eForesee

Re(2): Replacement:Re(2): eForesee malta-ict: Scenarios for Malta in ICT

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  • Subject: Re(2): Replacement:Re(2): eForesee malta-ict: Scenarios for Malta in ICT
  • From: "Galea Paul at MITTS"
  • Date: 22 Aug 2002 16:38:00 +0100

I totally agree with Dr. Falzon regarding the brain drain.
Many maltese will disappear from our island as soon as they have freedom of
moovement.
I know a lot of people (especially in IT) who do not venture beyond our shores
because it is a Beaurocratic nightmare to get a work permit from these
countries.
Once this is solved (with EU membership) we will undoubtedly loose their
services to other countries.
Like I said in my previous mail and very well put by Dr. Falzon, to solve this
we need to be able to provide services, without the need of being at the
location itself. This is where ICT should help (as it is doing in Telemedicine)
and in this way we can start to overcome the braindrain issue.
Again, I mention the BANDWITH ISSUE and a lot of this will not bve possible if
our international bandwith is left "AS IS"
regards
paul
 PS. call me paul
Dr. Neil Falzon (22/08/02 15:19):
>Hi,
>
>Just picking on a one of Mr. Galea's comments (re. Malta not producing enough
Software developers), a scenario I foresee revolves around a problem only
sparingly mentioned at the eForesee workshop a few weeks ago - brain drain.
>
>I am not an IT expert, so I will not venture to deep into that aspect, yet the
brain drain issue is certainly not limited to the IT sector. There is hardly
any point (selfishly speaking) in strengthening an educational system if the
products of that system, effective and productive as it may be, do not
contribute to the country's entire advancement and well-being. Hence a
scenario I foresee is rather dark with increased mobility with EU membership
cutting down on intellectuals (I use the word intellectuals in the widest of
senses) residing in Malta.
>
>To tackle this, ICT could by-pass the brain-drain problem by attacking its
very definition, which can be seen as geographic in nature. Is there really a
brain drain if Maltese intellectuals residing overseas are enabled to perform &
contribute locally at various level of civic inclusion? Can ICT help with
this? We cannot deny the attraction 'overseas' holds for ambitious
intellectuals. I don't this balance will ever be tipped, our size will never
change.
>
>Neil
>
>_____________
>
>
>EURIS CONSULT LTD.
>46/3, South Street, Valletta VLT 11, Malta.
>Tel: (+356) 21232551
>Fax: (+356) 21237277
>E-mail: [email protected]
>Website: http://www.eurisconsult.com
>
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>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Galea Paul at MITTS
> To: [email protected]
> Sent: Thursday, August 22, 2002 4:44 PM
> Subject: Replacement:Re(2): eForesee malta-ict: Scenarios for Malta in ICT
>
>
>
> I think that considering that Malta was a late entry in the Global IT secto,
> our achievements in the last decade by far exceeds our expectations.
> Keeping this in mind, I think that we could use the experience gained in this
> "FRESH START" approach that Malta had in the 1990's and offer our help to
those
> countries (especially in the north african region) who are still struggling
to
> set up their IT infrastructure ans IS capabilities.
>
> Also, this could also lead to Malta being a hub in the provision of services
> (ISP, ASP, NSP, and so on), especially providing Software as a service or
> Application Service Provision (ASP).
> Another area which we could benefit from is the provision of remote
> administrastion/support/maintenance/helpdesk services.
>
> All this can only happend if Malta's Internet bandwith problem is solved.
> A lot of people in Malta are speaking about on-line services being made
> available but unless our international bandwith is adequately "beefed-up",
none
> of these services will materialise at an international level.
>
> One of the worlds' greates deficiencies nowadays is the non-availibility of
> SOFTWARE DEVELOPERS. The educational systems around the world (and in
> particular those of small countries like ourselves) seem to lack the ability
to
> produce people with very good software skills. I see this from 11 years
> experience at MSU/ MITTS Ltd. where I have mentored a number of students
from a
> number of academic backgrounds (University, Technical Institute, Junior
> Collegge, ..). The biggest problem (Juan hit the nail on the head with his
> coments on this) is that not enough emphasis is place on the teaching of soft
> skills. (and these include softWARE skills)
> The current educational system ( I am sure that most of you have gone through
> University, passing exams and not remembering what the subjects were about
> after a couple of days) only deems people as being successfull, if they pass
> exams and in the particular area of software, this is a great fallacy.
Another
> problem with software is that it is very difficult to teach software if you
are
> not a software developer yourself. As such, I feel that the we need more of
the
> Hand-on approach that juan mentioned.
> I feel that there is a high concentration of software developers in Malta
> already, but with a bit of investment and foresight, we could have more of
> these on the island and start exporting our software skills and services
more.
>
> Regards
>
> Paul Galea
> Consultant
> Strategy and Architecture Department
> Central Information Management Unit
>
>
> Jennifer Cassingena Harper (22/08/02 12:21):
> >Leonard,
> >
> >many thanks,
> >
> >Jennifer
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: Leonard Bezzina
> > To: [email protected]
> > Sent: Thursday, August 22, 2002 1:18 PM
> > Subject: Re: eForesee malta-ict: Scenarios for Malta in ICT
> >
> >
> > Dear Jennifer,
> > I would like to suggest the following scenario:
> >
> > Malta would become a centre of excellence in ICT in education (practice
and
> theory). This implies a situation where all teachers are making the best
> possible use of ICT in order to enhance teaching and learning in all areas of
> the curriculum and at all levels of our education system (primary, secondary,
> post-secondary and tertiary). This vision includes making most of the
> communication capabilities of current and future technology in order to
promote
> learning at a distance and at all times of the day (e-learning) and at
> facilitating communication between parents/guardians and the school. It also
> implies a situation where Malta develops innovative ways of making use of ICT
> in our classrooms. Once such a vision is in place we can become a
Mediteranean
> centre of excellence in teacher education in this area. We can then offer
> appropriate University level courses mainly through distance learning.
> >
> >
> > Leonard Bezzina
> >
> > Jennifer Cassingena Harper wrote:
> >
> > Dear Colleagues, We would like to initiate an on-line discussion on
> alternative futures for Malta in ICT. We would like you to send us up to ten
> different scenario themes for Malta in ICT. These can be scenario themes
> focused on:
> > a.. specific niche areas (e.g. Malta as an e-learning hub)
> > b.. or ICT-enabled initiatives (e.g. on-line gambling)
> > c.. or telecomms-related initiatives
> > d.. or any other ideas in general !!
> > Ideally, this exercise should not involve too much time - maximum 30
> minutes - just jot down what comes immediately to mind. So send us your
> feedback if possible by Thursday 22 August.Looking forward to hearing from
you,
> Jennifer
> > ___________Dr. Jennifer Cassingena
> Harper
> > Head, Policy Unit,
> > Malta Council for Science and Technology
> > Villa Bighi, Bighi, Kalkara CSP 11, Malta
> > email: [email protected] http://www.mcst.org.mt
> > direct dial-in: +356 23602125
> > tel. +356 21 660340 (fax) +356 21 660341
> > ___________
> >
> >
> > +++++++++++++++
> >
> > Dr Leonard Bezzina
> > Department of Mathematics, Science and Technical Education
> > Faculty of Education
> > University of Malta
> > Msida MSD 06
> > Malta
> >
> > E-mail address: [email protected]
> > Telephone number: 3290 2404
> >
> > +++++++++++++++
> >
> >
> >
>
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------
> sender : "Galea Paul at MITTS" 
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------
> This is the malta-ict mailing list of the EU financed eFORESEE
> project on regional foresight. Please go to the project website
> at http://eforesee.info to subscribe, unsubscribe or update
> your profile. Feel free to forward this message to colleagues or
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> ---------------------------------------------------------------------
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