MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEMS
Good management information systems (MIS) can enhance
greatly the effectiveness and efficiency
of university and college managements. Bad
systems have the potential to wreck the entire institution.
The introduction or development of MIS therefore
needs to be planned and introduced very carefully,
taking account of the risks and benefits involved.
In our approach to MIS, we begin by focusing on
the actual information required by managers
at different levels - in faculties, in the
university's central administration, in Government
Ministries. Do they all need the same information?
Do they all need it at the same time? What
information do they really need to take decisions?
Do they know what the cost of obtaining the information
will be?
MIS should not simply replicate flows of paper-based
data with flows of digital data. The opportunity
should be taken to look at data and information
(analysed data) needs across the organisation,
and ensure that the right people have the
right data at the right time. An integrated
system will mean that data entered once -
a student's personal details, for instance - are
then available to all other authorised users,
and do not have to be obtained separately
by the Registry, the Finance Office, the
Library and so on.
Universitas has worked on MIS issues in higher education
at both national and institutional levels
in several countries. Our consultants bring
not simply technical knowledge, but an understanding
of the wider management issues at stake.
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