The document discusses the University of Leicester's XCRI-CAP feed for course data. It notes that the feed is generated from a standalone SQL database and does not currently integrate with the university's main student records or website systems. While the feed provides course data to external systems, it does not provide internal benefits to the university's operations. The document concludes by mentioning that the university's course data landscape and systems are changing, but sees no current benefit to linking these changes and projects to the existing XCRI-CAP feed.

1. Course Data at the University of Leicester
Simon Edwards, Brendan Fawcett
Summary Currently XCRI-CAP does
The project has resulted in a valid (although relatively bare-bones) not feed from or to our
XCRI-CAP feed. The feed is created by a Visual Basic script from main database / web
a standalone SQL database that does not currently integrate with systems.
SITS (our main student records systems), Plone (the CMS that
drives our website), our Central Enquiry Management databases
or our MyLeicester web-portal for enquirers. However as the MAS
code is common across several of the systems it wouldn’t take
much effort to make linked data available to the feed if needed.
The SQL database has an Access front end . This enables staff
within the distance learning marketing team to make changes to
the database and feed with minimal effort and without any
additional training/software. Internally, XCRI-CAP is seen as an
output from course data processes and there is a small overhead
staff cost in ensuring that data is current. It does not provide any
internal business benefit. Therefore, unless a marketing or other
external benefit for the XCRI-CAP feed is found it will be difficult to
see why it should be sustained.
Outcomes / anticipated benefits – identified in plan
A (sustainable?) system generated XCRI-CAP
feed with COOL URI
Project Reports / Blog
Increased usage of appropriate technology to
streamline course data processes
Improved data quality
A reduced administrative burden /
more cost-effective working What next for Course Data at Leicester?
A more centralised data source Externally the data landscape in HE is changing. The KIS has become a de-facto standard for undergraduate course data.
Internally a new code of practice for the development, approval, and modification of taught provision has just been approved. We are
Courses across the sector are more discoverable beginning to review and standardise our course data structures in light of the code and a need to better manage our course fee
information. Separately, a number of projects are underway to review the Curriculum Management process and to gather marketing
Better public data about our courses content for all of our postgraduate courses. At present we do not see any benefit in tying these projects back to XCRI-CAP.
www.couresedata.le.ac.uk