Johannesburg, 02 Aug 2011
ITS Holdings, a subsidiary of JSE-listed Adapt IT Group, celebrates 25 years of software solution delivery to the higher and further education sector, this month.
Launched in 1986 as Integrated Tertiary Software, ITS has grown from a four-person organisation as a specialist provider of educational administrative software, to a fully-fledged global enterprise providing ERP solutions to more than 50 clients across southern Africa, Europe, and Australasia.
Managing director Derick Jordaan says the company is proud of this significant milestone, a highlight of which he says was becoming a wholly-owned subsidiary of Adapt IT Group. “It is a privilege to be part of South Africa's Top ICT Empowered Company. It provides ITS with impressive credentials and makes us a bigger and stronger player in the market.”
Sbu Shabalala, CEO of Adapt IT Group, applauds ITS for what he says is obviously a very well-run business. “There are not many companies that can boast 25 successful years in business, and we are very proud that a subsidiary of ours is celebrating such an impressive achievement.” He says ITS has a solid track record, which is vital for any IT company's survival. “Customers rely on companies such as ITS to provide both strategic guidance in terms of the solution selected, as well as the experience of how to streamline implementation and usage. Reaching this goal demonstrates ITS' ability to effectively service their customers with a comprehensive selection of services and solutions, which places the company in a good position for continued growth in the market.”
“ITS is one of a few globally recognised providers of enterprise software solutions for the higher and further education sector, and we have been extremely successful in securing significant market share throughout our 25 years.” Jordaan says the company has secured 15 of the 23 South African universities and 13 of the 50 public further education and training courses (FET) colleges.
The market has evolved from simply requiring an integrated real-time ERP solution to wanting Web-enabled back and front office solutions with a self-service interface for both students and institutional personnel, says Jordaan. “Registration was originally a paper-based operation, and ITS introduced the first real-time registration process. This has evolved thanks to the sector embracing technology and realising the immense benefits it provides to educational institutions.”
According to Jordaan, the next technology evolution for educational institutions is to embrace mobile computing. “Having the ability to access an institution via any mobile device will become essential. ITS has put a task team in place to provide student-focused mobile solutions. This will provide the necessary extension of our services to current customers as well as reaching new users across the globe.”
Pieter Campbell, Technical Executive Manager, one of the founding members of ITS, says ITS has been successful as a result of the calibre of its people. “A large percentage of our employees have previous work experience in the education sector. This has ensured that ITS has a very good understanding of the sector and what it requires from its software systems.”
Campbell says the rich experience and legacy that ITS employees hold in the sector paved the way for the creation of end-to-end business and technology solutions that are tailored to meet the exact requirements of each educational institution.
The challenge he foresees is the increasing volume of learners entering the institutions. “The growth in student numbers are staggering, with intake at a major university in Gauteng expanding from 10 000 to 45 000 over the past few years. “The Tshwane University of Technology has approximately 50 000 students and is still growing. It places tremendous pressure on educational institutions in terms of service delivery for students and employees.” Jordaan says it is up to companies such as ITS to meet and manage these needs from an IT solutions perspective.
“Our proven track record in designing, development, implementing and management of innovative business solutions has allowed us to grow into a successful African company with a global footprint. With over 25 years of experience, we understand that businesses need a comprehensive range of flexible, adaptable technology solutions that can keep them connected and communicating.”
Share