Modern design, clear and transparent structure, integrated operation, automated databases, and useful apps have been the most important items on the expectations list compiled about the new portal of the University of Debrecen. A preparatory stage of more than twelve months preceded the current upgrading of the website, the previous transformation of which occurred during the fall of 2008. While preparing the plans for the changes, the web designers took into consideration the experience, comments and habits of the end users collected over the past few years in addition to the results of opinion polls received from the individual structural units of the university.
The most important aspect of the new design has been the expectation that the updating of the contents available at the site should be implemented automatically (wherever it is possible). If this feature may not be applicable for some reason at certain parts of the system, a new operational model would be introduced. In the majority of the new applications, however, most of the information updates get transferred automatically from the university support systems running behind the portal.
The new web portal system is also to assist the teaching and non-teaching staff of the university by making the document files related to administrative and business activities, as well as the information on rules and regulations of individual structural areas, accessible and downloadable in a thematic arrangement. There is also a range of new applications facilitating the orientation of the end users. The app called e-Egyetem [e-University] uses a Google map to show where our institution and the relevant locations (637 university locations in 28 categories) are situated on the university premises. e-Szervezet [e-Organization] offers a display of 34 graphs comprising 627 structural units of the university based upon their own organizational and operational regulations and those of UD. The process of completing printable forms has also been made simpler: 7 new forms have been introduced to improve electronic administration processes.
By considering the fact that students will also use the new portal extensively, the designers have put substantial emphasis on the development of the mobile view feature, so that the images and the texts at unideb.hu should also be appropriately user-friendly when viewed on smart phones and/or tablets.
However, it is not just the current students or the staff and faculty of the university who will benefit from using the new site. Képzési térkép [Overview of Programs and Degree Courses] has been added for pre-graduation high school students, providing a visual presentation of the majors and degree courses offered here at bachelor’s and master’s levels. This application contains lists of all the information about the individual majors at bachelor’s level to help choose the potential master’s level courses after graduation, and the ways you can use your BA degree and diploma for credit acceptance or credit transfer in order to gain admission to MA programs and degree courses. Equally useful are the so-called Egyetemi tárak [University Document Databases], in which you can browse fast and easily in a uniform way for documents, photos, and publications related to the individual institutes if you wish to view or download them. So far, 122 gigabytes of data has been uploaded to this location, which comprises 2242 documents and 23155 photos.
All of the webpages or portlets that belong to the new academic web portal can automatically receive content uploaded to hirek.unideb.hu, like news, photos, video clips and reports on events and functions. You can also filter these contents and narrow down your search for news and events, for example, to areas of education, science and scholarship, sports, or even the Chancellor’s Office.
Press Office
State-of-the-art digital images, automated databases, and even more multimedia content than before are among the features that both old and new visitors to the website of the University of Debrecen will notice and soon be able to use.
