Utrecht University investigates possibility of own email environment in pursuit of greater digital autonomy
Since April this year, Utrecht University (UU) has made an open source tool (DAAF) available that allows organisations to assess vulnerabilities in their digital autonomy. UU has also used this tool to investigate and map out its own digital landscape. As a result, the university is now launching four new pilots in its search for greater digital autonomy. One of these is the possibility of an alternative email environment.
Tool results
More than half of the 125 key applications were found to be "safe", but a number of systems were also identified in which UU is too dependent on large suppliers abroad, particularly in the US. The next step is now to investigate, through a number of pilots, what challenges the university faces if it wants to become less dependent on this type of supplier.
We especially want to learn from the process: what challenges do we run into when we want greater digital autonomy, and how do we solve them?
Alternative email environment
One of the most exciting pilots will be the attempt to set up an alternative email environment. "This will really be pioneering work, and we don't yet know whether we will succeed. But we want to take on the challenge," says Marije de Vries, strategic coordinator for digital autonomy.
"The goal of the pilot is not so much for the entire university to switch to that alternative environment as a replacement for email in Microsoft's cloud. Rather, we want to investigate whether we can set up a stable system that can be used as an emergency provision. In addition, we especially want to learn from the process: what challenges do we run into when we want greater digital autonomy, and how do we solve them?"
Other pilots
Marije: "To gain greater digital autonomy, it's necessary to take action and simply get started. We'd like to set a good example for other organisations in this respect." UU already took part in a Nextcloud pilot by SURF, an open-source platform for storing, sharing and collaborating on files.
In addition, UU will investigate whether it can offer a managed Linux workstation, whether it is possible to offer a UU-managed Murena/Fairphone for staff, and how certain software can be used in a more modular way, so that UU does not have to take multiple applications from a single supplier. In this way, the university can, for example, develop part of a solution itself or fill it in with an alternative.
Next steps in the digital autonomy process
Once these pilots have concluded, the findings will be brought together in a multi-year plan for the university. Want to read more about UU's approach? Visit Digital Autonomy.