The new digitised Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) process was the topic of the winning presentation at the Digital and Information Services ‘Show and Tell Series’ final in June.  Suzie Burns from the Digital Transformation Team impressed the panel of judges with her vibrant presentation outlining how she elevated the MoU process from paper-based forms and emails to an efficient online solution.  The new system uses Microsoft Forms, SharePoint Lists and Power Automate to manage approvals and streamline processes across the University, providing opportunities for feedback and automatically generating documents.

With a standardised approval process, the new MoU system enables due diligence checks to be made, ensuring that the University is in compliance with Universities UK guidance on managing security-related risks.  It also facilitates alignment with the Quality Assurance Agency's UK Quality Code for Higher Education which is centred on corporate risk management and liability.  The system has already been used to process proposals for partnerships with institutions around the world, including a MoU signed with Shupyk National Healthcare University of Ukraine in Kyiv in January 2023.

As well as taking the top prize in our Show and Tell Series, the new MoU system has been commended for example by the Research Collaboration Advice Team (RCAT) UK for practices around creating transparency and highlighting risk digitally​.  Suzie's work is a fantastic example of the global impact that our digital transformation at Queen's can make.  She is now building on her success by developing other digital solutions, including processes for Visiting Scholars and Recognised Teachers.  

Improvements were made to a previous Study Abroad solution created by the DX Team.  The new solution lessens the manual work needed to be taken by the Study Abroad Team as it digitises the application process.  Automated workflows reduce time spent on manually updating applications and application attachments.  This specific project provided a streamlined and easy application process for QUB to manage students arriving from North Eastern University in Boston.

The streamlined, automated approach helped to strengthen the relationship and reputation between QUB and North Eastern.

Kiera McGill from the DX team used Power Platform technologies to create a solution to enable Schools within the University to set up External Examiners (UG/PGT) in iTrent.  This ensures that the Exams Office can request payments and allows the Salaries Office to process payments.

The new digitised NSP3 forms ensure a smooth and seamless NSP journey for Schools, the Exams Office and the Salaries Office.

PGT and PGR students who wish to undertake an international research placement or attend an overseas conference are required to complete a travel risk assessment and are only allowed to travel when approval has been granted by the Director of Research.

Schools were keen to have a digitised approach that would remove the need for a manual email exchange when seeking travel approval.  

Kiera McGill from the DX Team provided a new digitised solution that automated the process.  This has benefits for both the students, Global Opportunities office  and the Directors of Research.  Students are automatically informed of the outcome of their application once approved by the Director of Research.  The Global Opportunities office receive a copy of the approved application

IPLS required a new website that would allow users to create an account, submit an application and make payment.  

IPLS also required a new Admin Website that clerical staff would use to manage IPLS applications and processes.

Peter Hassard created a new solution that met the needs of IPLS and improved the application process for students wishing to apply for their bar and solicitor courses.

The objectives of the CPAD Nursing Project was to enable Clerical Officers in the School of Nursing and Midwifery to manage applications more effectively and efficiently and to reduce manual work by automating some processes. 

The new automated process has increased efficiency within the School of Nursing office.  

The School of Management were looking for a solution to speed up reference generation for students and free up time for busy staff.

Peter Hassard developed an automated reference system to enable staff to quickly generate references for current and past students.  

The new system generates a pre-populated reference document upon the submission of the student request.  The staff member no longer has to try and look up the student details as all of this information has been pre-populated into the reference document.  They simply need to customise the reference with their description of the student.

This new system saves time for staff and speeds up the process for students.

The Visiting Scholar process was a lengthy paper based process that involved the scholar filling out a paper-based form, administrators capturing their information manually via email, asking for their passport and manually sending a privacy notice.

The application had to be approved at multiple stages, with the School and Academic Affairs liaising with each other to approve/reject the application via email. Academic affairs also had to email a confirmation document for signature, and await the document to be signed by the scholar.

For the international scholars, the approval system was even more complex and required more layers of approval, background checks on the scholar and documents to be provided from the scholar. 

Suzie Burns developed a new digitised process.  In the digitised process, the scholar fills in the relevant form(s) which creates a SharePoint list and triggers a multitude of workflows that automatically send terms and conditions, request documents, extract sent documents and go through a digital and formal approvals process using power automate. Confirmation letters are automatically generated and sent, and picked up when signed.

The new process has saved a huge amount of time for administrators when completing this process and create a more formalised and standardised approach for local and international scholars.