College devises campus network

Edge Hill College has drawn up a radical strategic plan to create an information technology centre of excellence in 바카라사이트 north-west.

The college, based in Ormskirk, Lancashire but with satellite centres in Chorley Woodlands and Fazakerley, plans to complete a fully integrated network of all sites by 1998.

Five key elements will be: * communications, including internal and external email, links with 바카라사이트 Joint Academic Network (JANET), online to 바카라사이트 Internet * management information systems * administrative systems * teaching and learning * services The limited use of IT at 바카라사이트 college before last year enabled John Townsend, head of computer services, to help specify a rational strategy which could build on 바카라사이트 strengths of Edge Hill.

The college has signed a Pounds 1 million open hire agreement with ICL and is investing in 바카라사이트 campus-wide network and new buildings for facilities.

Edge Hill is committed with ICL to developing multimedia courseware for delivery of parts of 바카라사이트 curriculum which includes 바카라사이트 Postgraduate Certificate of Education and MA courses.

Professional and continuing education courses are based at 바카라사이트 Chorley Woodlands campus 18 miles from Ormskirk, while Edge Hill's school of health studies runs most of its courses from 바카라사이트 Aintree campus in Fazakerley.

Mr Townsend said 바카라사이트 number of network connections to 바카라사이트 Ormskirk campus increased in 바카라사이트 last academic year from about 400 to more than 1,500.

The college has already spent Pounds 292,000 with Siemens Network Services to provide network connections in all staff offices and teaching rooms across 바카라사이트 campus.

It has used part of that budget to install structured cabling in 바카라사이트 new Learning Resource Centre which houses books, journals and audiovisual stock. The work also provided 150 PCs with access to Internet and JANET services, multimedia facilities and general applications.

The budget also covered installation of voice and data cabling in 300 study bedrooms in 바카라사이트 new student residence block, data cabling in 바카라사이트 student information centre and ISDN gateways to 바카라사이트 Chorley and Fazakerley sites.

Mr Townsend said: "Our strategy is to maximise access to networked computing facilities for all students and staff. Networking of 바카라사이트 existing campus is now complete. Future work will include revisiting 바카라사이트 configuration with a view to higher bandwidths and 바카라사이트 networking of new buildings such as 바카라사이트 science block scheduled to open in 1995.