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Newsletter 6: From Hora Est to Hora Finita

May 2020

Radboud University aims at high quality supervision and close monitoring of progress of PhD candidates. A PhD system that supports our needs in this aim is crucial. It has been decided to start using a new PhD system: Hora Finita. In this newsletter we will inform you about this new system and give you an update about the process of the implementation of Hora Finita.

This newsletter will be sent to you quarterly. If you do not wish to receive an update in the future, please send an email to b.edlinger@soo.ru.nl . Suggestions for people to add to the list of recipients are welcome too!

The Covid virus has quite an impact on our lives and work. Some of you have sent us a message expressing their concern about the progress of the Hora Finita project. With this newsletter we would like to inform you about the state of the implementation process of Hora Finita and about the impact of the Covid virus on the process

How’s it going?

  • The customization of Hora Finita to Radboud University needs has been completed at the end of April;

  • Hora Finita and our Business Management System (RBS) are now connected and testing is ongoing and we are happy to be able to tell you that it’s “so far so good”;

  • The first (of three) part of the set-up of Hora Finita for Radboud University is ready;

  • We have made plans for the kind of support and guidance you would like/prefer during the transition from Hora Est to Hora Finita and now we are starting to produce manuals for all our different user groups.

Ongoing process of implementation – more details

  • Technical aspects at ISC (e.g. connecting RBS and Hora Finita, implementing SURFConext): Ernst Wolswijk is our technical project leader. He is guiding this part of the process because of the complexity of the technical implementation. Many colleagues are involved and the coordination and collaboration are crucial;

  • Set up Hora Finita: we have set up part 1, the registration process in Hora Finita, and are now busy with part 2: support of PhD’s. We will then proceed with the last part in June about obtaining the doctorate. In the meanwhile we are training users and testing the system. We want to finalized the set-up before the summer holidays

  • Communication and training: plans have been approved and preparations are ongoing – website, manuals, meetings, training and support. We have developed tailor-made plans for each faculty and adjust support to specific needs of our different categories of users (PhD’s, (co)promotors, support staff, Beadle)

Impact of the Corona virus on the process

  • Communicating online about the implementation of Hora Finita with representatives of all of our users and the online testing and finalization is not an ideal method. But everything is going well although, due to the circumstances, the progress is a little slower than planned. The good news is that we have obtained permission to organize corona-proof test sessions on campus;

  • We still aim at going live next January (2021).

We are aware of the need for a demonstration of Hora Finita. The system is ready for a demonstration this summer so we will organize a demonstration in September or present an online alternative if necessary.

Contact:

Would you like to know more about Hora Finita, receive previous newsletters, talk about requirements for the new system, participate during consultation / testing sessions and/or share your expertise an any other way, please contact:

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