iPaMS (Integrated Programme & Module System)

iPaMS is a JISC funded project to develop a programme and module management system.

Background

There has been considerable work undertaken on defining XML schemas for programme descriptors (XCRI). In addition a parallel project under the Flexible Service Delivery Programme to define schemas for the HEAR (Higher Education Achievement Record) is about to commence . The iPaMS project will build on these pieces of work by defining module templates to complement and extend the programme descriptors and by providing an integrated management infrastructure to manage them and link to the HEAR.

This work is needed as most establishments do not have a central management system for programme descriptors and module templates, resulting in a plethora of inefficient and error prone processes and systems. By delivering a toolkit which can be adapted to suit local needs, all the objectives of the project listed in Section 2 below can be realised.

The application will include version control for academic programme approval processes, and based on SOA principles will integrate with multiple applications for repurposing of the data. Use of the data will include (but not be restricted to) web publication of programme and module information, publication of marketing information, links to VLEs and student record systems.

The toolkit delivered to the community will consist of a web application to manage the application, an open database schema to define the structure, and a set of web services to transfer data to and from the database.

The toolkit will be tested by a full implementation in one of the University’s academic units.