Jade system will manage Canterbury university enrolments

By ADAM GIFFORD

Jade has become the vendor to beat for student administration software after winning a bid to provide a system for the University of Canterbury.

It is the first such system sold in New Zealand since Waikato University bought a Jade system in 2001.

"We are following on from Waikato so that gives us some comfort," said Vice Chancellor Roy Sharp.

Negotiations are continuing on price, but it is likely to be higher than the $4 million over five years Waikato is paying for its system.

But the hardware costs should be lower, as unlike the Auckland University Peoplesoft system, which requires a high end Sun server to run, Jade systems are designed to run on relatively modest iron.

Sharp said the university's existing system had trouble coping with the load at enrolment this year.

The new system should be running in time for enrolments in 2006, or even by the middle of next year.

Student administration systems are a challenge for software vendors, because they need to keep track of courses, timetables, students, qualifications received, funding criteria and a host of other data, as well as interface with Education Ministry and student loan systems.

"What is different now as distinct from five or 10 years ago is everyone expects to be able to interact with the system themselves for things like accessing their records," Sharp said.

Canterbury has about 13,000 equivalent full-time students on the one Christchurch campus.

Massey and Otago universities are also considering new systems.

Jade chief executive Rod Carr said Jade was confident of other sales in Australia and New Zealand.

The Jade Student Management system enrols and processes more than 117,500 students a year at Waikato University, Manukau Institute of Technology, Christchurch and Otago polytechnics.