ICT Forum for Scotland launches website
The productivity boost skilled ICT exploitation could bring to businesses, organsiations and people across Scotland is underlined by the launch of a new website by the ICT Forum for Scotland: www.ictforumforscotland.org.
Set up by the Scottish Government in 2007, the ICT Forum for Scotland was established to provide thought leadership in relation to the skilled exploitation of ICT. Its role is to analyse the evidence base and identify actions that would improve Scotland’s ICT productivity. In a recent report entitled “Unlocking ICT’s Potential to Boost Scotland’s Economic Growth”, the Forum set out its case by urging Scotland to boost ICT exploitation. At the same time, the UK Centre for Economic and Environmental Development (CEED) warned that ICT is being “surprisingly overlooked” as a key enabler for sustainable development – and has fallen significantly down regional agendas.
Gerry Docherty of the ICT Forum for Scotland says: “ICT offers real potential to boost Scotland’s economic growth. There is arguably no other single policy area which will be of more practical importance in realising the Government’s goals; but strong leadership and concerted action is required to make a difference. “ At today's SCDI conference he will outline outline far-reaching proposals that could transform Scotland's economic performance.
Jim Mather MSP, Minister for Enterprise commented: “I very much welcome the fact that the ICT Forum for Scotland is taking a lead in helping Scotland capitalise on the benefits offered by information and communication technology."
Polly Purvis Executive Director of ScotlandIS and a member of the ICT Forum added : "ICT is powering increased productivity across Scotland, but there is still so much more that could be done, and all the statistics underline this. In these difficult times, increasing efficiency and reducing costs through smarter use of technology will help business to keep the competitive edge they need, whether its through transformational ICT adoption such as using the web as a sales channel, or adopting online collaboration tools, or smaller but still significant improvements via teleconferencing or online payment systems."
Background Notes
The ICT Forum for Scotland was formed by the Scottish Government in September 2007 with the principal objective of:
- Developing a shared understanding of ICT’s contribution to productivity and the development of high-value solutions to complex industrial and commercial problems.
- Identifying the barriers that need to be overcome to enable Scotland to maximise the contribution of ICT across the industrial, commercial, public and academic sectors.
- Proposing a new set of actions, building on existing initiatives, that both the private and public sector can take to raise productivity and find solutions to complex problems through the use of ICT.
The ICT Forum for Scotland has formulated a delivery strategy based round four substantive work streams :
- Create a culture change so that Scotland’s citizens, businesses and public sector organisations see smart exploitation of ICT as a critical enabler of economic success.
- Educate people of all ages to provide the skills, tools and confidence they need in order to exploit ICT, and share the insights from the best projects in Scotland and around the world.
- Ensure a vibrant supply-side by developing and maintaining the conditions for Scotland’s ICT sector to thrive, and by ensuring that our ICT infrastructure remains world class.
- Benchmark, so that the policy approach is informed by a sound understanding of where we are, where we need to be, and how we are progressing compared to our international competitors.