Polytechnic Institute of Setúbal

An investment that made the grade – with top marks

The Polytechnic Institute of Setúbal (IPS) is a public higher education institution, whose mission is to provide high-quality training in various areas of knowledge, promoting the academic and professional development of its students.

IPS encompasses five distinct High Schools, the High School of Technology (ESTSetúbal), the High School of Education (ESE), the High School of Business Sciences (ESCE), the High School of Technology of Barreiro (ESTBarreiro) and the High School of Health (ESS), and the activities of these five schools are coordinated by the central services.

The activity of IPS, covering five schools, dozens of courses, hundreds of teachers and thousands of students, involves dealing with a very considerable volume of documentation, consisting of documents that must always be protected, quickly locatable and easily accessible.

In this context, it was necessary to study, develop and implement Document Management software that, among many other benefits, would allow document management to be automated and improve IPS procedural efficiency.

What were the objectives of the project?

1. Improve Correspondence Management
   • Automate mail sorting and routing.
   • Reduce the risk of loss and ensure more efficient management.
2. Optimize Internal Forms Management
   • Simplify the completion and processing of internal forms.
   • Ensure that internal administrative processes are more efficient.
3. Improve the Process of Recruiting Teaching and Non-Teaching Staff
   • Automate application management and the selection process.
   •  Reduce the time and effort associated with hiring new teachers.
4. Facilitate Form Submission Through the Student Portal
   • Simplify the submission of forms and requests by students.
   • Increase efficiency and accuracy in form processing.
5. Optimize the Analysis and Approval of Institutional Protocols and Contracts
   • Centralize project analysis and monitoring to improve visibility and control.
   • Implement workflows for document review and approval.
   • Ensure compliance and transparency in approval processes.

What solution was implemented?

To best respond to the different objectives of this educational institution, an integrated document management system was adopted at IPS, which includes the following components:

1. Correspondence Management Workflow:
   • Digitization and Cataloging: Implementation of a document digitization and cataloging system to speed up access and traceability of correspondence.
   • Process Automation: Creation of automated workflows for sorting and distributing correspondence.
2. Managing Internal Employee Forms
   • More efficient processes: Automating internal forms has reduced processing time and administrative errors.
   • Greater Compliance and Transparency: Better control over internal requests and approvals, with clearer and more auditable processes.
3. Internal Forms and Student Portal:
   • Electronic Forms: Development of electronic forms that allow filling out and sending online, integrated into the management system.
   • Centralized Portal: Improvement of the student portal to facilitate the submission and monitoring of forms and requests.
4. Human Resource Management:
   • Automation of Recruitment Processes: Implementation of a human resources management module to automate the recruitment and hiring processes for teaching and non-teaching staff.
   • Centralized Database: Creation of a centralized database to store information about employees, facilitating access and updating of data.
5. Approvals of Protocols and Contracts
   • Approval Workflow: Implementation of workflows for the approval of protocols and contracts, with audit records and automatic notifications.

What results were obtained?

The implementation of this solution had immediate repercussions on the administrative functioning of IPS at various levels, including:

1. Operational Efficiency:
   • Reduction in processing time for correspondence and internal forms.
   • Improvement in the management and transparency of bidding and approval processes.
2. User Satisfaction:
   • Increased adherence to the student portal and greater satisfaction with the ease of submitting forms.
   • Positive feedback from teachers and non-teachers about the new human resources management system
3. Transparency and Control:
   • Greater visibility and control over project analysis and approvals, with detailed reporting and document tracking.
4. Error Reduction:
   • Fewer errors due to automation and centralization of processes.

It has changed the lives of students, teachers, and administrators for the better.