Background
The Association of Independent Schools of NSW (AISNSW) is the peak body for independent schools in NSW. Member schools are of different types, sizes, religious affiliations and educational philosophies.
AISNSW consults with government, statutory authorities and a wide range of other education stakeholders. A key focus of AISNSW’s activities is to offer quality support to its member schools in the areas of governance, employment relations, compliance, professional development and professional educational consultancy services.
Business Challenge
AISNSW needed to define an appropriate IT Strategy to better support the organisation. In addition, they needed to assess opportunities to actively work with technology vendors to leverage benefits for member schools.
In addition, this would enable AISNSW to access and utilise international and domestic education and professional development strategies.
IT Support Strategy Results
AISNSW selected Combined Management Consultants (CMC) as their IT Support Strategy consulting partner.
CMC conducted interviews with key staff to gather insights on various aspects of IT management, including:
- IT Management and Staffing
- Support Resources
- Project Governance
- Demand Management
- Consultancy Opportunities
- Vendor Relationships
- IT Infrastructure and Business Systems
This comprehensive assessment led to the development of a tailored IT Support Strategy.
The Executive Team approved the strategy, which included several key recommendations:
- Streamlined IT Support Structure
- Optimised Vendor Relationships
- Improved Project Visibility and Reporting
- Enhanced IT Governance
AISNSW implemented several “Quick Win” projects to jumpstart the strategy’s execution. These initiatives aimed to address immediate needs while laying the groundwork for long-term improvements.
The new IT Support Strategy yielded significant benefits for AISNSW:
- Enhanced support for member schools: AISNSW now offers more robust IT advisory services to its members, including guidance on ICT integration, software selection, and infrastructure management.
- Improved internal operations: The streamlined IT support structure increased efficiency and responsiveness to organizational needs.
- Better vendor management: Optimised relationships with technology vendors allowed AISNSW to leverage new technologies and secure benefits for member schools.
- Increased project transparency: Enhanced reporting and governance procedures provided greater visibility into IT-related projects,
- Alignment with corporate goals: The new IT initiatives now better support AISNSW’s Corporate Plan and strategic objectives.
By implementing this comprehensive IT Support Strategy, AISNSW strengthened its position as a leader in supporting independent schools across NSW. The organization now stands better equipped to address the evolving technological needs of its members and drive innovation in the education sector.
