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Enterprise Architecture Special Interest Group: co-creating a holistic view for modeling and supporting change in HEIs

The EUNIS Enterprise Architecture Special Interest Group provides a collaborative platform for Higher Education Institutions to address the crucial need for describing their operational landscape in a unified way. We focus on defining and connecting core capabilities – the fundamental abilities of the institution – with the underlying services, processes, information and technology that deliver them. Crucially, this includes understanding the flow of information (data) that underpins these activities and how they collectively contribute to delivering value through defined value streams. Through a co-creation approach, proficient EA practitioners share practical examples and insights, significantly lowering the entry barrier and reducing the individual burden of documenting this complex landscape. This joint effort in building a shared, capability-centric understanding, enriched with insights into data and value streams, provides a powerful foundation. Most importantly, directly supports the modeling and understanding the impact of change. By providing a clear, interconnected view of the institution, this collaborative work empowers HEIs to anticipate the effects of strategic initiatives, technological advancements, or process improvements, thereby facilitating effective decision-making and successful transformation. The shared knowledge and unified terminology developed through this group are tangible proof of the value of a collaborative approach to enterprise architecture in navigating and supporting change.

Mission

To advance Enterprise Architecture practices within Higher Education Institutions through collaborative knowledge sharing and the development of unified approaches, empowering the sector to effectively describe its operational landscape and model the impact of change.

Scope

The EUNIS Enterprise Architecture Special Interest Group serves as a platform for HEI practitioners to share expertise, knowledge, and best practices in Enterprise Architecture. Our scope includes:

  • Harmonizing Terminology and Developing Unified Descriptions: Collaboratively defining and promoting consistent vocabulary, notation, and frameworks for describing the interconnected elements of the HEI landscape, including capabilities, services, processes, application services, information (data), and value streams.
  • Facilitating Knowledge Exchange and Collaboration: Providing a forum for members to learn from peers, share experiences (successes and challenges), address the complexities of the field, and foster interdisciplinary and cross-institutional relationships at national, European, and global levels.
  • Enabling Landscape Understanding and Modeling Change: Supporting institutions in producing comprehensive descriptions of their operational environment that can be used for mapping, analysis, and ultimately, for modeling and understanding the potential impact of strategic initiatives and changes.
  • Staying Abreast of Trends: Sharing information and insights on the latest trends and developments in Enterprise Architecture relevant to the higher education sector.

2025-2026 main development topics:

  • HERM Integration
  • Business Services & Value Streams
  • Compliance & Standards (e.g. EU Legislation impact)
  • Use Cases & Communication
  • EA Tools

Recurring activities

  • Monthly online meetings “EUNIS EA SIG Meeting” every first Friday
  • Work on the language translations of the Capability model and actively promote the pragmatic use cases it can be applied to
  • Active engagement with European interoperability questions

Upcoming events EA-SIG plans to be present at:

Past seminars/workshops:

  • March 2025: UCISA Leadership conference 2025 in Brighton
  • March 2025: THE Digital Universities Europe in Wroclaw
  • January 2025: HERM model consultation and workshop in Riga
  • September 2024: EA week 2024 in Odense
  • June 2024: EUNIS24 pre-congress EA SIG morning and afternoon session in Athens
  • November 2023: EA week 2023 in Helsinki
  • June 2023: EUNIS23 pre-congress meetings in Vigo. Read more here.
  • March 2023: Workshop on HERM Capability model in Barcelona. Read the outputs here.
  • April 2022: EUNIS BI SIG and EA SIG seminar in Tampere. Read more here.
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The HERM-BRM model (Higher Education Reference Model, Business Reference Model) is currently evaluated in many countries and multiple Universities.Our community provides HERM model translations in european languages. We also provide reference models, visualisations, training, newsletters, supporting materials and workshops. All workshop and seminar materials are shared. (Note! Paid EUNIS membership required and enlisted as EA SIG member for file access).

We have active discussions, knowledge sharing and cooperation with UCISA and CAUDIT.

EA SIG summary 2024

We enjoyed a productive and insightful year in 2024! Read the EA SIG annual summary.

workJoin the Enterprise Architecture Special Interest Group​

Best way to stay in tune with these themes is to participate in our monthly meetings (every month first Friday between September and May). We also continue organizing other workshops and do our best to regularly send out a newsletter to our member list.

Invitations and newsletter will only be sent out to our mailing list (ea@eunis.org). If you have not yet joined the list please do so (email: ea-sig-leaders@eunis.org).

Patrik Maltusch and Esa Suominen

Chairman and Secretary of the EUNIS EA SIG