Outsourcing Student Email Service
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Background
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What Are the Benefits of Using Google Mail?
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When HKU Gmail Platform Will Be Available?
1. Background
It is a worldwide trend to outsource student email systems and many
universities have already switched using the email systems supported by
large email service providers such as Google and Microsoft to enjoy the
benefits of more storage space and functionalities that their platforms can provide. A number of tertiary institutions in Hong Kong have
already taken the step forward to outsource their student email system
to Google Mail or Microsoft Live@edu.
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Early in July 2010, we formed a project team to study the feasibility of
outsourcing the University student email system. A group of
students were invited to participate in a pilot test and gave their
feedback on the 2 email platforms, Google Mail and Microsoft Live@edu.
After the pilot test, a comprehensive evaluation was conducted by taking
into account the technical, operational and legal considerations of
outsourcing the student email service. A report was submitted to
the HKU Senior Management Team (SMT) for consideration in July 2011 and
the SMT approved to outsource the student email system to Google Mail.
2. What Are the Benefits of Using Google Mail?
The HKU Google Mail platform is the same as if students are having an
individual email account with Google. Students who have been using
Google Mail are thus not
required to learn using a new email platform again. What's more,
students can continue using the same email address assigned by the
University after they graduate from the University for life time.
The email address for HKU Google Mail will be in the form
<HKU_Portal_UID>@connect.hku.hk
Students can also make use of the simplified email address <HKU_Portal_UID>@hku.hk
for communication during their studies at the University. Emails
sent to this simplified email address will be automatically forwarded to
the HKU Google Mail account, <HKU_Portal_UID>@connect.hku.hk.
However, the simplified email address and auto-forwarding rule will be
removed after students graduate from the University while students can
continue using <HKU_Portal_UID>@connect.hku.hk for life time.
With HKU Google account, students can enjoy using a staggering
25GB
of storage space - 25 times more than what we are providing under our
in-house email system (1GB per account) and over 3 times more than a
public Gmail account (7GB per account). Students can also use
their HKU Gmail account to access other Google services (Google Apps) including
calendar, sites, docs, and even YouTube.
Upon graduation, students are not required to do anything about their email accounts as all emails, contacts, calendars, etc. under the HKU
Gmail account will be kept after graduation, except stopping to use the
email address <HKU_Portal_UID>@hku.hk.
3. When HKU Gmail Platform Will Be Available?
It is planned to roll out the HKU Gmail platform in January 2012 for all
new incoming students. These new students will have their accounts
created on HKU Gmail platform. For current students, work is underway to
provide an option for them to opt-in to HKU Gmail before June 2012 so
that students who will graduate in June 2012 can start using the HKU
Gmail service upon graduation.
Further information on the rollout of HKU Gmail will be announced in
due course, so, stay tuned.
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