The University of Montevideo implements the first SAP solution for higher education in Latin America

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Introduction
The University of Montevideo
Why an integrated system for management
Why SAP
mySAP HIGHER EDUCATION & RESEARCH CAMPUS MANAGEMENT
University of Montevideo's implementation project video
(MPEG format, 180 MB)
The internal team
Going live
The external team - why CONEX
Integrating the information for the administrative processes and the academic support
Technical card
Other CM projects
Press releases

INTRODUCTION

The University of Montevideo successfully implemented the first mySAP solution for higher education in Latin America. On July 15, 2002 the integrated system of R/3 and campus Management went live leading the way to excellence.

This is the first implementation of SAP's Solution for Higher Education in Latin America and one of the first worldwide, placing the University of Montevideo as one of the global leaders in the application of technology for management.

It is not easy to manage an educational institution, but with the application of the best technology for management available, it becomes manageable. SAP is a German company, the global leader in integrated systems that offers the best options for the every-changing challenges facing businesses today.

However, the challenges of implementing mySAP at the University of Montevideo do not end here. The other relevant topic is the export of services. For a decade, Uruguay has been successfully exporting the best professional consultants worldwide especially those related to areas of management and implementation of management systems. A perfect example is the External Consulting Unit of UTE (Conex, Unidad de Consultoría Externa de UTE), which has experience in over 20 countries worldwide.

This has been one of the main reasons why the implementation project at the University of Montevideo took place with staff from the University and from CONEX.

This project has opened doors to new opportunities for the export of intellectual products to the rest of Latin America as this professional group has gained invaluable experience which may be of use to any other educational institution that is interested in this technology.

THE UNIVERSITY OF MONTEVIDEO

With more than 15 years of academic activities, the University of Montevideo has become one of the most prestigious private universities of the country. Each year more than 1,500 students participate in programs offered by six schools and other academic centers that cover the science, humanity, social and business areas.

The University of Montevideo's mission statement is to promote a culture of work and service within the individual, family and society. Its academic excellence is based on man's transcendent commitment to search for truth.

WHY AN INTEGRATED SYSTEM FOR MANAGEMENT?

The organization and efficient administration of resources in order to offer students the best academia product is not an easy task. "The knowledge does not occupy a place", but the activity of a university implies a great amount of information that must be registered, documented, conserved and opportunely analyzed, for the administration and accounting of the students, the administration of academic services and the management of investigation projects.

The "bug" of the year 2000 did not affect the University, since most of the administrative processes had support systems with a scarce level of computerization. Nevertheless, when stating a sharp annual growth of 20%, the management council of the University decided that it was the right moment to implement a management system that would service their educational processes, so as to reach the level of excellence proposed in their mission.

Quickly it was understood that the objectives would only be reached with a solution that integrated the main administrative processes: the economic and financial management, the purchases, and the management of the most valuable resources for a university: its professors students and employees.

WHY SAP

mySAP Higher Education & Research Campus Management was the solution that the University of Montevideo selected to assure the quality of processes management. SAP is the worldwide leader in the market of management-integrated systems (Enterprise Resource Planning), with more than 45.000 installations of their main product, SAP R/3, in nearly 120 countries.

Selecting SAP as a technological partner means being at the vanguard of technological development and counting on support, maintenance and updates that no other supplier could offer. The vast accumulated experience is translated into a very refined methodology, Accelerated SAP, essential for a fast and efficient implementation.

mySAP HIGHER EDUCATION & RESEARCH CAMPUS MANAGEMENT

The solution adopted by the University of Montevideo offers IT backup to register information and take relevant decisions in the main administrative processes:

THE INTERNAL TEAM

"The people who we chose for the implementation team have made, without doubt, the most significant contribution for the success of the project. When we invited them to participate in this project, the only thing that they had to offer was a great disposition to participate and enormous doubts if they would be the correct people for this. They did not have much experience in process analysis, or in information systems; most of them did not have more responsibilities than that of daily work. Nevertheless, all shared two values that were essential: a reasonable amount of common sense and the vision that the result would be revolutionary." (Adrián Edelman, Project Director, University of Montevideo)

A few weeks after initiating the project, the University executives faced the first conflict: strict pursuit and project control, or general guidelines and trust on team decision making?

The results of empowerment surpassed all the expectations. The members of the team were able to develop various initiatives, autonomy and responsibility that had not been previously exerted, and that allowed them, in several cases, to take greater responsibility in the organization once the project ended.

GOING LIVE

The personal communication between the implementation team and the future end-user turned out to be very useful in order to familiarize them with SAP's functionality. In fact, the go-live took place in gradual form and went almost unnoticed.

THE EXTERNAL TEAM - WHY CONEX

In order to lead the methodological and technical aspects of the project, the University trusted CONEX, a consulting firm of Uruguayan professionals, who have led successful projects on system implementations and management improvements previously.

If it was necessary to choose one word in order to describe the chosen implementation partner, the word would be flexibility. Héctor Ramella, project manager by CONEX explains it: "From the start we perceived that this would be a singular one, we decided that the key would be to adapt ourselves to the requirements of the client. The size of the project, the resources available by the client, and mainly, assuming the responsibility to lead one of the first implementations of the SAP Higher Education solution in the region and in the world, stimulated us to find creative solutions in each stage of the project. At the same time, we firmly maintained the use of the ASAP methodology in order to take the utmost advantage of the invaluable accumulated experience that this project represented."

INTEGRATING ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESSES AND ACADEMIC SUPPORT

The most evident benefits come from substituting the existing systems with an integrated solution, through which safe information circulates, uniformed, not duplicated and opportune. The system is open, which allows connecting it with other in-house systems or those of third parties, and it is flexible, as it is even able to reflect organizational changes.

In addition to the implementation of the system, there was an intense rationalization of the processes, which resulted in immediate benefits in terms of simplicity of operations and consistency of information available. Some of the results were:

TECHNICAL CARD

Through the use of information technologies, the University of Montevideo demonstrates its commitment with academic excellence for the fulfillment of its mission.

If you like to contact de SAP Campus Management implementation team at the University of Montevideo, please send an e-mail to: sapcampus@um.edu.uy