A combination of factors; external compliance via UKBA and HR legislation or compliance with US accounting rules necessitate the need to update absence management procedures within Informatics. On the flipside the tension is to introduce the lightest touch possible reporting and management requirements.

One option is to introduce a webform to simplify absence reporting. An example from another School would be https://www.wiki.ed.ac.uk/display/SBSIntranet/Home+Page in School of Biological Sciences (but note secure access permissions to site). This tool allows an SBS staff member to securely notify HR of absence.

A) Overall requirements
- a need to scope remit of webform, noting that the simpler the form the better

- consideration of linked email notifications (to whom ?, saying what ?)

- identify website location and login permissions as a submitter

- a need to verify all against technical contraints and Data Protection Act.

- data access to InfHR and then Oracle.

- webform construction and data repository.

B) Timing
As soon as possible as current position is non-compliant with University policy or external requirements.

David Robertson

Elizabeth Elliot

The UK Research Council’s focus on impact is changing the way we think about our research output. Impact features heavily in the upcoming Research Excellence Framework (REF) and we need to ensure we are capturing as much supporting evidence as possible.

The storage and accessibility of research publications is currently being addressed via the Library’s digital repository of research - Edinburgh Research Archive (ERA) and PURE - http://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/governance-strategic-planning/research/pure/home .

Ensuring open-source software applications, tools and libraries are made available in a centralised and easy to use manner is currently an unmet need. The Informatics Software Download Database (ISDD) (http://www.inf.ed.ac.uk/research/isdd/) has been in existence for many years and is currently home to a number of legacy projects such as SimJava2 and HASE III.

This project request is for the implementation of a new Software Download Management Platform that enables the distribution of research software and applications more effectively. It would ensure that licensing open source material is much easier and would ensure that the appropriate impact metrics are captured.

Informatics Researchers (looking to license their software):

• Capability to publish their software in an easy to use manner (ideally straight from the Informatics repository e.g. Git – as proposed by Paul Anderson).
• Provides them with usage statistics and feedback from users
• Helps them develop better Impact Statements by having more insight
• Faster way to ensure their open source software is licensed appropriately

For Users (licensees):

• Ability to view all available Informatics Software
• Can quickly register to license and download open source software
• Able to license software straight from the repository ensuring the most up to date version is obtained

For the School:

• Ability to evidence what software is available across the School
• Easier to demonstrate Impact across all Institutes
• Ability to generate custom reports for multiple stakeholders e.g. SFC, Scottish Enterprise, EPSRC

Complimentary to the above, there is a confirmed expectation from the Scottish Government that the University takes active steps to simplify the process for companies to take advantage of freely available intellectual property, in parallel with commercial licensing activities. The proposed portal for open source technology will allow the School to lead the way in this initiative, working with Edinburgh Research and Innovation (ERI) and the collaborative University Technology project ( www.university-technology.com). The proposal has therefore been discussed with ERI who are fully supportive.

Dave Robertson

Bob Fisher

Edinburgh Research & Innovation

Extend if necessary the media server at media.inf.ed.ac.uk to provide (potentially) large (and growing) file storage area for internal hosting of media, videos, lecture components, etc. at a stable long term URL. Allow for serving as hintyed for streaming and download via http:// protocol and also ensure it can stream content in real time with rstp:// protocol concurrently at a medium scale. Larger events and synchronous classes would continue to be handled by extenal streaming means. Allow for real time event streaming at modest (workshop and on-line class) scale (say 50 streams) using sdp announcements from live feeds from authorised users.

https://devproj.inf.ed.ac.uk/project/show/227