SmartCity Malta out to attract ICT universities
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President and Ruler of Dubai with Fareed Abdulrahman, CEO, SmartCity at the SmartCity stand, showing the SmartCity Malta model.
SmartCity Malta will be trying to attract value-added ICT and media operations, ICT universities and technical colleges, specialised IT academies, and corporate training headquarters, the CEO, Claudio Grech, said today at the GITEX Technology Week in Dubai.
He said Ricasoli will also be transformed into a hub for knowledge-based activities and a centre for knowledge process outsourcing.
There will also be specialised clusters such as maritime-related ICT, computer gaming and IP (internet) TV and broadcasting.
The GITEX Technology Week is one of the most important ICT exhibitions worldwide.
Mr Grech said SmartCity Malta intended to become the premier ICT training destination in the European Union.
In the meantime it has been revealed that there will soon be a third SmartCity, in the Pacific Asia or Middle-East/North Africa region.
"It will be bigger than our Malta development but probably not quite as big as our precinct in India," explained Fareed Abdulrahman, CEO of SmartCity, the parent of SmartCity Malta. He was being interviewed by GBS Times at GITEX.
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Raymond Sammut
Oct 22nd 2008, 09:45
Distance learning over IT infrastructure is now very much in demand, at undergrad level at least.
Consumers often look at spreading a study course over six years while keeping their full time job. They look for study units that they can match with what they do or aspire to do later in life.
Those who contemplate teaching without having to travel to a uni campus -- it is very much a possibility once all the necessary parts have been put together. It is called "working from home".
Why inconvenience tiny Malta with large numbers of foreign students when you can do it remotely? Foreign students who need to come to Malta to meet syllabus requirements should only have to visit briefly.
As to demand for corporate educational and/or other products, this will always vary greatly according to economic cycles, obviously.
l Galea
Oct 21st 2008, 20:53
The major companies and universities will be attracted to those countries where the pay is low.
C Chircop
Oct 21st 2008, 17:39
Especially given that a 3rd SmartCity venture is in the pipeline, it is imperative that all entities within our country get together and work concertedly with SmartCity Malta to get this Project off the ground and bearing the fruit before we face further competition within the same investor portfolio itself.
Time is crucial. Although we are small, we should sustain our confidence in our local talent
and infuse a stronger work ethic within our emerging ICT human resources.
A time of reckoning for our nation indeed.
Adrian Camilleri
Oct 21st 2008, 17:28
Good Grief!
The level of Nationalist sycophancy exhibited by some people is depressing.
I voted for them and even I'm not willing to suck up like that.
Smart City was a great idea when it was conceived and launched.
It is now a pretty depressing reminder that the best plans can come to naught if the market suddenly changes on you.
Does anyone really believe that Malta is going to attract any meaningful IT and High Tech investment in the current market environment ?
Smart City is a premium piece of real estate and we're not in a premium market.
Attempting the attract Universities and Trade Schools is an act of desperation by a company that's begun to realize that it can't attract the volume of corporate clients it had initially projected.
This is the classic 'lipstick on a pig' argument.
Seychell Michael
Oct 21st 2008, 16:54
Very good news for our youths and for our country. This vindicates the wise decision by the PN government. despite Sant's MLP and his followers who welcomed with great scepticism the news that Smart City were coming to Malta - similar to their attitude when we joined Europe.
Michael Seychell
Pieta