Upkeep and Upgradation of Websites in Academia

With the advent of internet, for the fraternity of students and also the parents and guardians, the websites have literally become the portals of academic institutions. Be they schools, colleges or universities, almost every bit of information right from admission to the ultimate results is dispensed through these websites unlike in the past when one had to run from pillar to post for the same. Simultaneously, the institutions too have benefited since all the interaction with the students is online with no more of crowding at windows or counters in a school or a college.

While the websites of these institutions are launched with much fanfare, there is also the need for their proper preventive maintenance. This periodical facility known as annual maintenance contract (AMC) is mostly extended by the designer and developer of the website. Incidentally, the Delhi NCR based website designer-developer Sterco Digitex through its downstream wing Sterco Education has been a reputed expert provider of web related solutions to educational institutions across the country. It also undertakes website AMC service for colleges including numerous universities and schools.

Website design in the segment of academic arena has several specialised features such as -

• Courses, Admissions, Examination Dates and Results
• Education Management
• Packaged Applications
• Distance Learning Management
• HR and Recruitment Management
• Alumni Portal
• Placements Portal
• Events like Convocations and Guest Lectures

Often, the very designs of these web portals and their contents based on assorted factors have to be amended or updated, particularly when a new course is introduced or there is a change in the prevailing semesters. On such occasions, website redesign services for colleges resolve the need of the hour. Every minute detail of the existing website and also the proposed changes or additions are thoroughly reviewed before giving the portal a new and better shape. In this revamping exercise, the prime focus will be to make the website more user-friendly in terms of information and navigation.

Reasons to use Payroll Management System

With a constant advancement in the education sector and setting of more and more institution each year, it has become tremendously difficult to manage all the university related tasks simultaneously. Universities and college are not only expected to take care of the inflow of the admissions, maintain yearly course curriculum but also manage the payrolls of mammoth staff employed.

In order to simplify the payroll process, there is plenty of payroll management system software or PMS that enables universities and colleges to speedup the work and minimizes administrative work. Payroll management system for university is designed to reduce the administrative cost of payroll and enhance human resource information processing. This, in other words means that PMS is able to automatically and accurately calculate pay for all the employees and at the same time monitor their performance, manage legal documentations, personal information and even leaves pending and used. 

Here are some of the reasons why PMS is best for Universities and Colleges:-
1) Dynamic in nature – PMS can be customized as per the needs of a college or university. Dynamically different departments can be added or removed. Also, the institutions can maintain records of all types of employees.
2) Accurate and Speedy payrolls can be generated – PMS accurately generates pay slips of all employees along with the detailed summary of their monthly salary.
3) Easily manage payroll with changing financial scenarios – PMS software enable easy changes in the payroll calculations depending upon the change occurring the company.
4) Leave management system – This helps in effectively managing an employee’s leaves. With this unique software is to very easy to calculate leaves encashment and leave carrying forward to next month/employment period.
5) HR Management system – It helps in effectively managing HR activities. HR management system for colleges can help them in monitoring the performance of the employees, manage necessary office documents such as letters, experience letter etc., and generate various reports including payroll, leave management and more.

To conclude, using PMS helps express administrative activities and at the same time save time, money and efforts.

Website Development in Education and Mobile Apps

Digital communication is the vital medium of every activity in the present era, better known as the space age. This also includes educational institutions right from a playschool at the kindergarten stage to the apex research level leading to doctorate scrolls. Be it the prospectus to share details about various courses and admissions, information about the curriculum and faculties or allied facilities like hostels etc. every aspect is projected digitally. In other words, it is the website that conveys across the message of the academia to the masses.

Thus the need for the responsive web design services by these institutions. However, only a professional group that has expertise in designing and executing a website with the aid of integrated ICT (information and communication technology) can meet the demand. It is an extensive field that calls for versatile approach. On this score, just a handful of companies are capable of rendering an all-inclusive package.

Among such companies is the educational wing of Sterco Digitex, an IT company based in India’s NCR (national capital region) of Delhi. It has branched out into the academic field to offer the following range of services:

• Analysis for need-based architecture
• Website Design with all enablers like SEO and SMO including Development
• Hoisting the website and periodical maintenance
• Utilisation and updating of High-end Multimedia tools including packages on Flash
• Slots for corporate presentations including films
• Customised Instructional and Training Films
• Identifying and developing exclusive applications in digital academics
• Concepts to evolve IT-based Distance Learning
• Software to facilitate integrated management of the college or university
• Alumni and Placement Portals

Since a good number of these institutions are either privately owned or sponsored, the objectives also include long-term better returns on investment. This could be addressed in right earnest with IT applications.

Digital technology has found wide range of applications in other fields like mobile phones and allied apps systems. This has opened up new avenues for mobile website design services based on technology that calls for high calibre.

Several Indian companies have proved their mettle in conceptualizing and executing these services.

Benefits of the University Management Software

An Introduction

Every enterprise— big corporate houses, universities, need a central software to manage the large database effectively. In the age where technology is taking precedence to simplify our lives, the management of University’s Database has been a goal easily achieved. Raging from HR management system for colleges to placement portal, there is no short of responsibilities for the companies offering university management software.

Following are the utility benefits that are provided by the software in colleges:

Library Management

The store-house of information and center stage of knowledge, Library and its effective management is of pivotal importance for an education institution. The software must take care of:

• Entries of existing books
• Unique identification of each book
• Managing the return and issue of books through bar codes
• Reminder for subscription expiry and renewals
• Offering quick search by title, genre, author, keywords, publisher or year of publication
• Bar code based issue and return function supported by Bar Code if Required
• To update general catalogue details

Employee Management

The customized software helps addressing several employee-related issues chronologically, from managing employing record to their salaries direction, through payroll management system for colleges provided by customized software. Some of them are listed below:

• Unique Identification of every employee
• An ID to Record daily transactions and managerial inputs
• Designation allocation and probation/permanent status update
• Application management of new entrants and employee details/documents etc.
• Salary process and customizable deductions like PF/IT/PT

Hostel Management

 

The software is a ready-database of important information pertaining to hostel helping the hostel staff to be updated with the significant happenings in and around the campus.

• Building Information
• Student’s Detail
• Student In & Out Attendance
• Bill collection, maintenance and generation of hostel mess and others
• Maintenance charges & repair record
• Daily expenses of hostel management
• Visitor’s record and track record

A full-fledged system is needed to manage the human resource of any institution. The biggest asset for any college is undoubtedly its human resource. From teachers, administration, marketers to students all the valuable assets and hence, need to managed effectively and University management system has it all.

The Two Rules for Doing Corporate Video Production

Corporate videos are a type of audio-visual aids, showcasing an organization’s core. Such videos are resourceful as well as impactful, thereby, making them an ideal marketing tool. A corporate video is a part of branding communication strategy and has profound effect upon target audience. The production of corporate video, however, is not at all simple. Listed below are a couple of tips that help in creating the best-in-class corporate videos.

Define and refine your audience first

Marketing is the process of positioning as well as communicating a business’ unique value.  It is quite a possibility that your product or service will not appeal all and sundry. Therefore, it is essential that you craft the message (showing business’ unique value) as per the needs of target audience. A visual marketing message has the best impact on target audiences. And the best way to show target audience a well-crafted, visual marketing message is via corporate videos.  The in-depth knowledge of making a corporate video is held by only a leading instructional and training films services company. Thus, it is wise to sign up for such type of services and solutions rendered by corporate video production companies.

Try to make an emotional connection

Our conscious mind always tells us to take rational decision. The subconscious mind, however, does the opposite. It is surprising to note that each and every purchase decision is likely to be taken by our subconscious mind. And, to date, the best way to have an emotional connect with the target audiences is to show them a video message that they can remember. The best visual marketing message is the one that people can relate to. A corporate video presentation should always target to build an emotional connect with the target audiences. 

The two above-named factors help make a corporate video a powerful marketing tool. Thus, resultantly, every business is making a bee line to sign up for reliable corporate video production services.

ERP Systems Specifically For Educational Institutions

Computers and the Internet technology have become tools for making an entity (human, businesses, etc.) omnipresent. The essence of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) has been visible in our everyday environment. Manufacturing entities were the first to draw benefits from ICTs. One of the biggest boons of ICTs has been Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP). The academia, at present, has explored the benefits and comforts that are offered by an ERP.  Continue reading to explore...  

What is an ERP system?

An ERP is a set of software applications that helps in centralizing company-wide information system. An ERP system of an educational institution (university, college, school, nursery, etc.) can help in integrating different departments, divisions, geographical locations into a university-wide, unified information system. University management software, by and large, can integrate different functions of a university such as:-

• Student information
• Human resources
• Financial systems

What can ERP software do for an educational institution?

Such type of software that is designed specifically for educational institutes can:-

• Integrate as well as facilitate the flow of information across a variety of functions
• Act as a helper in re-engineering an educational institute’s faulty practices and ailing policies
• Support metric-based decision making as well as trend analysis
• Dramatically reduce the overall cost of information management and maintenance  
• Become a storehouse for critical information
• Allow a user to input data within a single system that can, further, integrate in other systems
• Allow a user to easily access data in real-time environment
• Dramatically cut down on work that does not add value

Problems faced while implementing an ERP for educational institution

ERP offers a systematized informational architecture. All ERP software companies prioritize safety of a user’s information.  The implementation of such a system, however, can become problematic if:-

• Strategic goals and purpose have not been clearly defined.
• Educational institution’s management is reluctant and does not show active participation when the system is getting implemented.

Thus, for availing the full benefits of an ERP, it is necessary for solution provider as well as educational intuition to work closely.

Top 3 Tips for an effective web design for educational institutes

Effective web design narrows down on the principle of optimum usability and utility of the website. Apart from being visually captivating, a website should also offer a user-centric approach through its content and design. Assembling the data on one platform to make sure that the user can perceive it effectively should be the whole idea behind designing on web. Below are the basic principles that should be kept in mind to advance an effective web design.   

Consider the end-user’s psyche

Keeping in mind a user-centric approach, it is important to design the website as per the end user’s requirement. For instance, website designing services for colleges should fulfill usability criteria of students, parents, teachers etc. The various programs offered by the institution should be listed meticulously, placement avenues, the scope of the institution etc. all these aspects are eminent to cover to make it user-centric.

Understanding the user’s psychology is important, after all the features designed on the website are meant to be accessed by them; else it would have been non-existent.

Strive for major feature exposure

Web designing is about creative display of your institution. However, extensive use of graphics and animation may leave the content and other important details of the website unnoticed. It is important to know where to use animation and in what degree it should be incorporated to support your website. Depending upon the nature of business, use of animation should be devised in web designing. Leading web developing companies that render website development services for universities focus on making minimal use animation, pop-ups etc. that generally dissuade the institution from voicing its purpose.

 A web design layout for an educational website should be more informative giving details about the programmes offered, employment scope, distance learning avenues etc. Animation here should be used to display the information in the most user-friendly manner. Unnecessary graphics and animation may overshadow the information display. Instead, use of catchy graphics should be made to accentuate the prime offerings of the institute.

Let your visitor breathe

Provision for your visitors’ query and feedback is essential. Assailing the user with information without leaving scope for his inputs does not make a good web layout. Furthermore, leaving your user’s queries unattended is embarrassing. This will leave your web visitor disappointed, adversely affecting your brand name as well.

Keeping in mind these tips can help to design a ‘user specific’ website especially for educational institutes.