IT governance mechanisms in higher education

Information technology (IT) has become essential in supporting the growth and sustainability of all types of organizations. Higher education institutions are a special type of organization where technological infrastructure consists of a variety of applications, different platforms, academic systems, cloud applications and heterogeneous technologies. All these technologies for supporting the research, teaching and administrative processes require an effective IT governance framework. The framework of IT governance is composed of structures, processes and relational mechanisms. Each one of these mechanisms has a function and when implemented, should affect the organization positively. The process of identifying the right mechanisms to a specific context is a complex endeavor. This paper looks at the IT governance mechanism that higher education institutions have implemented. We did an extensive literature review making use of databases such as Web of Science, IEEE, SCOPUS, or AIS eLibrary for selecting case studies. We discuss these practices in the context of higher education. To continue this research and improve the IT governance body of knowledge for higher education institutions, future works are pointed out.This work was supported by CAPES Foundation, Ministry of Education of Brazil Process n.º10415/13-0 and by FCT – Foundation for Science and Technology, project UID/CEC/00319/2013.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

How does iso/dis 14042 on life cycle impact assessment accommodate current best available practice?

This article discusses to which extent the forthcoming ISO standard on life cycle impact assessment (ISO/DIS 14042) will be able to accommodate current best available practice in this field. There is, particularly, the risk that the requirement of scientific validity for public comparative assertions cannot be met sufficiently so that the standard may become counterproductive. It is concluded that current best practice for most of the impact categories is compatible with the forthcoming standard. However, difficulties will arise with the toxicity categories, in particular with human toxicity. There is no encompassing indicator is available which does not involve weighting between subcategories. A major improvement would be if, for weighting within categories, internationally accepted value choices would be established as a sufficient condition for public comparative assertion

In vivo imaging of dopamine and serotonin release: response to psychopharmacological challenges

De neurotransmitters dopamine en serotonine zijn betrokken bij vele processen waaronder de regulatie van beloningsmechanismen (dopamine) en de stemming (serotonine). Ook is gevonden dat deze neurotransmitters betrokken zijn bij het ontstaan en de behandeling van verschillende psychiatrische en neurologische ziektebeelden. Het is echter nog steeds niet bekend wat de precieze rol van deze neurotransmitters hierbij is. Met behulp van neuroimaging technieken zoals PET (positron emission tomography) is het mogelijk om hierin meer inzicht te krijgen. In dit proefschrift werden een aantal methoden onderzocht die gericht zijn op het meten van de serotonerge en dopaminerge transmissie. In de eerste studies van dit proefschrift werd onderzocht of PET gebruikt kan worden om veranderingen in serotonine afgifte te meten. Hierbij werd gebruik gemaakt van de serotonine-1A ligand 18F-MPPF. Het principe van deze methode berust op het gegeven dat de binding van een radioligand wordt beïnvloed door veranderingen in de neurotransmitterconcentratie. Deze studies werden uitgevoerd bij gezonde vrijwilligers en proefdieren. Helaas bleek de binding van 18F-MPPF niet gevoelig voor veranderingen in de serotonineconcentratie. In een volgende studie werd het effect van een verhoging van de dopamineconcentratie onderzocht met behulp van de dopamine D2 ligand 11C-raclopride, bij gezonde vrijwilligers. Hierbij werd ondermeer een verband gevonden tussen de mate van dopamineafgifte en emoties zoals angst en euforie. In de laatste studie werd het effect van een dopamine toename op de hersenactiviteit gemeten met behulp van 15O-H2O PET. In deze studie werd een relatie gevonden tussen de dopamine-geïnduceerde toename in activiteit in de “anterior cingulate cortex” en de mate van euforie. Deze laatste twee methoden kunnen mogelijk worden toegepast bij patiëntenonderzoek en onderzoek naar het werkingsmechanisme van geneesmiddelen.

Using the Viable System Model to Study IT Governance Dynamics: Evidence from a Single Case Study

This paper presents a single descriptive case study in which the viable system model (VSM) is used as a theoretical lens to model an organization’s contemporary IT governance system. The case presented herein was selected specifically for being a digitized company of which we knew that a lot of effort was put recently in their IT governance system. We find that the case company’s IT governance system maps well to the structure and underlying logic of the VSM. This paper contributes to the literature by providing an empirical justification exemplar on the applicability of systemic thinking in general, and the VSM in specific, for modelling enterprise governance and management of IT

Board Engagement in IT Governance: Opening Up the Black Box of IT Oversight Committees at Board Level

Researchers and practitioners seem to agree on the importance of boards of directors engaging in IT governance. Yet, only a minority of boards around the globe are taking up accountability for governing IT, pointing towards a knowing-doing gap. Efforts have been made to close this gap by creating implementation guidelines for this type of engagement. One of the most frequently mentioned guidelines is the implementation of an IT oversight or similar committee at board level. However, research shows that few boards have established such a committee, which might be caused by the lack of detailed guidance on the workings and role of such committees. This paper discusses the case of the University of Antwerp that has established two IT oversight committees at board level. We demonstrate how IT oversight committees can be established and how they fit into the role of the board with regard to IT governance

Successful Treatment with Bosentan of Lower Extremity Ulcers in a Scleroderma Patient

Digital ulcers are a well-known problem in patients with systemic sclerosis. Lower extremity ulcers are less prevalent but are also a challenging and underestimated complication of the disease causing important pain and morbidity. Bosentan, an oral dual endothelin receptor antagonist, has been shown to be effective in preventing digital ulcers in patients with systemic sclerosis. A few recent observations showed the efficacy of bosentan for accelerating the healing of nondigital ulcers in scleroderma patients. This report deals with a 48-year-old patient with systemic sclerosis who developed painful ulcers on the left ankle and hallux. The ulcers were refractory to a combination of vasodilator therapy with a calcium antagonist and several courses of intravenous prostanoids, low molecular weight heparin, aspirin, simvastatin, and intensive local treatment. Bosentan treatment showed spectacular healing of the ulcers already after 4 months of therapy. This case supports the previous few observations of accelerating wound healing of lower extremity ulcers in systemic sclerosis patients with bosentan treatment