AN INTRODUCTION TO SURF

WHAT COLLABORATION CAN DO FOR HIGHER EDUCATION AND RESEARCH

Walter van DijkMember Management Team SURFnet

• SURF unites Dutch higher education and research institutions in pursuing high quality improvements in education and research through pioneering ICT innovations.

• Collaboration within SURF aims for to the development of products and services that none of the institutions can achieve on their own.

• More than a million users: students, instructors and researchers.

Pioneering ICT innovations

2

• 14 research universities• 42 universities of applied sciences

(hogescholen)• 8 university hospitals• National Library of the Netherlands

(Koninklijke Bibliotheek)• Netherlands Organisation for Scientific

Research (NWO)• Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and

Sciences (KNAW)• TNO, Telematica Institute• Commercial R&D institutions• Small-scale higher education institutions

Collaboration = success factor

SURF is a partnership of and for institutions for higher education and research

3

• Every four year Multi-Year Plan for strategic themes – in close collaboration with institutions

• MYP = foundation for financing• Start in Jan 2013, new MYP

published in May 2014• Additional financing for innovation

projects and programmes via Ministries of Education and Economic Affairs

Strategy & financing

MYP-themes 2011-2014

• Consolidate leadership role in networkinfrastructure• Optimise security and privacy aspects• Advance alternative forms of sourcing (cloud) and sustainability• Develop national e-Infrastructure for research• Offer infrastructure for (open) digital content• Enhance quality and efficiency in higher education

(Technology Enhanced Education)• Offer cost-effective innovationcycle for products and services• Reinforce role as center of expertise and knowledge

NLeSC

RES EDU ADM

General Board

Executive Board

NWO(research

fund) 40

8

888

Board members institutions

OWNED BY INSTITUTIONS

6

Strategy & funding

• A new strategic plan every 4 years.• Strategic plan is base for funding by participating institutions.• Additional government innovation grants

come from the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science and Ministry of Economic Affairs.

• SURF directs and coordinates the implementation of funded projects. Projects are carried out close to the source of expertise: at institutions for higher education and in enterprise.

• SURF sets up the program, invites tenders, ensures independent quality assessment and monitoring and makes project results available.

7

NLeSC

RES EDU ADM

General Board

Executive Board

NWO(research

fund)

GROS ANNUAL TURNOVER(estimate)

25M€6M€ 10M€65M€33M€

Institutions: 3M€Government: various

8

NLeSC

RES EDU ADM

General Board

Executive Board

NWO(research

fund)

WORKING WITH INSTITUTIONS

SURFacademy

SURFacademy

SURFacademy projects

projects projects

SIG

SIG

SIG

SIG

SIG

SIG

SIG

9

• ICT has become a fact of life, including in the higher education and research sector.

• Research is becoming increasingly data-driven and requires an infrastructure for multi-institutional collaboration.

• Students and staff want to access services and information within the cloud from any location using their own devices.

SURF’s vision

10

Fragmented ICT environment• Enable seamless collaboration

between systems and people. • Allow students and researchers to

collaborate simply and effectively, regardless of where they are or what technology they are using.

11

Big data

• Large complex datasets used by researchers requires large-scale computing capacity and high-quality user support, combined with advanced network facilities.

• Need for highly advanced e-infrastructure.

12

e-Infrastructure for research

SURF helps to keep The Netherlands in the top 5 of the Global Competitiveness Index by

• Providing an advanced national e-Infrastructure consisting of networks, supercomputers, grids, and data.

• Transfer of knowledge to the commercial sector, in close collaboration with the Netherlands eScience Center.

Structural funding comes from the Ministry of Education, Culture andScience and Ministry of Economic Affairs

13

• Local availability of HPC infrastructure is essential for many scientific fields

• GRID and HPC infrastructure seamlessly connected to Europe

• As in the United States, HPC services are also available for the commercial sector, including SMEs

High performance computing (HPC)

• Separate components of the e-Infrastructure will be offered as an integrated service for researchers.

• Coherent offering of network services (SURFnet), SURFsara facilities, and new services provided by The Netherlands eScience Center.

Single support desk for researchers

15

• Management of research data• Research Information• Research Support• Open Access, Open Data

Other themes (1)research

16

Other themes (2)education

• Online education• Open educational resources• Digital testing• Learning analytics• Digital learning and working

environment

17

Other themes (3)business administration

• Cloud computing• Privacy and security• Educational logistics• Sustainability (Green IT)• i-Architecture

18

International cooperation

• Aimed at institutions Radar, Guide and Broker (trendwatching, decision support, collaboration)

• Improving SURFPeer-to-peer, and strategic alliances, e.g. JISC, Knowledge Exchange, Educause, CNI

• Establish worldwide positionGéant, TERENA, Internet2, EC projects

19

SURF organization

• Operating divisions (business units), each with its own focus, are working together on ICT-themes.

• Netherlands eScience Center is cooperation between SURF and NWO.

• Since 1 january 2013 SURF also sole shareholder of Vancis BV.

20

NLeSC

RES EDU BUS

General Board

Executive Board

NWO(research

fund)

MANAGEMENT CONTROL

CoB/ED+ DIR

CoB/ED

CoB/ED+ DIR

CoB/ED+ DIR

CoB/ED+ DIR

2x SURF2x NWO

Program approval

CoB=chair of the boardED = executive directorDIR = director

21

guarantees collaboration and involvement of managers inhigher education and research

connects users and ICT services and creates newfunctional possibilities

favourable conditions for ICT services, software, content

high-performance computing and visualisation for science

efficient management of results of collaboration projects

What SURF can do

22

Thank you for your attention!

Walter.vanDijk@SURFnet.nlwww.surf.nl