The new Faculty of ICT: Challenges and opportunities
The ever-growing importance of computing, electronic information and communication in our daily lives is very much self-evident. Real world examples range from gigantic freight carriers navigating the world's seas to miniscule robots, known as...
The ever-growing importance of computing, electronic information and communication in our daily lives is very much self-evident. Real world examples range from gigantic freight carriers navigating the world's seas to miniscule robots, known as nano-bots used to access physical areas that were never before reachable.
Today one would find it virtually impossible to name a modern social activity which does not involve either the use of computation, electronic information management and/or its communication. Indeed, these three factors are mutually enabling. This basically means that the efficient use of one would very much depend on the presence of the other(s). This close synergy of computing/informatics and certain engineering disciplines like communication and micro/nano electronics, has over the past decade or so given rise to a whole new and distinct field of professional activity known as Information and Communication Technology (ICT).
To meet the literally sky-rocketing ICT needs of a modern and dynamic Maltese
society, the Maltese government, through the University of Malta, has enacted the creation of a new faculty within the University of Malta, aptly named the Faculty of ICT.
In this way, what was happening in the real world could be better serviced for within the academic world. The Faculty of ICT comprises five well-established departments (in alphabetical order): Artificial Intelligence, Computer and Communications Engineering, Computer Information Systems, Computer Science, and Micro and Nano-Electronics. This new faculty, which as dean I am honoured to head, is born into a world of ICT opportunities and challenges - both external and internal. Allow me to start with the opportunities.
From an external point of view, it is my wish to strengthen relations between the work in our faculty and that in ICT-related industries. The opportunities here are literally mind-boggling. Never before do I remember such enthusiasm and positive attitude, from all parties involved, towards collaboration between academia and industry.
Opportunities of collaboration already being explored include EU projects, graduate final project support, lecture talks, postgraduate sponsorships and support schemes, academic representation locally and abroad, equipment donation, expertise/experience sharing, and others. From an internal perspective, the faculty is the perfect opportunity for disciplines traditionally lodged in other academic fields to work together as a new body of study supporting a new field of study. Each of the five departments in the new ICT Faculty stand to gain valuable complementary insight and understanding by working closely with other departments towards a common goal.
One must also consider the challenges facing the new faculty. From an external perspective, the same opportunities mentioned earlier with respect to collaboration with industry and other external establishments, also pose their challenges.
Collaboration does not come naturally and requires planning, support and trust and, above all, a spirit of partnership. I intend to address these issues by exploring various models of collaboration and drawing upon the experience of the ICT faculty's departments and their talented staff.
Another important aspect of external collaboration is widening the reach of our services. This is also a direction I wish to pursue with the aid of industrial partners and possibly other non-university players in the education services community. In today's socio-economic landscape, professional graduates with cross-disciplinary knowledge are an asset to the country. Therefore, I feel that the Faculty of ICT should try to explore avenues of integrating non-ICT disciplines into some of its offerings. I feel that this would enrich the faculty's services.
Within this framework, one must not loose sight of the international dimension. As has always been the case with most university entities, I would like to see the Faculty of ICT actively involved in international projects. The departments within the new faculty all have proven themselves highly worthy elements in any international project and at any level in which they participated. I am sure that the experience they carry will strengthen the faculty's international profile.
From an internal standpoint, the challenges are real and clear. The fact that the new faculty brings together five departments with their own established procedures, standards, protocols and backgrounds, is enough to ensure that the smooth functioning of the new Faculty of ICT will not happen and proceed without explicit effort. I feel that the important guiding principle in this case should always be the isolation of principle/goal from personalisation/ego.
I am a strong believer that if people can see through the foreground of personal feelings and preconceptions or suspicions, and if they get down to tackling the undiluted issue keeping in mind a common goal, then a solution will inevitably be reached. I also believe that the Faculty of ICT is staffed by people who are both academically and administratively professional. A crucial factor in the smooth functioning and effectiveness of the faculty, would be maintaining the relevance and social impact of the courses being offered by the faculty. This would require constant monitoring and, especially at these initial stages, tuning of the faculty's degree programmes based on student feedback and our own professional observations. Therefore, I hope to be able to direct the function of the ICT faculty in both its external and internal facets and guide its growth through existing and future challenges and opportunities. However, we grow, we should never lose sight of the guiding principle that we are working for the sake of educating people, and not educating people for the sake of working.
• Dr Cachia is the first dean of the new Faculty of Information and Communication Technology at the University of Malta.
Today one would find it virtually impossible to name a modern social activity which does not involve either the use of computation, electronic information management and/or its communication. Indeed, these three factors are mutually enabling. This basically means that the efficient use of one would very much depend on the presence of the other(s). This close synergy of computing/informatics and certain engineering disciplines like communication and micro/nano electronics, has over the past decade or so given rise to a whole new and distinct field of professional activity known as Information and Communication Technology (ICT).
To meet the literally sky-rocketing ICT needs of a modern and dynamic Maltese
society, the Maltese government, through the University of Malta, has enacted the creation of a new faculty within the University of Malta, aptly named the Faculty of ICT.
In this way, what was happening in the real world could be better serviced for within the academic world. The Faculty of ICT comprises five well-established departments (in alphabetical order): Artificial Intelligence, Computer and Communications Engineering, Computer Information Systems, Computer Science, and Micro and Nano-Electronics. This new faculty, which as dean I am honoured to head, is born into a world of ICT opportunities and challenges - both external and internal. Allow me to start with the opportunities.
From an external point of view, it is my wish to strengthen relations between the work in our faculty and that in ICT-related industries. The opportunities here are literally mind-boggling. Never before do I remember such enthusiasm and positive attitude, from all parties involved, towards collaboration between academia and industry.
Opportunities of collaboration already being explored include EU projects, graduate final project support, lecture talks, postgraduate sponsorships and support schemes, academic representation locally and abroad, equipment donation, expertise/experience sharing, and others. From an internal perspective, the faculty is the perfect opportunity for disciplines traditionally lodged in other academic fields to work together as a new body of study supporting a new field of study. Each of the five departments in the new ICT Faculty stand to gain valuable complementary insight and understanding by working closely with other departments towards a common goal.
One must also consider the challenges facing the new faculty. From an external perspective, the same opportunities mentioned earlier with respect to collaboration with industry and other external establishments, also pose their challenges.
Collaboration does not come naturally and requires planning, support and trust and, above all, a spirit of partnership. I intend to address these issues by exploring various models of collaboration and drawing upon the experience of the ICT faculty's departments and their talented staff.
Another important aspect of external collaboration is widening the reach of our services. This is also a direction I wish to pursue with the aid of industrial partners and possibly other non-university players in the education services community. In today's socio-economic landscape, professional graduates with cross-disciplinary knowledge are an asset to the country. Therefore, I feel that the Faculty of ICT should try to explore avenues of integrating non-ICT disciplines into some of its offerings. I feel that this would enrich the faculty's services.
Within this framework, one must not loose sight of the international dimension. As has always been the case with most university entities, I would like to see the Faculty of ICT actively involved in international projects. The departments within the new faculty all have proven themselves highly worthy elements in any international project and at any level in which they participated. I am sure that the experience they carry will strengthen the faculty's international profile.
From an internal standpoint, the challenges are real and clear. The fact that the new faculty brings together five departments with their own established procedures, standards, protocols and backgrounds, is enough to ensure that the smooth functioning of the new Faculty of ICT will not happen and proceed without explicit effort. I feel that the important guiding principle in this case should always be the isolation of principle/goal from personalisation/ego.
I am a strong believer that if people can see through the foreground of personal feelings and preconceptions or suspicions, and if they get down to tackling the undiluted issue keeping in mind a common goal, then a solution will inevitably be reached. I also believe that the Faculty of ICT is staffed by people who are both academically and administratively professional. A crucial factor in the smooth functioning and effectiveness of the faculty, would be maintaining the relevance and social impact of the courses being offered by the faculty. This would require constant monitoring and, especially at these initial stages, tuning of the faculty's degree programmes based on student feedback and our own professional observations. Therefore, I hope to be able to direct the function of the ICT faculty in both its external and internal facets and guide its growth through existing and future challenges and opportunities. However, we grow, we should never lose sight of the guiding principle that we are working for the sake of educating people, and not educating people for the sake of working.
• Dr Cachia is the first dean of the new Faculty of Information and Communication Technology at the University of Malta.