Software Rescue for Education & Research: How to Preserve valuable data and projects from failure

The digital landscape in education and research is characterized by a fundamental change. Higher education institutions, universities and research institutions act today at the top of the digital transformation, where IT systems form the backbone of teaching, administration and scientific work. However, the increasing complexity and dependence of software also increases the risks. When critical IT projects get stuck, Legacy systems fail or valuable research data is often more at stake than just financial losses: it threatens the loss of years of scientific work and the endangerment of the educational mission.

This article highlights the specific challenges of IT in these sectors and introduces the Software Rescue as an indispensable strategy to refocus failed projects, stabilise outdated systems and ensure the continuity of research and teaching.

The critical role of IT in education and research

IT infrastructure in science and teaching differs fundamentally from that in the private sector. It must meet a unique combination of requirements:

| Requirement | Description | Critical meaning | | :--- | :-- | :-- | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ** Long term research projects often span decades; the associated software must function or be migrated as long as possible. | Continuity of research, reproducibility of results. | | Data volume & sensitivity | Handling huge amounts of Research data, often highly sensitive (e.g. medical studies, personal data from students). | Compliance with data protection (GDPR), ethical standards. | ** Heterogenity | A variety of specialized, often self-developed applications (e.g. simulation software, laboratory information systems) alongside standard management software. | High risk due to Legacy systems and missing documentation. | ** Resource Restriction | Often limited budgets and personnel resources for IT maintenance andmodernisation. | Increased susceptibility to system failures and ** failed IT projects**. |

The digital transformation as a chance and risk

The digital transformation has revolutionised the way knowledge is created and mediated. E-learning platforms, digital research data management and the networking of international research teams are standard today. But this dependence makes the institutions vulnerable. A failure of a central system can paralyse the entire operation – from the enrollment of new students to the publication of groundbreaking research results.

Specific IT challenges in universities and research institutions

The biggest challenge is to manage Legacy systems. Many critical applications developed years ago for specific purposes, s