Prof C. Paul Bonnington

(The following is a reproduction from Monash Memo)

The Monash e-Research Centre (MeRC) showcased its innovative and practical ICT solutions for Monash researchers during an e-XPO in August.

The e-XPO, which included seminars from 12 e-Research leaders and a technology and applications exhibition, was designed to promote e-research opportunities available to Monash researchers from all faculties and disciplines.

Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) Professor Edwina Cornish, Associate Professor Ashley Buckle, MeRC director Professor Paul Bonnington, Dean of IT Professor Ron Weber, and Associate director MeRC Professor David Abramson.

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This afternoon I have been invited by the Ministry of Research Science and Technology to comment (in a video conference) on the NZ Government’s Digital Strategy from May 2005 and the draft Digital Content Strategy August 2007. The strategy is currently being updated and this exercise ties in to the Digital Future Summit 2.0 conference being held in Auckland next week.

In the May 2005 document, the government sees this strategy as a crucial ingredient in NZ’s journey towards the “Knowledge Society”. The strategy is based around the enablers connection, content and confidence: affordable high-speed connection for everybody, diverse high-quality content, and the building of capability and confidence to use digital resources in our society.

The document promotes the idea of transforming the economy through information and communication. Indeed it even suggests at one point that:

information + communication = knowledge society

What needs to be recognised?

As with anything involving IT these days, the situation has changed three years on. And there are two emerging considerations which I believe need addressing in a digital strategy for New Zealand. Read more »