation of the University’s degrees into a new points system, introduction of the Syllabus Plus timetabling system, and the SMS project.

The Vice-Chancellor, Professor Roy Sharp, said selection of Jade and negotiation of a contract followed an international search for an SMS, rigorous evaluation of competing systems, a detailed configuration evaluation, an independent risk assessment and approval of the capital expenditure by the University Council.

“This is an important project for the continuing development of the University of Canterbury. Installing JADE SMS will improve the student experience from their first contact with the University until their graduation.

“The selection of Jade is the result of a very careful and detailed process and I’m confident we have made a good choice. It’s also pleasing that after a wide-ranging international search the best product was available locally,” Professor Sharp said.

The JADE SMS is used at Waikato University, Manukau Institute of Technology, Otago Polytechnic and the Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology, and was recently chosen by Swinburne University in Melbourne.

Canterbury currently uses a student management system developed in house which is no longer able to provide the services needed. Expressions of interest in providing a replacement system were sought in May 2003, which produced seven responses to be evaluated.

A short list of four potential suppliers was invited to make presentations and provide software demonstrations, leading in March 2004 to the identification of Jade as the preferred supplier. Today’s selection of the Jade system follows a detailed configuration analysis and contract negotiations.

Catalyst Project expenditure for 2004 is within the budgeted figure and the funding stream through to 2007 is well within the University’s financial projections.

ENDS

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