1.

General concept of Information and Communication Technology (ICT)

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is a key technology that has to be harnessed
to achieve the aggressive national socio-economic development goals of Ethiopia. It can provide
new and more effective ways of delivering essential services to an increasing portion of citizens,
new ways of increasing productivity, cutting costs, and better management of resources and
processes. In addition it makes available the vast knowledge available on the global internet and
other national and international repositories by using the new ways of accessing information and
knowledge and making it easily available to users of all types.

With such great promises of what ICT can deliver to Ethiopia, the great challenge of utilizing
and harnessing ICT and making it one of the key engines for a great transformation of Ethiopia
economy and the standard of living of its citizens is one that has to be met head on and
conquered!

Coming to the Education Sector in Ethiopia, ICT is clearly indispensible to overcome the many
challenges it faces, and to enabling Universities and other Institutions of Higher Learning to
make great leaps forward to deliver on their responsibilities of Education, Research and
Community Services.
However, ICT in Universities has not made the progress that is expected of it, nor has it
delivered the many benefits that it should deliver. Looking at the key role that ICT can and
should play, requires that efforts have to be redoubled to move it forward so that it can pay back
on the investments made on it, and play the role of turbo charging the Educational Sector.

The current situation where ICT is not playing the key role that it needs to play requires a
thorough examination to understand what the obstacles that hold it back are. The aim in this will
be to get ICT to be an engine for rapid advances in the primary functions of Universities; in
Education, Research and Community Services that is expected from it.

One of the essential tools that should be incorporated into plans for ICT is that of monitoring and
evaluating the progress that University ICTs are making, and using these measurements and
evaluations to better manage and ensure the rapid growth and progress of ICT in Universities.
Standard tools for measuring, monitoring and evaluating this progress need to be designed and
used in all Universities so that a common, objective evaluation can be done across Universities.

2. Haramaya University Information Communication Technology Directorate

Haramaya University as one of the Universities in Ethiopia having more than 63 years of age, has
been strived to support the main core processes i.e. teaching and Learning, administration affairs,
Community service and research processes by ICT services.

Haramaya University Information Communication Technology Directorate was established in the

year 2003 and restructured in July 2013, following the Business process reengineering (BPR) and
new structure from Ministry of Education applied to support the core mandates of the University.

The Information and Communication Technology Directorate of Haramaya University (HU), ensure
the delivery of Information and Communication Technology services to the university’s various
functional units based on their needs. Haramaya University has recognized the role of ICT as an
enabler for the attainment of its goals and strategic objectives. The directorate is also
accountable to the president and it is currently organized into five functional units i.e.
Infrastructure & Services, Learning and Teaching Technology, Technical Support and Maintenance,
Business Application Development and Administration and Training and Consultancy Service. It
provides the HU community with a broad range of ICT services including email, Internet and
telephone services, IP surveillance, e-learning, Digital signage system, website, Smart classes,
Video Conference, maintaining failed ICT equipment (computers, laptops, printers, photocopiers,
scanners, UPS, LCD projector and network devices), providing training services and manage ICT
academies i.e. Cisco, Microsoft, Oracle and others.

Mission

To effectively conceive, develop, implement, utilize, and manage appropriate information

systems in order to provide integrated, coordinated and customer-focused quality ICT services to
Haramaya University in line with its vision, mission and objectives.

Vision

To be a center of innovation in the provision of quality ICT services to Haramaya University.

Objectives Of ICT Office

1. To identify, acquire and install relevant ICT resources and implement the technology
transfer University-wide.
2. To manage operations and maintenance of ICT resources.
3. To manage databases of information systems.
4. To train end-users on computer literacy and offer end-user computing support.
5. To offer technical advice and consultancy on acquisition of ICT resources.
6. Planning, implementation and development of ICT infrastructure.
7. To work with HU stakeholders and governmental and non-governmental organizations
Core Values Of ICT Office

1. Provision of quality ICT services to the Haramaya University.

2. Management, control and maintenance of ICT in the University.
3. Advising the University authorities on all ICT matters.
4. Formulation of ICT policies for the University.
5. Interpretation of ICT policies and related matters for the University.
 3. Haramaya University ICT Organizational Structure

ICT
Director

Teaching
Infrastructure Business & Suppor Traini
& Services Application Learning
Technologi t& ng &
Development es Mainte Consul
&
nance tancy
Administratio
n

ICT Director Roles and responsibilities:

 Is accountable to the University President
 Provide leadership and management to the Information & Communications Technology
(ICT) Directorate
 Ensure that ICT provides, operates and maintains the ICT infrastructure, systems and
solutions to meet the needs of the administrative, educational, community services, and
research programs of the University
 Establish proper ICT governance through an ICT Policy for the university, planning of
ICT projects, managing the portfolio of solutions, systems and infrastructure, and
instituting a Service Management approach to the services and solutions that the ICT
delivers to the university community

Infrastructure & Services Roles and responsibilities

 Create and manage the physical layer connectivity of new and existing campuses,
buildings, classrooms, offices and laboratories
 Create and manage the IP layer connectivity
 Plan, implement and manage the Internet connectivity
 Creating acceptable use policy for the network and Internet
 Secure the network from Internal and external threats
 Monitor real time status of the physical and logical connections
 Log and audit network access
 Create and manage application-ready local cloud infrastructure
 Update and patch the operating systems and middleware in data centers
 Plan, implement and manage internal communication and collaboration platforms (email,
portal, unified communications, etc.)

Business Application Development & Administration Roles and responsibilities:

 Analyzing business processes of different sections of the university and come up with
automation solution
 Automate and facilitate the student-instructor communications
 Automate and facilitate the full life-cycle activities of students and staff ( from
enrollment to graduation/resignation/retirement)
 Verify the compatibility, scalability and Integrality the different business automation
application going to be implemented in the University
 Developing or customizing applications
Teaching and learning Technologies Roles and responsibilities:
 Plan, implement and manage E-learning infrastructure
 Work with the academic departments for course material preparation and uploading
 Plan, implement and manage Digital Library infrastructure
 Create the technical infrastructure within campuses, inter-campuses and inter-universities
for video conferencing and tele-education
Support and Maintenance Roles and responsibilities:
 Single point of contact for ICT related issues, problems, requests …
 Provide quick services to its users, provide problem identification, support and resolution
functions to its customers
 Record, monitor problems being reported to ICT, update users on status of problems, and
report on service level metrics for services provided
 Compile a knowledge base of problems and solutions, for use by first level support
personnel
 Track and report on Service Level performance that it achieves and ICT delivers
 Maintain failed office equipment (printer, ups, computer, laptops, phones, network
devices)
 Perform preventive maintenance regularly
 Keep an inventory of maintained and replaced items
 Prepare depreciation, discarding and replacement plan for equipment

Training and Consultancy Roles and responsibilities:

 Arrange trainings for the ICT team
 Plan Inter-ICT Team knowledge and exchange sharing
 Arrange training for campus users and staff about newly implemented and developed
applications
 Create basic awareness on Internet, security, productivity tools, emerging technologies
and new projects in ICT for the campus users and staff
 Arrange and implement Student Internship programs
 Arrange and implement services for on campus and off campus society
 Create a space for campus society creative activities and projects