The Higher Education Reference Models (HERM) provide standardised business, data, application and technology architectures that communicate a generalised view of how higher education institutions are organised and the information they use. The HERM also includes a Business Model Canvas to support scenario-based planning and for exploring and communicating an institution’s specific strategic drivers and goals.

These resources can be used by institutions within higher education in a variety of ways, such as a starter kit to accelerate an institution’s business and data architecture, a reference point to explore commonalities and differentiators for the institution, and a communication tool to engage stakeholders.