Digital transformation

E-3: What challenges are universities facing against the backdrop of digital transformation, and what are the solutions that SAP partner Scheer is offering universities? More and more German universities are deciding to take the path toward University 4.0. What does that mean in concrete terms?

Mario Baldi: Digitization is naturally making its way into all areas of a university, and the first things that come to mind are those perceived by the public, such as research and teaching. However, establishing a uniform university resource management system is no less important a milestone on this path.

E-3: What do you mean by resource management?

Baldi: Administrative processes in the areas of budgeting and accounting, procurement, human resources and facility management are directly affected. These need to be made more flexible and efficient in order to make them fit for the future.

E-3: How can Scheer support universities with these challenges?

Baldi: Universities need a capable partner who can provide process-oriented support throughout the entire project cycle. In the case of the aforementioned elite university, it is a matter of being a reliable partner on the way into the new world of S/4 Hana - from conception to implementation and operation.

As process experts, we draw on a wealth of experience not only from the SAP world, we are also able to make broad experience knowledge from the university environment available.

E-3: Where did you get this specific knowledge?

Baldi: Scheer's team of university experts has been supporting a large number of universities and research institutions in process-based SAP implementations for years, including RWTH Aachen University, FU Berlin and the University of Cologne. Likewise, all state universities and colleges in the German state of Hamburg have been successfully converted to SAP by Scheer.

E-3: What is the added value of SAP S/4 Hana for the university mentioned?

Baldi: With the establishment of a uniform ERP system, the university is pursuing the goal of better structuring and thus facilitating the administration of cross-departmental processes at the operational level.

At the same time, the conditions must be created at the strategic level to simplify the provision of information and data relevant to management.

To this end, all university resource management processes will be made more transparent and efficient on the basis of the uniform ERP platform SAP S/4 Hana. Cloud products from the SAP portfolio will also be implemented in the process.

E-3: What is the added value or unique selling point for universities?

Baldi: In view of the degree of innovation and the dimension of the planned solution, the conversion to S/4 will give the university a unique selling point among German universities.

The goal is also to ensure that trained and prepared employees enjoy using the new system and are empowered to develop it further independently. Smooth operation is ensured by commissioning Scheer Managed Services, which has received multiple awards from SAP.

Certifications include SAP Partner Center of Expertise, SAP-Certified Provider of Application Management Services, SAP-Certified Provider of Hosting Services, and SAP Hana Operations Services.

We are pleased that we were able to demonstrate, not least on the basis of a large number of reference projects, that we have the skills and experience, particularly in the area of SAP S/4 Hana, to meet the university's high requirements throughout.