University of Copenhagen IT could learn a lot from the self-directed IT support at the Niels Bohr Institute

Anders Lund’s featured comment ‘Let the IT staff do their jobs — actually helping the UCPH users’ is spot on.

UCPH IT — which in Danish has the perfect acronym ‘KUIT’ or QUIT — is a hopelessly heavy organisation that only thinks of itself, of the ‘system’. It might have been justified at a sausage factory that only had one goal in life. But at a university that takes pride in doing groundbreaking research, where new ideas and approaches constantly need to be tested, you cannot make do with a ‘system’.

Has anyone considered why the Niels Bohr Institute despite a good deal of resistance continues to maintain its own IT service, and in accordance with the model for self-directing that Anders Lund advocates?

Groundbreaking research needs flexible support

KUIT should definitely consider imitating this model if they want to win the researchers’ respect. The fact is that Niels Bohr Institute would never be able to maintain and develop its global position in physics if we did not have our own responsive and flexible IT support, following the ‘Yes We Can’ principle.

I feel sorry for all the departments that do not have the kind of in-house expertise to always focus on solving researchers’ many problems quickly and efficiently.

KUIT needs to completely reorganise in accordance with Anders Lund’s ideas if this university’s management really believes in supporting research. I am impressed with how you, Anders, persevered through your many years at UCPH. I wish you a good and well-deserved retirement.

Bjarne Andresen was for many years chairman of the Niels Bohr Institute’s IT Committee.