IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support

Tender description

Information systems and digital services work in partnership with our academic and professional services colleagues to deliver digital and IT services that help the University achieve its strategic objectives in teaching and research. We help to create the University of the future by co-designing new ways of working, enhancing productivity, reducing complexity, supporting innovation and providing the insights to drive continuous improvement. More recently, information systems and digital services has considered the potential ways in which a range of new technologies, including machine learning, natural language processing and extended reality may impact upon higher education. The purpose of this DPS is to establish a panel of vendors to enable the University to explore and exploit these technologies in key areas. Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) are increasingly combined as ‘Extended Reality’. Augmented reality can be described as experiencing the real world with an overlay of additional computer generated content. In contrast, virtual reality immerses a user in an entirely simulated environment, while mixed or merged reality blends real and virtual worlds in ways through which the physical and the digital can interact. Is the use of parallel processing for running advanced application programs efficiently and quickly. Blockchain is a transaction ledger stored in blocks, where new information can be added but the previous information, stored in a chain of encrypted digital blocks, cannot be edited or adjusted. In simple terms, machine learning deals with computer programs that learn from experience for a specific purpose, typically prediction. NLP is more accurately understood as a branch of machine learning rather than a completely separate type of AI that uses large data sets to attempt to both recognise natural human language, both in written and spoken form, and to generate a meaningful response. Quantum computing is an emergent technology with the theoretical potential to solve computational problems at a far greater scale and much more rapidly than traditional electronic computers. RPA refers to the execution of repetitive, defined tasks within a workflow at a speed and consistency greater than that of a human operator. It draws data from multiple systems and processes this data in accordance with a defined set of workflow rules. This area of technology involves the autonomous or semi-autonomous analysis and interpretation of massive volumes of structured and unstructured data using advanced techniques and tools, typically beyond those of traditional business intelligence (BI), to discover deep insights, make predictions, and generate recommendations for actions. This category of technology includes self-driving vehicles that utilise machine learning and deep neural nets to navigate the physical world, and industrial robots that must be programmed in detail to follow a set of defined instructions as part of a manufacturing process. 5G represents that latest development of cellular/mobile radio communications networks supporting the delivery of data and voice services to mobile devices. The internet of things describes the inter-networking of previously non-networked devices, including building sensors, vehicles, household appliances, and other items embedded with electronics, software and sensors that enables these devices to collect and exchange data. There is a close relationship with 5G (see above) as it is anticipated that 5G will provide much of the bandwidth and connectivity to connect these devices.