Management Information Systems in the Hungarian Higher Education

dr. László Agócs

Head of Centre for Educational Development

University of Debrecen, Health and Medical Science Center

Introduction

Information Systems (IS) of the Higher Education Institutions (HEI) are computer applications to that facilitate storinge and retrievinge data of the administrative work. The major subsystems of a HEI are should be:

  • student register system
  • research register system
  • financial management system.

One of the most important components of an IS is the Management Support System (MSS), it is a part of the information system application. There are three major types of MSS:

  • Management Information Systems (MIS)
  • Decision Support Systems (DSS)
  • Executive Support Systems (ESS).

MIS are routine reporting systems used to monitor and control the processes and activities of the institution. DSS are interactive systems under user control that are used in solving semi-structured problems. They have three components: a database, a model base, and an easy-to-use software system. ESS are graphics-oriented systems designed for senior management that provide generalised computing and telecommunication facilities for monitoring and controlling. [1]

MIS Component of the Hungarian Higher Education Project

Inaccurately, the Higher Education Project of Hungary supported by the World Bank uses the MIS term to identify its IS component. In fact, the MIS is just a subsystem of the whole IS as we saw above.

“The overall goal of this component is development of Hungarian Higher Education and support of modernisation, rationalisation and integration of HEIs and national level tasks with appropriate information systems.” [2]

The major software development activities included are as follows:

  • Implementation of KEFIR Financial Software at HEIs
  • Development of the ETR Student Registration System
  • Implementation of the ReSeDa Research Registry System
  • Development of a Premises Management System

Implementation of KEFIR Financial Software at HEIs

The first part of KEFIR (Up-to-date Unified Higher Education Information System) the so called EGR (Unified Financial System) has beenwas completedfinished at the end of 1999. It supports financial process and activities as an integrated system ide kellene, hogy milbe integrated, mert igy nem ertem. The second part of the software is the Management Information Module is under construction. Pilot implementation projects have been started at two HEIs. Pilots will be finished in 2000 and then the system will be available for all the integrating HEIs.

Development of the ETR Student Registration System

There are two suitable systems for developingezt nem ertem?? That can be developed?? To develop??? Vagy az into nem jo into ETR (Unified Education Administration System), the NEPTUN software implemented at the Budapest Technical University and the ARION software implemented at the University of Pécs. In 1999 a decision was made on the re-development of only the ARION system. It will be implemented at on 3 pilot sites: at the universities of Pécs, Szeged and Kaposvár. Nevertheless, the NEPTUN software has been implemented at 5 HEIs and it would be a good alternative.

Implementation of the ReSeDa Research Registry System

ReSeDa was developed from the resources of FEFA (Catching up with the European Higher Education Fund) and its first module supporting the management, administration and organisation of research activities performed in the HEIs has already been implemented in several HEIs, e.g. at the University of Debrecen. Some supplementary modules are under construction within the frameworks of the given project.

Development of a Premises Management System

The recently used FELIR software is inappropriate unsuitable to support the complex management of HEIs assets (real estates, buildings, premises, etc.). It is not defined yet whether a simple register should be developed or a much more sophisticated and more expensive geographical information system is necessary. As I see it In my opinion the second solution would be more useful.

EGR Unified Financial System

The system was developed at the Budapest technical university by the MATE Company and it has been was implemented in 2 HEIs as follows:

  • Budapest Technical University
  • Kossuth Lajos University of Arts and Science.

As the faculties of the Kossuth University became parts of the recently integrated University of Debrecen, the implementation process will be extended to the whole new HEI .

The EGR software provides comprehensive solution in the everyday administration work and gives effective controlling tools for the managers to carry out the reforms of the management. It suits either the regulations of the public accountancy or the efficiency and quality expected in the business sector.

The software development technology and the operating environment meets the highest standards of the up-to-date information technology: PRINCE project mangement, CASE tools, Uniface Open 4GL, etc. The software runs in ORACLE RDBMS environment on 4 processor DEC Alpha server with Unix operating system at the University of Debrecen. The PC clients use MS Windows operating systems. However, the server and the clients may use other DBMS, machines and operating systems. The system is easily adaptable, its parameters are freely changeable. [3], [4]

The EGR has 8 sub-components to cover all the financial processes and activities of a HEI:

  • Central sub-system
  • Ledger
  • Available funds, allocations and obligations
  • Finances
  • Investments
  • Wages and grants
  • Students’ allowances
  • Stocks
  • Management information sub-system

The evaluation of these modules has not been yet finished yet and the real value of the software would be determined defined only at the end of the testing period.

NEPTUN Information System

The system was developed at the Budapest Technical University by the SDA Studio Ltd. and it has been implemented at 5 HEIs. These HEIs (before the integration process) were as follows:

  • College of Public Administration
  • Veterinary University
  • Budapest Technical University
  • Budapest University of Economy
  • International Business School.

The system was designed to support the credit system education in the first place but it can handle the traditional education, too. The up-to-date software and hardware provide full-scale information service for the participants of the higher education process. [5]

The software was developed in Borland Delphi environment, the basis of the system is an Oracle database server. At the Technical University the Oracle database runs on a 2 processor Digital Alpha server, the user interface is provided by MS Windows clients running on 5 NT terminal servers of high performance. The terminal servers can be accessed via TCP/IP protocol from every machine connected to the internet. Use of some financial functions requires the TIRIS student identification smart card and it is possible only from the students’ computer centre. [6]

The software consists of several workbooks, each containing a few sheets to input and output data. The workbooks are organised into modules according to the different user groups and tasks. Some workbooks can be accessed from several modules with special modification rights. The modules with their main workbooks are as follows:

  • Educational Office (or Dean) Module: Administration, Training workbooks
  • Department Module: Student, Department, Subject, Course, Examination, Lecturer, Subject Archive, Publication, External Consultant workbooks
  • Student Module: Data, Studies (Subjects and Examinations), Messages, Searching workbooks,
  • Finance module: available from all the above modules
  • Supplementary Modules: archives, statistics, WWW, time-table editor, filing system, converter for admissions modules.

The departments can announce their subjects courses in the schedule of classesand the students can apply register through the system as well as sign up for the examinations. to the courses and enter for the examinations through the system. However, it is undecided whether it is worth applying??? Megeri alkalmazni??? Can be efficiently applied?? efficiently applicable in the circumstances conditions of the non-credit system training.

The system can handle all the financial transactions concerningedthe training (tuition fees, stipends, examination fees, etc.).

The software uses a meta-language for the purpose of formulating the requirements and milestones nem ertem?? of the training. It has also a special query system (the so called FDL) for defining filtering rules and creating statistics.

References

  1. Management Support Systems.
  1. Szabó Z: Activity Plan, Management Information Systems Component. Republic of Hungary Higher Education Project. 16. January 2000.
  1. Eperjesi B, L. Nagy É, Terdik Gy: A KLTE ISZK tapasztalatai az egyetemi információs rendszer kialakitásában. (Experiences of KLTE CIC on the development of university information system.) Networkshop ’98.
  2. Török I, Risztics P, Dobos B: Egységes gazdálkodási rendszer. (Unified Financial System.) Networkshop ’97.
  1. Neptun információs rendszer. (Neptun Information System. Users’ Manual.)

  2. Neptun információs rendszer. (Neptun Information System.)

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