The purpose of ASAUDIT is to promote and advance the use and support of computing and information technology at South African universities, and to further develop relationships with key members in the Higher Education sector both locally and internationally.
The association strives to promote professional skills and conduct in university ICT management and to serve as unitary voice for the South African Higher Education IT profession and to provide mutual support mechanisms to its members by encouraging development and application of standards and best practices through the sharing of expertise among members and colleagues in organising informative events.
ASAUDIT focuses on the sharing of knowledge and collaboration between University IT divisions. To ensure that this is facilitated properly special interest groups (SIGs) see to the needs of universities. No less than six Stellenbosch University IT staff are involved in these groups.
Ralph Pina heads the Green IT SIG group. This group ensures that IT operations are ecologically sustainable (i.e. that energy and material throughputs are minimised) and on ICT’s role in enabling sustainability elsewhere in the university. The SIG share information about Green IT and will be emphasising cross-institutional benchmarking using Green IT indicators.
Johan Kistner is responsible for the ECM SIG group, aiming to provide a forum to share experiences in electronic content management, as well as to collect a library of best practices. The SIG is not limited to any particular brand or solution; it rather strives to serve the interest of all member institutions. Institutions share their knowledge and assist each other with advice. In addition, speakers from the industry are invited with restraint on the commercial tone.
Mark-Allen Johnson was recently chosen as co-chairman for the Mobile Special Interest Group. They offer the opportunity for technologists, teaching and learning specialists as well as other stakeholder groupings within the South African Higher Education sector to collaborate on leveraging the potential of mobile devices. The SIG endeavours to facilitate conversations locally and through international engagement on the theory as well as practice of all areas related to mobility as it applies to higher education.
Petro Uys and Marinka Naude are both members of the Skills Development SIG, whilst IT’s Managing Director, Helmi Dreijer leads the Procurement Committee.
More information on ASAUDIT can be found on http://www.asaudit.ac.za
