Launch of the new Digital Governance Unit
Enhancing the way we deliver, make decisions about, and use digital technology at Oxford
The University's Digital Governance Unit (the DGU) launches on Monday 29 September, marking a key stage of evolution in the University’s digital transformation.
The DGU will be a new unit based within the University Administration and Services (UAS), alongside IT Services and all other UAS units, serving the whole University.
It will help to improve the way we deliver, make decisions about, and use technology, enabling the University to meet the challenges and harness the opportunities of a digital world.
Why the DGU is being created
Effective digital services underpin all University activity, from teaching and research to administration and student support. Today, these services are increasingly delivered by teams of specialists across the University, and the University is investing in cross-cutting strategic programmes through the Digital Transformation Programme.
The University’s digital estate continues to evolve and the DGU will play a critical role in ensuring that these services are effective, coordinated, compliant, and secure.
While IT Services will continue to focus on its core function of responsive service delivery in partnership with divisions and departments, the formation of the DGU will help to ensure we continue innovating and evolving our broad approach in response to rapid developments in the digital landscape.
The following organisational chart sets out the structure of the DGU alongside IT Services, and the Office of the Chief Digital and Information Officer (OCDIO) which will provide the shared administration for both.
If you would like a copy of the organisation chart above in a different format, please contact dgu@digital.ox.ac.uk and we will be happy to help. The chart shows the key roles and teams that will report to the incoming Chief Digital & Information Officer (CDIO), including the senior management team within the DGU that will report to Stuart Lee and the teams in IT Services that will report to Mike Fraser.
What the DGU will do
The DGU will focus on enabling and supporting the University’s digital ambitions. Its role will be to:
- Support and enable – Providing the tools and guidance to help our digital portfolios succeed
- Monitor and evaluate – Tracking progress and assessing the effectiveness of digital initiatives
- Assure – By ensuring adherence to consistent standards and processes
- Innovate – By driving change and promoting a forward-thinking, product-focused mindset.
The four key pillars of DGU activity will be:
- Process, guidance and assurance, and governance
- Digital architectural design authority
- Digital transformation and change
- Strategic partner and vendor management.
Leadership and structure
The DGU will be led by Professor Stuart Lee, who will take on the new role of Director of the Digital Governance Unit & Deputy CDIO, having previously been the Acting Chief Information Officer (Acting CDIO).
The DGU will report to Professor Anne Trefethen, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Digital), until the new Chief Digital and Information Officer (CDIO), David White, takes up his new role on 1 November 2025, with responsibility for both IT Services and the DGU.
Professor Stuart Lee, Acting Chief Information Officer and incoming Director of the Digital Governance Unit (DGU), said,
This is an exciting time in the ongoing evolution of the University’s digital services. The formation of the Digital Governance Unit marks a significant step towards a more integrated and strategic approach. Once fully established, our goal is for the DGU to be a key enabler for digital change. We will be committed to working closely with colleagues across the University, to ensure they are supported and equipped to deliver on their digital ambitions and to help us all build a more coherent and user-focused digital landscape for the future.
Supporting our digital portfolios
The governance and coordination provided by the DGU is designed to help reduce the burden of change and provide more streamlined support for departments and divisions.
The new unit will aim to ensure integrated planning and management of interdependencies across the University’s five digital portfolios (Research, Education, Technology, Administration, and Engagement & Dissemination), which are responsible for the University's digital investments.
The work of the DGU will span the five digital portfolios. These are:
- Education Portfolio: Chaired by Professor Freya Johnston, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Education)
- Research Portfolio: Chaired by Professor Patrick Grant, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research)
- Administration Portfolio: Chaired by Gill Aitken (Registrar)
- Engagement & Dissemination Portfolio: Chaired by Richard Ovenden (Bodley’s Librarian)
- Technology Portfolio: Chaired by Professor David De Roure (Professor of e-Research and Digital Humanities lead).
The DGU will work closely with the Portfolio Leads and Managers to ensure that projects and services align with the University’s strategic priorities and digital design principles, in line with our more agile new delivery model for digital services which is helping us to deliver solutions faster and in a more responsive way, to meet business need.
A new online presence is being created for the DGU, to provide ongoing information and updates as its work gets underway. Meanwhile, additional information and answers to some frequently asked questions can be found on the Staff Gateway’s Digital at Oxford webpages.
