Mr Imraan Khan has been appointed as Sol Plaatje University’s (SPU’s) first Chief Information Officer (CIO). The CIO is responsible for all SPU information and data integrity matters and reports to Vice-Chancellor and Principal Professor Andrew Crouch.
“Having joined the University as its first CIO presents an unprecedented opportunity to fast-track SPU into becoming a digital university of the future,” Mr Khan says. “Online learning and teaching coupled with research will be leveraged with the use of cutting-edge information and technology solutions.”
Mr Khan started his academic journey in the field of electronic engineering. He later completed a management development programme through UNISA before obtaining his Certified Professional CIO qualification from the University of the Witwatersrand, where he also completed his Master’s in Management Information and Communication Technology. Before taking on the CIO role at SPU he managed IT at Technology Services International, was Head of Broadcast IT Infrastructure at SABC, and managed IT service delivery and architecture at the National Health Laboratories and PRASA.
He says macro-environment challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic, hybrid learning, and teaching via digital means are crucial challenges that allow higher education institutions to thrive. “I feel that I have joined SPU at a very prime and opportune time in its growth trajectory.”
Among his first priorities are to engage with faculty, staff, students, and strategic partners to develop a unified Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) vision and strategy for SPU. “I am looking forward to supporting the enhancement of learning and teaching experiences as a high priority on my to-do list. Driving innovation and looking for diversification plans to add to the SPU revenue streams through technology is crucial as well.”
Mr Khan says the CIO role has gravitated to a more business-centric ICT provisioning model, emphasising value by adopting an enterprise architecture competency. He envisages the role evolving to one that will be more focused and involved in SPU’s business growth trajectory, whereby it is expected that several new systems and technologies will augment and scale the University’s ICT footprint to ensure an integrated education IT system.
“My focus will be on removing technology barriers and driving operational excellence through the deployment of improved smart classrooms, a fully digital library centre, and supporting academics in interactive learning experiences and course material that can be accessed seamlessly and ubiquitously from any place, anywhere, any time,” he says.
With SPU being mostly a “greenfield environment” (a project that lacks constraints imposed by prior work), Mr Khan says this creates tremendous opportunities to take large leaps and furnish the University with the best information and technology advancement, at a significantly lower cost threshold, while securing the latest capabilities in the higher education landscape.
Chief on his bucket list in his new job? Deployment of a SDN (Software Defined Network), big data and analytics, business intelligence and reporting, a systems integration platform, and digitisation of the campus library.
