Divisions

 

Each division at the IT Center focuses on certain key competencies. In this way, the IT Center is able to offer a broad range of services and to address the challengens of the future. The division heads are responsible for their respective focus areas. They support the managing directors and report to the Director of the IT Center.

IT Center Divisions:

Computational Science and Engineering

The division "Computational Science & Engineering" (CSE) supports the chairs and research institutes at RWTH Aachen University in their CSE activities. Key areas include high-performance computing, data visualization, and teaching and learning. Apart from providing IT infrastructure and basic services, the division contributes to research and teaching in methods and tools in parallel programming, explorative data analysis, and virtual reality. The division offers vocational training for Mathematical-Technical Software Developers, which is part of the dual degree program "Scientific Programming" offered by FH Aachen University of Applied Sciences.

Finance, Human Resources & Organizational Support

The core responsibility of the division "Finance, Human Resources & Organizational Support" (FPO) is to support the areas research, services, and teaching, especially with regard to organizational processes in the fields of finance, resource planning, HR management, and conformance to legal and RWTH-internal requirements.

IT Service & Security Management

The IT Service & Security Management (ITSSM) division establishes, controls and develops the IT Center's IT service management processes (ITSM processes) for service provisioning, service operation, reporting and support, among other things. To realize these tasks, the division employs three IT managers who are responsible for the core processes.

Further information and definitions of the IT managers can be found under IT Service Management.

Networks

The division "Networks" is responsible for operating the RWTH Aachen University communication infrastructure, including the data core network, a large number of building networks, the WIFI infrastructure, the telephone system, and support in case of problems with telephone sets. The division provides the relevant infrastructures, including power supplies, cabling technology, selection and procurement of network hardware, and operation and maintenance of the logical network technology. Furthermore, it maintains the connection to the WiN Science Network and secures the energy-efficient operation of the IT Center facilities and devices.

Process Management and Digitalization Learning & Teaching

The division "Process Management and Digitalization Learning & Teaching", short PDSL, supports students, faculties and central departments of RWTH Aachen University in process design, requirements analysis, introduction, integration and further development of efficient and sustainable IT solutions for cross-user and cross-institutional business processes at RWTH Aachen University. The process support refers to the areas of Student Life Cycle Management (SLCM), E-Learning, E-Science with a focus on research data management and the RWTHapp. The main task of the division is the management and further development of the central applications for the important business processes of RWTH Aachen University together with the cooperation partners in the Central University Administration (ZHV), the faculties and the University Library (UB).

Research Process and Data Management

The division "Research Process and Data Management" (RPDM) supports researchers, chairs, research groups, collaborative research projects such as Collaborative Research Centers and Excellence Clusters, and external partners in digitizing the core process of research. The division is responsible for services that promote good scientific practice, FAIR principles, open science, and open source. This is achieved on the one hand by providing contextual and technical advice to researchers and overseeing research processes (data stewardship). In addition, existing processes and services for research data management are analyzed and integrated, and the management of scientific resources is supported. In the context of national and international initiatives, the division acts as a service provider for external research institutions on a national and international level. This is accompanied by the implementation of collaborative projects and participation in consortia, e.g. NFDI or NHR, with researchers inside and outside RWTH, as well as cooperation with commercially-oriented providers.

Service & Communication

The division "Service & Communication" (SeKo) is the IT Center's primary gateway to the outside world. As Single Point of Contact (SPoC), it is responsible for providing users and customers with first-level support for all IT services provided by the IT Center. A quality management system certified according to DIN EN ISO 9001:2015 ensures the implementation and maintenance of support-relevant processes. In addition, the division coordinates all marketing and event activities of the IT Center. To ensure the quality of these services, the division ensures continuous process optimisation and documentation of knowledge - because the responsibility of the Service & Communication division only ends when a satisfactory solution has been provided for the customer.

Systems & Operation

The division "Systems & Operation" (SuB) supports the areas services, research, and teaching by operating central hardware and software systems. Its central services, which can be used by staff, students, and other university members, include backup, archiving, high-performance computing, and e-mail services. Its services in the areas of server virtualization, databases, web hosting, authentication, managed services, and soft- and hardware procurement significantly contribute to the provision of IT infrastructure of RWTH Aachen University.