This is the home page for RUGIT which is the acronym for Russell Universities Group IT Directors forum, an independent body funded purely by the membership.
Our primary objective is to promote understanding and awareness of the application of IT in research-intensive universities in the United Kingdom and, in so doing, to improve facilities, information systems and services in member institutions.
Membership is available to all Universities within the defined 'Russell Group', and in addition representatives of a small number of other organisations have been invited to attend the meetings.
RUGIT is guided by a defined constitution.
Each Russell Group University is entitled to send up to two named representatives to RUGIT meetings.
In addition to the annual general meeting, RUGIT holds a series of meetings throughout the calendar year to discuss key topics. The schedule of meetings is set by the committee.
The RUGIT sub groups work on the following specific areas
RUGIT is located in the United Kingdom. The current address for correspondence can be obtained from the secretary:
Gary Davison – gary.davison@newcastle.ac.uk
In pursuit of its mission, RUGIT will:
1. Provide a forum for ascertaining and making known the views of its membership on matters affecting IT facilities, information systems and associated services.
2. Promote research and development in these areas and publish the results of such work.
3. Co-ordinate shared developments and exchange experience.
4. Collaborate with relevant bodies where such collaboration supports the other aims. Bodies will include JISC, JANET, central and local government.
5. Lobby government and other stakeholders for research-led universities and for the provision of Information Technology and Systems (IT&S) resources to underpin wider Higher Education aims, and to ensure an understanding of the value of computing facilities to the national and international research community.
6. Identify and promote academic and process change through the application of large-scale IT&S.
1. Share information and data to allow comparisons of strategy, issues, services and resources between member institutions.
a) Annual strategic issues survey as part of EDUCAUSE/UCISA survey.
b) Quarterly top three operational issues survey.
c) Examine possibilities for co-ordinated internal and external benchmarking.
d) Develop awareness of approaches in other universities, other sectors and other countries.
2. Fund specific research, with agreement at a full RUGIT meeting.
3. Conduct joint staff development activities
4. Ensure appropriate channels of communication (website, other electronic and otherwise) are in place
a) for internal purposes, so that all members are informed of RUGIT activities in a timely manner, and are provided with opportunities to participate.
b) for external purposes, so that RUGIT’s opinions and work are appropriately disseminated.
5. Create formal Working Groups, sponsored by the RUGIT Council and with Terms of Reference relating to RUGIT objectives.