The Higher Education Reference Models (HERM)
As a nonprofit technology consortium, Edge continuously creates and procures solutions and resources that support the ongoing digital transformation and value creation efforts of our members.
To further these efforts, Edge has embraced and endorses to our members the Higher Education Reference Models (HERM)1 from CAUDIT (and available through EDUCAUSE) as an essential resource for digital transformation and value acceleration.
Key descriptive excerpts from the EDUCAUSE abstract on the HERM:
The Higher Education Reference Models provide standardized business and data architectures that communicate a generalized view of how higher education institutions are organized and the information they use. First published in 2016, the CAUDIT Higher Education Reference Models are now being used by more than a thousand institutions around the world.
The HERM resources can be used in many ways, such as a starter kit to accelerate digital transformation; to describe, communicate, and model an institution's business, data, and application architectures; a reference point to explore commonalities and differentiators for the institution; and a strategic communication tool to engage business stakeholders.
The HERM resources include the following artifacts:
- Business Capability Model and underlying catalog
- Business Capability Model “Recipe Cards”
- Business Model Canvas and supporting documentation
- Data Reference Model and underlying catalog
- Application Reference Model and underlying catalog
- Extra features, including versions of the models in ArchiMate and Visio format
See also: https://www.eunis.org/download/2022/EUNIS_2022_paper_39.pdf
Edge and the HERM
Edge has begun and will continue to promote and employ the HERM, including:
- Introducing the HERM in the Summer/Fall 2023 issue of View from the Edge, starting on page 62.
- Incorporating the HERM Business Capability Model as the functional scope framework of a broad spectrum EdgeMarket RFP for HE software solutions.
- Working with our members to increase awareness, adoption, and leveraging of the HERM in both consortial and member-specific strategic and operational analysis, planning and decision-making.
For a helpful overview, see the introductory presentation given to the Edge Board of Trustees June 2023.
About the HERM
1The Higher Education Reference Models are maintained by the CAUDIT Enterprise Architecture Community of Practice. The models are offered under the Creative Commons 4.0 CC BY-NC-SA license, and may be used freely by educational institutions but may not be bundled, sublicensed, or used for commercial purpose. Extensions to the reference model must be shared with CAUDIT to enable ongoing evolution and to maximize benefit to the wider community.