Ok. I’m just joking. Actually, it’s much more profound than that. And, for once, I am finding something from Microsoft (or, more precisely, Microsoft Research) fascinating. It’s a report called Towards 2020 Science where, I quote,
“an international expert group was brought together for a workshop to define and produce a new vision and roadmap of the evolution, challenges and potential of computer science and computing in scientific research in the next fifteen years.”
There are a number of recommendations at the end of the report. Personally, I find some of them very very interesting. For example (I quote):
- Urgently re-think how we educate tomorrow’s scientists
- For children: make teaching of computing more than just ‘IT’ classes and how to use PowerPoint. Make basic principles of computer science, such as abstraction and codification, a core part of the science curriculum.
- For undergraduates: Make computer science (again, not just ‘computing’) a key element of the science curriculum
- Re-energise computer science to tackle ‘grand challenges’
- Computer science teaching and research is currently at an awkward crossroads where it needs to decide whether it is something that serves other disciplines, is an engineering exercise, or a real science in its own right. This report makes it clear that it can be a science in its own right.
- Develop innovative public private partnerships to accelerate science-based innovation
- Governments, universities and businesses need to find new kinds of ways to work together.
Now, if only those “luminaries” who are always talking about the Cybercity and/or IT, only spend one afternoon trying to understand (unfortunately, most of them are not very bright) this report, Mauritius might (and I say might) have a chance to succeed…
That doesn’t bother me at all seeing Mauritians computing… mo ene tigit egoiste (I know) but I’ve given up telling/pleading people that they should create/innovate (whatever it may be – programming, 3d animations, graphics, research work etc.) instead of being mere consumers… as for me, just like it has been pointed out, I beleive that I too have moved to the next level, i.e. the supreme level, i.e. enjoying every single minute of being a Linux user… comprenne qui pourra…
Hint: For those interested, ‘please’ start by learning how to implement Styles and Formatting in MS Word or the related in OpenOffice…
I’m not too sure I’ve given up.
And I’m definitely not an egoist.
You see, the whole point of this blog entry is to emphasise that something is wrong somewhere. I would really like some “luminary” to read the report and make things move in the right direction.
Personally, I’m always trying to make people realise that excellence is the only way to go (whether my students, colleagues and any person I happen to meet). Sometimes it works (especially with my students) and sometimes people don’t care. But that’s life :-)
The situation still seems very dark nuggies from outside.
Being in the middle of a boiling Asia I find it hard to reach the goals mauritius have set for itself.
Our leaders would really need to listen to the people in the IT field.
An advice like this one would be fresh air on the long term for the so called Cyber City and Cyber island.
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