City University has integrated its IT systems using a service oriented architecture (SOA) approach to relieve pressure on its virtual learning environment (VLE).

The London campus has taken on an IBM SOA system that allows it to connect and speed up the registration and enrolment of students and integrate its SAP and program data applications.

Put into use in 2003, the VLE has been put under severe pressure due to very high take-up levels among City's teaching staff, who put 400 course modules online.

The strain was caused by the need for the VLE to interface with the university's student record system, leading to delays and heavy reliance on staff input.

The IT department was surprised by the demand for the CitySpace VLE, says Keith Wilkinson, a project leader at City University.

'We needed to work out a way of meeting demand. Yet the more we looked into solutions, the more it made sense to take a longer-term, more strategic approach to help City’s other services, such as our user database,' he said.

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Further reading

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