Software Licensing

What we provide

CFS desktops have access to centrally provided mandatory and optional software. The list of software in each category is controlled by the University Software Panel. IT Services negotiates and purchases licences on behalf of this Panel. Any University member of staff can make a request to the Software Panel for the Panel to consider adding the request to these lists. 

Mandatory software is automatically installed on desktops. This type of software is essential software expected on a desktop such as Microsoft Office, antivirus and plug-ins. Optional software can be installed/accessed by users on demand. 

A complete list of mandatory and optional software is available in our software catalogue.

In addition departments can also purchase departmental licences that can be requested (via the software panel process) to be included as optional software or installed locally to the desktops. If departments are making software purchases, we can provide help and advice for licence negotiations and purchasing with both large resellers and individual companies. This help and advice can be used for new purchases or licence renewals. 

We monitor usage figures for software used on centrally administered desktops. When requested, we can provide departments with usage information. 

When centrally installed software requires a licence server, we can host the licence and update this when necessary.

What you can expect

License agreements can be very complicated you should expect to start negotiation at least two months in advance of needing the software. There are very often many licence models to choose from that could offer you cost savings but the legal requirements of the models should be considered before making the agreement.

Most core software is sourced from large resellers that have broad knowledge and experience of academic licensing models. Relationships between IT Services and these resellers have been developed over many years and you can expect us to guide you on which reseller would be best suited to your requirement. 

When making a request for help or advice you should expect to have an initial response from us within five days. We will endeavour to have suitably experienced staff available to attend meetings or conference calls as organised by your department.

What we expect

The use of this service is subject to University of Leicester Information Security Policy.

When a licence agreement is being sourced for the departments own use it is expected that the department organise meetings with resellers, provided requirements, hardware (if necessary), funding and raise the purchase order. Where the software is being purchased for local installation within the department it is expected that the installation is made by the department or department's IT support.  

Where three or more departments use software for teaching, they can jointly request funding for software licences from the Software Panel budget. During this process it is expected that departments follow the Software Panel process, arrange meetings with suppliers and test software. 

We expect all departments to ensure, to the best of their ability, that they comply with the terms and conditions of the agreement that they contracted to.

Service availability

On request help and advice for licence negotiations and purchases is available to any member of staff during normal working hours.

Service charges

There are no charges for providing the software licence advice service. 

FAQs and related information

Please refer to the Further Information at the top right hand side of this page. 

Need further help?

Please contact the IT Service Desk in the first instance.