Practicalities for the USI community

Essential guides about IT services

INTRODUCTION

This page summarizes the essential guides about IT services for students.

 

ESSENTIALS GUIDES
Accounts and access to buildings

  • Campus Lugano:
    • USI card: the student card is the document that certifies the registration at USI and shows the student’s registration number. It is delivered after completing the first registration. After paying the half-yearly fee, to update the card, you must insert it in the machine located in the atrium of the Main Building (the machine is open Monday to Friday from 07.00 to 19.00)
    • account LDAP (Unix/Linux): The LDAP account, which remains active for the entire stay at the University, is a UNIX / Linux account given to students, assistants, academic and administrative staff at the Faculty of Informatics.
  • Campus Mendrisio:
    • USI card: the student card is the document that certifies the registration at USI and shows the student’s registration number. It is delivered after completing the first registration. After paying the semester fee, to update the card you need to insert it in the device located on the 3rd floor of the Canavée building.
  • USI Accounts
  • edu-ID: the edu-ID digital identity is a permanent identity that is created by the users themselves and can accompany them throughout their education - potentially at several universities - but also after their studies. Allows access to various services, such as: iCorsi e-learning platform; platform for registering for examinations/courses, checking grades, obtaining certificates; library services, including lending.
  • Password change: information about the password change is available at this link
  • 2FA or Multi-Factor Authenticator: the two-factor authentication system can be configured in two ways:

 

IT Security

 

Wireless (Wi-Fi)

 

Wired network

 

E-Mail

 

Private files storage

  • Campus Mendrisio:
  • Campus Lugano:
    • each user has a private profile with 2GB of document space, accessible from the University PCs or from outside.

 

VPN:

 

Printing service

 

Software and Hardware

  • Discounts
  • Private laptop
  • Purchase various software, including the Microsoft Windows operating system for academy people: studyhouse.ch
  • Microsoft Azure for Education: a site where all members of the USI community can download free of charge a range of Microsoft applications for private use using the USI e-mail credentials.
  • Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS): all members of the USI community can download and install the statistics program, this works connected to the university network or via VPN.
  • VMware: Members of the USI Faculty of Informatics can use some VMware applications free of charge using the WMware Academic Program, using the edu-ID credentials at the time of purchase. These applications may be accessed for private use, subject to the limits stated in the license.
  • Matlab: is an environment for numerical computing and statistical analysis. You can:
    • download it free of charge and install it with the help of the instructions given here.
    • use the USI 96 Core at this link.
  • Qualtrics: among its various functions, it is an application for creating surveys and analyzing a series of data. The application is available to all members of the USI community: go to https://usi.eu.qualtrics.com and log in using your USI account.
  • Accademia Mendrisio:

 

Exam and courses

 

Classroom for students (to study and/or use PC)

 

Sending large files

  • The following service is available to send data to third parties that are larger than those that can usually be managed by e-mail (switch.ch/filesender)

 

File sharing

  • To share documents with colleagues or outside people, you can use:
    • SWITCHdrive: is a tool similar to DropBox. Since it is operated by SWITCH, it provides the advantage of maintaining data in Switzerland (switch.ch/drive)
    • OneDrive: available in the Microsoft 365 suite, where you can save up to 1TB of data (100GB for students) and allow sharing of files or folders (portal.office.com)

 

IT tools for home office

  • Microsoft 365: the Microsoft Office package is available for installation on their personal devices for all employees, assistants, professors, and students. Access via (portal.office.com) with username (at)usi.ch and password allowing access to the USI mailbox.
    • guide for Windows and MacOS systems
    • guide for Apple and Android devices
  • Skype for Business: allows staff, assistants, and professors to call and video, call on the external network, chat, and share the screen
  • MS Teams: allows collaborators, assistants, professors, and students to call and video, chat, and share the screen. It’s used for teaching.
    • Guide for teachers in the e-learning lab, applicable most of all to collaborators.
  • Antivirus: the security of your device is important, especially if you are accessing the USI data folders via VPN. Its use is highly recommended.

 

Security

  • The rising use of personal computers for teleworking caused by the pandemic also increases the risks to which data and IT infrastructure are exposed. It is therefore important that the security of personal devices is taken care of. Some advice:
    • keep the operating system of your devices up to date, including applications
    • install a high-reputation antivirus
    • keep the work environment separate from the personal/family environment (e.g. with two different users)

 

IT support

Faculties

Targets

Tags

Updated on: 27 February 2024