Panel Session: Dealing with the Commercial World: Saviour or Satan?
This page provides details of the plenary talk on
"Panel Session: Dealing with the Commercial World: Saviour or Satan?".
- Title:
- Panel Session: Dealing with the Commercial World: Saviour or Satan?
- Panelists:
- Isabel Allen, independent consultant, former head of eBusiness, Nottingham Trent University.
- John Harrison and Adam Hulme, Maxsi Ltd.
- Brian Kelly, UKOLN.
- Paul Boag, Headscape.
- Abstract:
- With the introduction of variable fees Universities have entered what education
secretary Ruth Kelly called "a new era". Financial departments have had to
find more creative ways to meet the sector's growing competitive demands and those
working within universities have had to take a more business-like, customer-focused
approach to many aspects of their work as they compete for students.
- Some questions this panel session will be discussing include:
- Is it time that we start to deal more with the commercial sector?
- Should they no longer be seen as "money grabbing tyrants" who lack
understanding for the work we are trying to do?
- What about using commercial services such as content management system providers
and Web site consultants?
- Should institutions with existing in-house teams should ever be using external agencies in the first place?
-
Is there a formal approach we could take to dealing with the commercial world?
- Are there richer models in dealing with these complexities?
- Presentations: 10 - 15 minutes each
- Isabel Allen
will talk about how Nottingham Trent University have streamlined the 150 Web sites
they previously had, all with varying designs and content, through the installation
of a commercial CMS. The use of Rhythmyx, made by Percussion software, has made
huge improvements to their site in terms of cost and resource savings, reduction
in number of Web pages, improved search engine optimisation and brand consistency.
- John Harrison
and Adam Hulme,
Maxsi Ltd will discuss the potential benefits and pitfalls of commercial advertising
on university Web sites. Themes will include different advertising models, understanding
revenue potential, mechanics of ad-serving, presentation of ads and policy implications
(including JANET restrictions).
- Brian Kelly
will argue that the use, or not, of commercial services is just one dimension of
a more complex set of issues. He will argue that there are also tensions between
the role of the institutional Web management team in ensuring standards and best
practices are observed (in order to provide quality Web site) and the role
of the institutional Web management team in supporting the diversity of users and
user to be needs found in ourinstitutions (in order to provide a quality
Web experience).
- Time:
- This panel session will take place from 09.15-10.30 on Wednesday 18th July 2007.
