The University of Graz has developed uniCHAT, an innovative collaboration platform that enables the use of a wide range of services from a single interface. In addition to chatting in text form, the platform enables the use of various video conferencing services, translation tools, LLM chatbots and much more. Digital collaboration has thus been made much easier for different user groups at the university: students, lecturers, researchers and all other staff are equally free to use the platform and all integrated services.

Background information

As part of a work package of the digital university hub project, a platform was to be created that can exist in the field of tension between proprietary and open systems (e.g. Microsoft Teams or Matrix/Element). In the course of a focus group on digitalisation at the University of Graz, local researchers in particular emphasised the need to be able to complete more tasks from one interface in order to facilitate collaboration and exchange with colleagues from Austria and abroad. This meant not just a juxtaposition of these systems, but an integration into a whole by linking topic-orientated processes, communication channels and collaboration platforms.

Connecting services and systems

As an open system, uniCHAT offers a solution approach through:

• Interoperability: uniCHAT connects open and proprietary systems so that users can work in Microsoft Teams, for example, without having to forego the advantages of Element.
• Integration of modern services: By connecting services such as DeepL, Zoom, ChatGPT and other chatbots, the platform becomes a comprehensive tool for communication and productivity.

Technical basis and its advantages

uniCHAT is based on the open matrix/element architecture. This basis offers a number of advantages:

• Ensure data protection and security by retaining full control over the infrastructure.
• Guarantee future-proofing, as open standards enable flexible customisation.
• Ensure expandability, because: The integration of new services and technologies works smoothly.

However, thanks to the connection with Microsoft products, all users who rely on proprietary solutions are also included. This means that the needs of science and administration are taken into account equally.

Benefits for the university and beyond

The introduction of uniCHAT has already brought tangible benefits:

• More efficient collaboration: users from different system worlds can communicate without barriers through connections in both synchronous (audio, video (Element, Zoom, uniMEET), chat, bots) and asynchronous (chat, bots) as well as structured ways (uniCLOUD, Wiki, uniPAD).
• A centralised communication platform has been created for students in particular, as they no longer have to communicate with colleagues via multiple communication channels (WhatsApp, Studo, etc.).
• Promotion of inter-functionality: uniCHAT facilitates networking between different individual service blocks. The open API makes it easy to build ‘bots’ that define a wide variety of function blocks and can be interconnected (building blocks). For example, first translate with DeepL and only then transfer chatGPT for summarisation.
• Support for research & teaching: The openness of the platform is particularly appreciated in the exact sciences and content can be integrated multilingually in teaching.
• In addition, uniCHAT makes a contribution to sustainable digitalisation by showing how open and proprietary systems can be used synergistically.

Learnings and further developments

In addition to the joint interface developments (API gateway as a technical basis) , the topic of user experience (UX) in particular has been sharpened with the use
of uniCHAT and placed it at the centre of digitalisation.

Four principles were emphasised in the process:

The principle of experience-orientation the user experience of the customer at the centre: processes are
at the centre: processes are geared towards the needs of students students, teachers and researchers, include the needs of the employees involved - and respect the requirements of the organisation (process ownership).
The principle of value optimisation is oriented on the added value for customers and the organisation: processes create digital added value for students, lecturers, researchers,
employees and the organisation. In order to increase efficiency activities that do not add value are eliminated or minimised in order to streamline or minimised.
The principle of visualisation promotes transparent and comprehensible flow of information throughout the entire process life cycle. Processes are visualised in terms of the planned the required documents and the current status,
Criteria for decisions and decisions in the processare comprehensibly justified.
The principle of continuous improvement supports a critically reflective perspective on processes: Processes are continuously evaluated and can be adapted to meet new customer needs or changes in the organisation's requirements.

The University of Graz is one of the leading universities in Austria when it comes to digitalisation and has been paving the way for decade, it has repeatedly paved the way for innovative products. This multitude of systems also significantly increases the complexity for users. The aim is to bring the experience gained from this project
into a larger synthesis. As part of a lead project on the digital workplace of the future, attempts are already being made to processes, to reflect on the principles mentioned above and to establish them along the lines of data protection and data security.

In addition, plans for the future include the following steps:

• the expansion of the platform as uniYou
• the integration of additional services
• further improvement of the user experience

The aim is to create a fully networked, digital working environment that meets the requirements of modern universities and abstracts from the necessary system breaks on the journey through the digital university.