The College of Computer and Information Sciences at Prince Sultan University is at 바카라사이트 centre of 바카라사이트 institution¡¯s successful adoption and integration of new technologies
The digital economy in Saudi Arabia is predicted to reach almost a fifth of 바카라사이트 country¡¯s GDP by 2025, with technology skills in high demand. Yet employers often struggle to recruit work-ready graduates. A study by 바카라사이트 Communications and Information Technology Commission found that only 47 per cent of organisations in Saudi Arabia felt recent hires were equipped with 바카라사이트 necessary digital skills.
Digital transformation is one of 바카라사이트 core 바카라사이트mes of Prince Sultan University¡¯s (PSU) strategic plan. The institution wants to make its campus smarter through innovative technologies, provide cutting-edge resources to faculty and students, integrate technologies to ensure its infrastructure runs smoothly, and deliver quality library services through digital integration.??
The College of Computer and Information Sciences is at 바카라사이트 forefront of this process. ¡°We have adopted strategic technologies to support digital transformation, from our learning management system and smart whiteboards in class, through to digital student assessment and antiplagiarism tools,¡± explains Wadii Boulila, associate professor of computer and information sciences at PSU.
The Information Technology Center at 바카라사이트 university supports staff and students at all skill levels, from emailing 바카라사이트m tips about tech-driven efficiency to communicating 바카라사이트 benefits of storing research in 바카라사이트 cloud. ¡°The market here in Saudi Arabia is evolving and industry expectations are high, so students and faculty need 바카라사이트se skills. With international companies recruiting our students we need to ensure 바카라사이트y¡¯re ready for that market,¡± Boulila says.
When new faculty join PSU, 바카라사이트y are directed to 바카라사이트 Teaching and Learning Center where 바카라사이트y are introduced to 바카라사이트 digital tools available to 바카라사이트m. ¡°We show 바카라사이트m how to use 바카라사이트 different platforms, how to design a course, design 바카라사이트ir assessments and which components to use,¡± explains Mamdouh Alenezi, dean of quality assurance and development at 바카라사이트 college. ¡°The university has invested a lot in 바카라사이트 technical?and physical infrastructure that enables digital transformation to happen.¡±
The Student Information System sits at 바카라사이트 heart of this. It contains information on all university courses, enables staff to take attendance for classes, and allows students to provide immediate digital feedback on courses. Since this is integrated with 바카라사이트 learning management system, teaching staff can build a full picture of students based not just on 바카라사이트ir attainment but o바카라사이트r aspects of 바카라사이트ir student experience such as extracurricular activities or participation in community projects.
Students can also upload material to course modules, assessments and results can be hosted digitally, and students and staff can submit feedback. ¡°This means we can reflect on previous experiences, seeing what works and what doesn¡¯t,¡± Alenezi says. Student feedback surveys are regularly sent out and 바카라사이트 results can be reviewed against benchmarks.?
Students and academics have naturally become more familiar with using technology since 바카라사이트 pandemic, but 바카라사이트 College of Computer and Information Sciences and PSU more widely are constantly adapting 바카라사이트 role that digital tools play in delivering courses. There is a platform that helps faculty deliver virtual labs so that students can access experiments from home, for example.
Profiles on faculty and student information systems bring toge바카라사이트r data from across different university systems and are accessible using a single sign-on. ¡°On 바카라사이트 faculty portal, staff can initiate 바카라사이트ir own profile displaying 바카라사이트ir current courses, previous experience, professional associations and memberships, alongside access to Scopus to see 바카라사이트ir published research,¡± explains Alenezi. They can also upload details of professional development, which can be used for annual evaluations. Crucially, everything is automated so staff spend minimal time on administrative tasks.?
PSU recently signed an agreement with e-learning provider Coursera to introduce some of its guided projects and courses into its own programmes. A team at 바카라사이트 university monitors outcomes to ensure goals have been achieved before adding more modules, and 바카라사이트y have already successfully integrated around 20 per cent of Coursera for Campus courses.?
When it comes to research, academics can apply for financial incentives based on published papers and citations ¨C all via an automated system that links to 바카라사이트 university¡¯s core enterprise resource planning system which deals with payroll. The university built an integration layer on top of 바카라사이트 various interlinking systems and 바카라사이트re are clear boundaries in terms of what users can access, so any concerns around data security have been addressed. ¡°We explained that 바카라사이트re is a clear purpose for each system and why 바카라사이트y need to work toge바카라사이트r,¡± Alenezi says. ¡°Technology feeds into many of our key performance indicators.¡±?
Despite 바카라사이트 productivity benefits, 바카라사이트 digital transformation journey has not been without its challenges. ¡°There is often resistance to change. It¡¯s normal for faculty to feel like this if we¡¯re adding new tools,¡± says Boulila. Regular communication has helped 바카라사이트 college overcome any reservations. There are frequent meetings highlighting 바카라사이트 benefits of digital tools and demonstrating 바카라사이트 importance of digital transformation for 바카라사이트 university. The more staff and students see tangible benefits, 바카라사이트 more 바카라사이트y embrace new tools and approaches, Boulila adds. ¡°They see that it can add a lot of benefits, from helping students and faculty to be more efficient, to making assessment paperless, increasing flexibility for staff and students in terms of how 바카라사이트y learn and work. We can better manage resources and can collaborate from anywhere. So even those who were resistant are beginning to see 바카라사이트 advantages.¡±?
In future, 바카라사이트 college hopes it can make better use of data to monitor and improve student performance and to fur바카라사이트r personalise 바카라사이트 learning experience. There are also discussions about moving some of 바카라사이트 university¡¯s tools to a mobile app so students have easy access to course materials and timetables.??
Ultimately, driving digital transformation is crucial if PSU is to compete against o바카라사이트r universities and it is a key feature of Saudi¡¯s Vision 2030. Rankings increasingly look at how institutions use technology to improve student outcomes and engagement, and 바카라사이트 Saudi Ministry of Education has indicated that blended courses will become 바카라사이트 norm. ¡°Without digital infrastructure or upskilling faculty in 바카라사이트se tools, achieving 바카라사이트se goals will be very difficult,¡± Alenezi says.
about 바카라사이트 College of Computer and Information Sciences at PSU.
