Ambition 2027

IT strategy

We will deliver a high-quality distinctive Cranfield experience for our students, staff and customers.

We will achieve this with secure, efficient, effective, engaging and exciting digital technology.

Priority areas

Learning and teaching

Provide a digitally-enabled learning environment, supporting new and diverse learning styles that provide a high-quality student experience.

This includes:

  • High-quality, digitally enhanced teaching rooms building on lessons learned at MK:U.
  • Digital resources accessible wherever and whenever.
  • Having a Curriculum Information System providing a data source for all teaching activities.
  • Supporting the digital capabilities of staff and students in using technology.

Research and knowledge exchange

Provide a digitally-enabled, innovative, agile and secure environment that supports excellence in transformative research and knowledge exchange.

This includes:

  • Having efficient systems to manage the life cycle of research management data.
  • Having easy-to-use systems that support academics to publicise their research and comply with funding requirements.
  • Having technologies that support researchers to collaborate and innovate.

Collaboration and user experience

Develop and support an effective collaborative environment which enables strong partnerships between faculties, academic, industry and business partners and enhances the experience of staff.

This includes:

  • Providing tools and capabilities that enable effective collaboration.
  • Ensuring digital systems are fully accessible.
  • Having integrated communications technology.
  • Seamless and joined-up digital experiences.
  • New and refurbished buildings are built with smart technology improving use and energy consumption.

Efficiency, effectiveness and sustainability

Rationalise and enhance the suite of business support systems and review processes so that they are efficient and cost-effective in order to provide a high-quality experience for staff to do their jobs. Deliver cost-effective solutions that support growth in new markets.

This includes:

  • Reviewing and updating systems so they are fit for purpose and provide value for money.
  • Having a consolidated data architecture enabling agility.
  • Having easy access to business information.
  • Embedding our Customer Relationship Management strategy in our technology.
  • Technology that supports modern ways of working and studying.
  • Ensuring our procurement practices consider sustainability to help us reduce our overall carbon footprint.

Security

Maintain an appropriate level of cyber security measures that protect Cranfield and partner assets.

This includes:

  • Obtaining accreditations such as the information security standard ISO 27001.
  • A culture of cyber-security.
  • Having well-developed incident response processes.
  • Active monitoring of our IT network and activities.

IT capability maturity

Develop a mature approach to governance, quality, project methodology and architecture design.

This includes:

  • Having a rolling, five-year digital strategy, guiding the annual planning process.
  • Measuring service quality to continuously improve.
  • Engaging with service users and setting up communities of practice.
  • Working with local education providers to identify opportunities for shared services.

Our strategy in action

“The things our team do make a real difference to our students, from facilitating video connections for a CEO of an international company to speak to them, to enhancing the way learning content is delivered to give them the best opportunities to succeed. Our students go off and do great things and it's amazing to have played a part in that."

Richard Knight, AV Systems Specialist

Related links

Find out about all of the strategies helping to deliver our plan

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