Digital Transformation

The University of Bremen has set itself the goal of utilizing the opportunities afforded by digitalization in a responsible way to share knowledge, strengthen collaboration, and promote free thinking and free agency.

We want to use novel digital methods and powerful information infrastructures to collaborate more closely with our partner institutions in Europe and the rest of the world – in world-class research and for inspiring, student-focused teaching.

At the same time, digitalization allows us to make curricula and working structures even more flexible, and thus better able to respond to a wide variety of personal circumstances and individual requirements.

To manage and successfully implement this mission, the university is developing a Digital Transformation Strategy 2020ff which will provide us with the framework and the guidance needed for well-coordinated and goal-directed digitalization activities over the coming years.

As part of our agile strategy development, all members of the university can actively play their part in shaping our digital transformation and put forward their ideas to help us achieve our medium-term digitalization goals.

Ein Foto vom Team-CDO: Prof. Dr. Andreas Breiter und Wissenschaftsmanagerin Dr. Christina Gloerfeld

 

The CDO Team has collated some useful information here about the digital transformation of the University of Bremen!

Tel.: +49 421 218-60042
Email: cdoprotect me ?!uni-bremenprotect me ?!.de

 

Digitalization Projects at the University of Bremen

Digitalization is a cross-cutting issue affecting all the services provided by the University:

Young people work at a laptop.

Learning and Teaching

The University of Bremen uses digitalization to bring about innovations in higher education teaching and improve its degree courses.

Digital and hybrid teaching/learning scenarios serve to support the "Shift from Teaching to Learning" and promote inquiry-based learning. Furthermore, digital study elements help to make curricula more flexible, study paths more individual, and stimulate local and international collaboration.

Eine Person arbeitet an einem humanoiden Roboter.

Research and Transfer

Researchers from various disciplines at the University of Bremen are exploring digitalization topics, artificial intelligence, and the impact of digitalization on various aspects of our lives.

The University of Bremen supports their research with digital infrastructures for research data management, high-performance computing, Open Science, Open Access publications, the teamwork in research collaborations, and in science communication.

Zwei Personen im Gespräch an einem Computerarbeitsplatz.

Administrative Processes

The University of Bremen is upgrading its digital infrastructures to make the organizational processes in the administration of learning, teaching, and research sustainable.

It is developing sustainable IT governance under the supervision of the CDO and with the participation of its users. Information security, a digital Campus Management System, and the expansion of fully accessible digital teaching are further issues on which we are currently focusing our efforts.

Multimedia and IT Services at the University of Bremen

At the University of Bremen, multimedia and IT services are provided by different organizational units which work closely together:

Ein Bild, auf dem eine mediendidaktische Beratungsszene im ZMML zu sehen ist

ZMML

The Center for Multimedia in Higher Education (ZMML) is the E-learning facility at the university. The ZMML offers teaching staff and students the following services relating to media didactics:

  • Advice on media didactics
  • Support with teaching/learning
  • E-assessment
  • Digital study videos
  • Multimedia study spaces.
Ein Bild, auf dem viele Netzkabel in einen Server gesteckt sind

Center for Networks

The Center for Networks (ZfN) operates the campus data network, the central server services, and the identity management of the University. The ZfN offers users the following services and support:

  • Account administration
  • WLAN advice
  • Data network
  • Server services
  • User training
  • Software licenses.
Computer keyboard.

Administrative Department 5

Administrative Department 5 – Information Technologies / Central Services – offers university staff the following IT services:

  • IT user helpdesk
  • Loan of media equipment
  • Support for telephones, answering machines, copiers
  • TYPO3 support
  • PC orders and hardware repairs
  • SAP hotline.

IT Reorganization: Working Towards a Central IT Unit

Consolidating the digital infrastructure and the staffing levels for IT is crucial for the further development and quality of research, teaching, and their administration.

Hence in 2021, the university management decided to amalgamate the central multimedia and IT services provided by the above-named organizational units – Center for Networks (ZfN), Center for Multimedia in Higher Education (ZMML), and Administrative Department 5 – under one new roof. The university management views this as a necessary structural development which is in line with contemporary developments and is also progressive and beneficial to the university as a whole.

When this process is finished, a central IT unit will have been created in which all staff work together in a highly satisfying environment to provide a professional and innovative service designed to meet the needs of its users. The development goals of the new unit are to

  • enhance the transparency of services and responsibilities by means of a clearly defined, needs-oriented portfolio of services and clear support structures,
  • improve collegial collaboration by means of standardized IT processes and by literally working side by side within the centralized IT hub,
  • create more scope for development projects and the individual professional development of the IT staff.

The reorganization will be supervised by the President in close expert consultation with the Chief Digital Officer (CDO) and monitored by the Staff Council. The President has commissioned a project team comprising the SPE Staff Unit and the Science Manager for Digital Transformation to undertake this work.

The process of reorganization is designed to be participatory. All staff in the organizational units concerned – ZMML, ZfN, and Administrative Department 5 – have the opportunity to contribute their experience and expertise to the analysis of the actual status and the planning of the new centralized IT unit. Following phases of planning (fall 2021), analysis (winter 2021-fall 2022) and conception (2023), gradual implementation will take place in 2024.