Digital exams – from two systems to one at AU
The two systems for digital exams at AU, WiseFlow and Digital Exams, are about to be replaced. The senior management team has confirmed that the two systems are to be replaced by one system during spring 2022.
The contracts for AU's digital exams systems are coming to an end, and AU's Educational Administrative Systems are working on a new call for tenders for a joint system. University Director Arnold Boon has announced that the tender process has been given the go ahead.
"Following a market survey, the senior management team has decided that, in future, AU should have one joint system for digital exams. The goal is to achieve greater user-friendliness, better integration with other systems and simpler procedures across AU," says Arnold Boon.
The digital exams system is one of several systems that are about to be replaced, and the plan was to roll out a joint system for digital exams during autumn 2021, which is also the final phase of the rollout of the successor to Blackboard – the new LMS, Brightspace.
“There’s been some concern as to whether the academic environments will be up to the task of receiving two systems at the same time, both of which play an important role for teaching staff. To minimise the risk of academic staff having to work in several new systems at the same time, the rollout of a joint digital exams system will be postponed for a few months," says Arnold Boon.
This means that the system is expected to be taken into use by the academic environments in spring 2022.
The tender process will now be initiated focusing on supporting exams at the five faculties. In addition, emphasis will be on solutions that meet relevant legislation on personal data protection in connection with prevention of cheating at exams. AU has opted for a tender model in which the call for tenders can be repeated if the bids do not adequately cover the needs of AU.
The acquisition of a new joint digital exams system will be in collaboration between the AU Student Administration and Services, AU IT and the administrative centres of the faculties, and will be managed by an interdisciplinary steering committee headed by Vice-dean Finn Borchsenius.
Digital Exams system – provisional timetable
- Phase 1: Call for tenders and acquisition (autumn 2019 – spring 2021)
- Phase 2: Technical and organisational implementation, including training in the use of the system (spring 2021 – winter 2022)
- Phase 3: System taken into use by the academic environments (spring 2022)
Read more on the project website