General Administration of Communication and Information Technology

Presidential Decree No. 627 was issued in November 1981 regarding the establishment of information centers in public agencies and administrations and the definition of their terms of reference (TOR). In 2013, the Central Authority for Organization and Administration in Cairo endorsed the organizational structure of the University. This administration is considered, structurally and organizationally, within the realm of university president’s sector.

The General Administration of Communication and Information Technology (GACIT) holds much significance to the University Administration. It aims at keeping abreast with all information necessary for the university. It also plays an important role in preparing necessary statistics and providing accurate analyses. GACIT also adopts a set of policies and overriding goals to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the university performance, which can be summed up as follows:

• Obtaining accurate and correct information from the main source as quickly and accurately as possible.
• Updating data at a rate that is compatible with the reality of academic life.
• Delivering necessary information in a sound and timely manner to decision makers to help them make the right decisions based on an integrated information system and a comprehensive database.
• Facilitating the academic community’s (as well as the community at large) access to information using different methods, such as university website updates, different publications or seminars that disseminate university-related information.
• Contributing suggestions or action plans to help create an information-friendly atmosphere, through stable information platforms and systems, across various colleges and administrations.
• Updating the university information network.

GACIT comprises the following seven main departments:

1. Statistics and Informatics Department
2. Computing Department
3. Department of Decision Making and Support Systems
4. Publishing Department
5. Central Administration of Statistics
6. Performance Assessment and Quality Assurance Department
7. Documentation Department

Below are terms of reference for each department:

First: Statistics and Informatics Department

Terms of Reference

• Identify the university needs of information that could possibly meet objectives.
• Supervising required data in the light of statistical models designed for this purpose, continuously developing and updating these models and preparing directions and guidelines to ensure that these models are readily available within specific timelines.
• Reviewing data to ensure its validity and accuracy before categorizing and classifying it, as well as updating it on a regular basis.
• Designing statistical cards and records for storing data and information, updating these cards and records, and keeping them in an easy-to-access manner.
• Analyzing data obtained for developing statistical indicators to be used in making sound decisions regarding university activities.
• Preparing statistical research and studies related to university activities, especially those related to work force planning and recruitment both at the university level and at the national level.
• Reviewing periodic reports on the University's activity in light of the latest data and information available and recorded in this field.
• Preparing and processing the data and statistics required for the different units according to specified timelines.
• Participating in establishing the university statistical system to ensure the flow of data and information in a regular, timely and accurate manner.
• Preparing a general statistical guide and compiling necessary statistical data.
• Conducting data-cleansing activities to check the validity of the data collected.
• Any other pertinent tasks.

Second: Documentation Department

Terms of Reference

• Categorizing documents in terms of components and contents and indexing them.
• Collecting books, references, documents, records, data and information that serve the University's objectives from various sources, both inside and outside the university, as well as sorting and recording them.
• Collaborating with university officials to set up the general policy of library activity at university and its colleges, investigating modern trends of librarianship and supervising faculty-needs based collection programs in line with scientific and technical standards set by the university.
• Investigating technical problems pertinent to library services to maximize benefits and determining internal and external borrowing systems of university libraries.
• Performing library-oriented academic translation and publishing activities.
• Collecting data about postgraduate students who apply to the University for obtaining MA and PhD degrees for examining their theses and dissertations and keeping their data in special records.
• Participating in committees and conferences related to library activity.
• Setting rules and procedures that help improve library work and following up their implementation, conducting inspection visits to college libraries and consulting on best practices in librarianship.
• Carrying out the library regulations.
• Conducting studies and presenting them to the libraries committee, preparing own studies, and following up decisions and recommendations of the committee.
• Supervising operations of the inventory committees in sub-libraries and preparing necessary programs for faculty personnel.
• Receiving lists of books from local and foreign publishing houses, arranging and classifying them, and gathering book-needs requests from college libraries.
• Taking book-purchase actions and distributing books and periodicals among different college-libraries according to their specializations.
• Preparing a special budget for the libraries department and following up budget implementation measures.
• Carrying out any other pertinent tasks.  

Third: Department of Decision Making and Support Systems

Terms of Reference

• Following up problems reported by relevant administrative unit managers.
• Contacting respective departments for discussing and scrutinizing these problems.  
• Setting regulations for holding meetings with specialists to reach a consensus with regard to the nature of the problem and its elements and determine the information needed to solve it.
• Determining the information needed to identify each element of the problem and different ways to access it, including communication processes pertaining to information and statistics, documentation and libraries, and publishing and computing activities.
• Participating in specialized committees to study those problems with representatives of the respective departments, including the research department, in the administrative unit in order to determine solution routes and alternatives.
• Updating and following up issues and topics related to decision-making interests of the university.
• Updating and following up decision-making requirements, including practical and applicable information and models.
• Selecting the most feasible decision in each topic of interest to the University.
• Supervising the construction process of decision support systems.
• Updating those systems.
• Any other pertinent tasks.

Fourth: Publishing Department

Terms of Reference

• Issuing a monthly bulletin of all contents of the unit, including articles, booklets and documents, in Arabic and foreign languages.
• Publishing abstracts and translations at the university level in coordination with the department of documentation and libraries.
• Issuing planned bulletins and reports.
• Determining the content of information brochures and bulletins in coordination with other departments.
• Carrying out any other pertinent tasks

Fifth: Central Administration of Statistics

Terms of Reference

• Identifying data and information needs necessary to achieve the university objectives (e.g. agricultural research, technological research, health services, housing and social services, workforce, youth or other activities).
• Collecting and recording data necessary for the University in light of statistical models designed for this purpose and ensuring the continuous development of those models.
• Participating in the design of statistical records and cards in which data and information will be stored, as well as updating and saving those records and cards for easy access.
• Developing systems and programs that ensure the collection, classification and analysis of facts, data and statistics regarding different activities of the University and keeping pace with any changes in information.
• Analyzing data collected and preparing statistical studies and research pertinent to the university activities.
• Preparing periodic reports on University activity with regard to research theses and dissertations in light of the latest data updates in this respect.
• Providing necessary data and information in a timely and continuous manner.
• Collaboratively preparing a statistical periodical and a general statistical guide to the university activities.
• Any other similar tasks.

Sixth: Performance Assessment and Quality Assurance Department

Terms of Reference

• Coordinating between different specialized committees concerned with setting standards, assessment and development before presenting them to the National Authority for Quality and Accreditation.
• Compiling results of field studies conducted by faculties.
• Following up procedures of field surveys conducted for evaluation and development purposes.
• Reporting outcomes of the specialized committees to the University President.
• Following up on the instructions and decisions made by the University President with regard to the evaluation and development committees.
• Collecting all data required by the National Authority from specialized committees.
• Following up on the instructions given to the concerned Authority, in preparation for submission to the university president and the specialized committees.
• Any other similar tasks.

Seventh: Computing Department  

Terms of Reference

• Investigating and analyzing current university systems and discussing proposed systems and optimal outcomes with system managers.
• Designing automated information systems and data flow diagrams.
• Implementing programs, achieving outcomes and documenting the system technically and procedurally to ensure successful implementation.
• Collecting and recording data necessary for University in light of statistical models designed for this purpose and ensuring continuous development of those models.
• Participating in the design of statistical records and cards in which data and information will be stored, as well as updating and saving those records and cards for easy access.
• Developing systems and programs that ensure the collection, classification and analysis of facts, data and statistics regarding different activities of the University and keeping pace with any changes in information.
• Analyzing data collected and preparing statistical studies and research pertinent to the university activities.
• Preparing periodic reports on the University activity with regard to research theses and dissertations in light of the latest data updates in this respect.
• Providing necessary data and information in a timely and continuous manner.
• Preparing a statistical periodical and a general statistical guide to the university activities.
• Developing maintenance programs for technical tools and equipment to ensure durability and viability.
• Any other similar tasks.

Director General of Communication and Information Technology

Engineer/ Hossam Ibrahim El-Sayed Shaqareya