Project Documentation
Project Documentation
Project Documentation of
Academic Administration Solution
By:
Fahim Ahammed Firoz
ID: 1938520126
Department of Computer Science & Engineering
Imperial College of Engineering, Khulna
&
Supervised by:
Shovon Mandal
Lecturer
Department of Computer Science & Engineering
Imperial College of Engineering, Khulna
January, 2024
Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Introduction .............................................................................................................. 3
1.1 Project Overview .............................................................................................................. 3
1.2 Project Purpose................................................................................................................. 3
1.3 Motivation ........................................................................................................................ 4
1.4 Project Goals .................................................................................................................... 4
1.5 Stakeholders ..................................................................................................................... 5
Chapter 2: Background Study/Literature Review ...................................................................... 6
2.1 Background ...................................................................................................................... 6
2. 2 Summary of Literature Review ....................................................................................... 7
Chapter 3: Methodology ............................................................................................................ 9
3.1 Methodology .................................................................................................................... 9
3.2 Architecture .................................................................................................................... 10
A. Auth Service ................................................................................................................ 10
B. Core Service ................................................................................................................. 10
C. Payment Service........................................................................................................... 11
D. API Gateway................................................................................................................ 12
3.3 Role-based Features ....................................................................................................... 12
3.4 Technology stack............................................................................................................ 14
Backend ............................................................................................................................ 14
Frontend ............................................................................................................................ 15
Chapter 4: Expected Outcomes ................................................................................................ 16
4.1 Enhanced Efficiency: ..................................................................................................... 16
4.2 Improved Accuracy: ....................................................................................................... 16
4.3 Increased Transparency: ................................................................................................. 16
4.4 User-Friendly Interaction: .............................................................................................. 16
4.5 Modernization of University Processes: ........................................................................ 16
Chapter 5: Conclusion.............................................................................................................. 18
References ................................................................................................................................ 19
Team Contribution ................................................................................................................... 20
Team Leader: Fahim Ahammed Firoz (ID: 1938520126) ................................................... 20
Team Member: Hanna Bithi Malakar (ID: 1938520107) .................................................... 20
At its core, the project aims to simplify the complex operations of universities. Think of it as
a smart assistant for these institutions, streamlining tasks such as student record-keeping,
class scheduling, exam result management, and much more. The ultimate objective is to
enhance the overall university experience for everyone involved.
Imagine a world where universities harness technology to make their operations simpler and
more efficient. This project strives to transform that vision into reality, offering a tailored
solution designed specifically for the unique needs of universities.
The main goal of this project is to fix these problems. It wants to offer a modern, all-in-one
digital solution made especially for universities. This solution will act like a control center
where universities can make their work easier. It will replace slow manual jobs with fast and
automatic ones. Imagine it as a helping hand for universities, making their lives simpler.
Here are the main points about why this project exists:
1. Modernization: This project wants to bring universities into the digital world. It will
replace old, slow processes with fast, automated ones. It will let universities use the power of
technology.
3. Accuracy: The project will make sure there are fewer mistakes by using computers instead
of people. This means universities can trust their data more.
4. Transparency: The project will make things clear and open in universities. It will let
people find information easily. This will help build trust among everyone at the university.
5. User-Friendliness: The project will make a system that's easy for students, teachers, and
administrators to use. It will make their interactions with the university's digital tools simple
and enjoyable.
In the end, this project wants to change the way universities work. It will give them a digital
toolbox that's easy to use and helps them do better in today's digital world.
1.3 Motivation
Regrettably, our institution finds itself without a proper system to handle crucial tasks such as
student registration, exam result processing, class scheduling, room assignments, and online
payments. This significant deficiency has given rise to a multitude of challenges and
complications, impacting the day-to-day functioning of our university. Acutely aware of
these issues and armed with a deep understanding of our institution's needs, the motivation
for this project springs from a sincere desire to provide a remedy. We are driven by the
aspiration to enhance the management of academic operations, minimize manual
inefficiencies, and usher in a more effective and accessible system for all stakeholders. In
essence, our motivation stems from a commitment to address these pressing challenges and
improve the overall academic experience within our institution through the "Academic
Administration Solution" project.
Here are the stakeholders of the "Academic Administration Solution" project with their
respective roles:
Super Admin: Super Admins, such as academics directors, registrars, and IT directors, hold
permission to manage the system and are responsible for overseeing student registration,
course registration, teacher management, and system permissions.
Admin: Administrators, including academic coordinators and department heads, have the
authority to manage students, faculty, academic entities (faculties, departments, semesters),
and academic resources (departments, buildings, rooms, courses, semesters, offered courses,
course sections, and course schedules).
Faculty: Faculty members are vital stakeholders responsible for teaching courses, managing
their course lists, providing grades, and generating academic results for students.
Student: Students, the end-users of the system, can access their profiles, view their enrolled
courses, check their class schedules, register for courses, make online payments, and access
their academic reports.
Each stakeholder group plays a crucial role in the efficient functioning of the "Academic
Administration Solution," ensuring a user-centric and integrated approach to university
management.
In paper [2], Moh. Anshori Aris Widya et al. highlight the need for improved payment
methods in education, specifically in Vocational High Schools (SMK). They identify issues
with traditional systems like long queues, administrative inefficiencies, and fraud risks. The
proposed solution involves a virtual account-based payment system developed in
collaboration with Bank Rakyat Indonesia (BRI) through R&D, aiming to improve service
quality and convenience. The paper emphasizes the relevance of fintech innovations, notably
virtual accounts, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic to reduce overcrowding and
health risks. Employing qualitative data analysis, the paper simplifies complex information
for accessibility. However, it's essential to note that the discussed system is not tailored to the
Bangladeshi payment context, and it lacks features such as students being able to view their
dues by semester.
Luo's study [3] discusses how to manage university students in the era of big data. It talks
about the good things and problems that come with using a lot of data. It suggests using new
methods with internet technology to manage students better. The study also talks about the
challenges of using big data, like keeping student information safe. In the end, Luo's research
helps educators and administrators understand how to handle data in the digital age.
In the paper "University Research Project Management System Based on Cloud Platform" by
Yan et al. [4], the authors propose a cloud-based system to manage research projects in
universities. This system provides various modules for managing research projects, including
application, review, progress tracking, completion, and result display. However, it's important
to note that your project expands on these features by also including faculty and student
management, class scheduling, student registration, an online payment system, classroom
allocation, and result management. While both systems offer valuable contributions to
university management, the choice between them should depend on the specific needs of the
institution. Yan et al.'s system focuses more on research project-related functions, while your
project provides a holistic solution for broader university management needs.
The paper [6] introduces a web-based Student Information Management System (SIMS) with
features like an easy-to-use login and registration system, email confirmation, and efficient
student registration processes, although it doesn't clearly state its objectives. To make the
system better, using a microservices architecture could help improve its ability to grow,
adapt, and be maintained. This approach would allow for the addition of features like class
scheduling, online payment processing, enrolling in courses by semester, and managing
faculty as separate services. However, the paper lacks a thorough evaluation of how well the
system works or feedback from users, making it hard to assess how useful it really is.
Additionally, it would be beneficial to explore security measures for protecting sensitive
student information in a web-based system.
The "University Management System in System-z Mainframe (zMS)" described in Asha Rani
Nallavadu's doctoral dissertation [7] has room for improvement by adding more features to
help universities manage various aspects. Currently, it handles student profiles, subject
registration, course results, and lecturer evaluations. But it could become even more useful by
including features for managing admissions, planning classes, overseeing faculty and staff,
connecting with alumni, and handling financial aid. Additionally, if it could analyze data and
provide useful insights, it would help university leaders make better decisions. These changes
would turn zMS into a comprehensive University Management System, making universities
run more smoothly.
The review looks at different studies about how universities are managed. One study by
Naveen Kumar H. and others [1] talks about how technology can help manage universities
better, but it doesn't include everything Bangladeshi universities need, like online payments
and student registration. Another study by Moh. Anshori Aris Widya and team [2] talks about
making it easier to pay for school, which is important, especially during COVID-19. Luo's
3.1 Methodology
The methodology employed for the development of the "Academic Administration Solution"
follows a structured approach to ensure the efficient management of university operations.
A. Auth Service
1. User Authentication: The Auth Service is responsible for authenticating users,
including students, faculty, administrators, and super admins. It ensures that only
authorized individuals gain access to the system.
2. User Roles and Permissions: This service defines and manages user roles, granting
specific permissions based on user roles. It plays a crucial role in maintaining the
security and integrity of the system.
3. Token Generation: Auth Service generates and manages tokens to authenticate and
authorize users for secure interactions with the system.
B. Core Service
1. Student Management: The Core Service facilitates student management, enabling
functions such as filtering, retrieving, creating, updating, and deleting student records.
It stores essential student information, including personal details and academic
history.
C. Payment Service
1. Online Payment Processing: The Payment Service provides a secure platform for
students to make online payments for tuition, fees, and other financial transactions. It
integrates with payment gateways such as SSLCommerz to ensure safe and
convenient transactions.
2. Payment History: Students can view their payment history, helping them keep track
of their financial transactions within the academic institution.
D. API Gateway
1. Centralized Entry Point: The newly added API Gateway serves as the central entry
point to the system. It provides a unified interface for incoming requests, managing
microservices orchestration, load balancing, security, and authentication. The API
Gateway ensures that requests are appropriately routed to the respective
microservices, enhancing system performance, security, and user experience.
1. Profile Management: Super Admins have the capability to manage their personal
profile information within the system. This includes updating their contact details,
ensuring their information is always up-to-date.
For Admin:
1. Profile Management: Admins have the capability to manage their own profile
information, enabling them to keep their contact details up-to-date within the system.
2. Change Password: Admins can change their login password as needed to maintain
account security.
3. Manage Students: Admins play a crucial role in student management. They can
filter, view, create, update, and delete student profiles, providing efficient control over
student information, including academic records and enrollment status.
4. Manage Faculty: Admins also have the authority to oversee faculty profiles. They
can filter, view, create, update, and delete faculty profiles, ensuring that faculty
information remains accurate and comprehensive.
5. Manage Academic: Admins can take charge of various academic entities such as
faculties, departments, and semesters. They can create, delete, update, read, and filter
this academic information, ensuring that the academic structure is flexible and
responsive to institutional needs.
6. Management of Academic Resources: Admins are responsible for academic
resources management, including departments, buildings, rooms, courses, semesters,
offered courses, course sections, and course schedules. They can create, read, update,
and delete these resources, ensuring that academic operations run smoothly.
1. Profile Management: Students have the ability to manage their own profiles,
enabling them to keep their personal information and contact details up-to-date.
2. Course Enrollment: Students can enroll in courses for each semester, helping them
meet their credit requirements for graduation. This feature simplifies the registration
process and empowers students to make informed academic choices.
3. Academic Reports: Students can access and view their academic results and reports
online. This feature gives students immediate access to their academic progress,
allowing them to track their performance over time.
4. Class Schedule: Access to a detailed class schedule for the current semester is
provided, allowing students to stay organized and attend classes without confusion.
5. Online Payments: Students can make online payments for tuition fees, streamlining
the payment process and ensuring convenience for financial transactions.
For Faculty:
1. Profile Management: Faculty members have the ability to update their personal
information and qualifications, ensuring that their profiles remain current and
accurate.
2. Course Management: Faculty members are responsible for managing the courses
they teach. This includes course materials, grading, and attendance. This feature
streamlines the teaching process and enables faculty to provide comprehensive
support to students.
3. Student Interaction: Faculty can access student lists for the courses they teach,
facilitating communication with students. This interaction is essential for addressing
academic concerns and providing guidance.
4. Academic Results: Faculty members can submit student exam results and generate
academic reports, enhancing the efficiency of the grading process and providing
students with timely feedback.
5. Class Scheduling: Faculty members have control over class schedules and locations
for their courses, ensuring that classes run smoothly and according to the designated
timetable.
3.4.1 Backend
Database: We use two kinds of storage spaces, like big digital filing cabinets. One is
MongoDB, good for different types of information, and the other is PostgreSQL, great
for keeping things neat and tidy.
Data Interaction Tools: We have Mongoose for MongoDB and Prisma for
PostgreSQL. Think of Mongoose and Prisma as helpers that make it easier for our
system to talk to the databases. They help fetch and organize the information we need.
Framework: Express.js is like the superhero that helps us build the backstage of our
system faster and better.
3.4.2 Frontend
Framework: Next.js is like the artist's canvas. It helps us make the front part of our
system look good and work smoothly.
Languages: We use Typescript and JavaScript here too, making sure everything on
the front side also looks good and works well.
We hope the "Academic Administration Solution" will make university tasks faster.
Managing student records, planning classes, and handling exam results should become
quicker and easier. This means less work for the university staff.