Midlands State University hosted a two-day workshop on the utilisation of enterprise information technology systems on the 14th and 15th of March 2019, at the Suburban Village in Gweru.
Running under the theme, ‘Governance of Enterprise IT in the Era of IT Modernisation and Digital Transformation’, the workshop was aimed at providing the University’s leadership with the requisite knowledge and a thorough understanding of the benefits of having a solid IT governance framework.
Cognisant of the fact that the majority of business processes nowadays are dependent on Information Technology (IT) in one way or the other, sound IT governance will help to ensure that the University has standardised, highly efficient and reliable IT services.
In his presentation, Mr Tichaona Zororo, an MSU alumnus and Director of Enterprise Governance of IT (EGIT, South Africa), who was the main facilitator emphasised the need to focus on the adoption and development of Information Technology in the innovation process. He impressed the need for the University to embrace IT as a tool for strategic decision-making and enhanced service delivery through process innovation.
‘Technology is the drive to leading innovation and universities must take Information Technology as a business enabler and a critical factor in the creation of new business models,’ said Mr Zororo.
He highlighted that the University’s leadership had a critical role to play in the institution’s IT governance framework, which would, without doubt, support and enable MSU to achieve its long-term strategic mandate of providing quality ‘Teaching, Research, Community Engagement, Innovation and Industrialisation.
In line with new and emerging technologies, it has become vital for universities to rethink the way they deliver their services to stakeholders using Information Technology. According to Mr Zororo, this process of rethinking, ways of enhancing service delivery should begin to consider the use of artificial intelligence.
‘I’m challenging you as Midlands State University’s leadership, to seriously consider using robotics and artificial intelligence to address the issue of innovation.
There should be a clear technological road-map, which will lead to the adoption of several Information Technology tools like Machine Learning, Augmentative Reality and Predictive Analytics (big data) in the bid to embrace Information Technology Governance as a business enabler,’ he said.
Going forward the University will be looking to implement a more robust IT governance framework that will enhance business processes and improve service delivery. Additionally, the framework will result in increased protection against cyber-attacks and unethical behaviour, for the University and all its stakeholders.
The workshop, which was organised under the auspices of MSU’s Information Technology Services Department was attended by the University’s senior management, which included the Chairman of Council, Engineer Caleb Makwiranzou, the Vice-Chancellor Professor Victor Muzvidziwa and all Principal Officers.
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