NextComp 2017 was organised for the first time in Mauritius by the University of Mauritius. This prestigious conference aimed to bring together researchers and key players from academia and economic industry to present innovative ideas to shape the research, innovation and technology landscape. The event brought together about 50 participants from a dozen countries at the Le Meridien Hotel in Pointe Aux Piments to discuss 78 topics.
The first edition of the Next Generation Computing Applications (NextComp2017) international conference held on July 19-21, covered various fields such as communication and computer networks, security and forensics, intelligent systems, ICT for development, data analytics, information management and enterprise systems, bioinformatics and health software systems. The conference also featured a full program of key presentations by experts, as well as new technological developments in theory and practice.
Adapting to the realities of emerging IT
In the presence of the representative of the Ministry of Education and Human Resources, Tertiary Education and Scientific Research, the Director, Mr. Auckbur, emphasized that institutions must evolve to adapt their realities to the emerging IT environment. According to him, ICT tools and research within the computer industry are needed to develop new technologies.
“Events such as NextComp 2017 help define new paths, develop new ICT partnerships and ensure that the community and businesses benefit from discussions and ideas gained,” he said.
The Ministry is also undertaking reforms in which ICT will play a much greater role in linking and digitizing education systems at all levels. “The reform process needs to be accompanied by high-level discussions and research. It is also important to guide a new trajectory for Mauritius through ICT and without forgetting the IT needs of tomorrow,” Auckbur added at NextComp 2017.
According to the Technical Director of the Ministry of Technology, Communication and Innovation, Mr Hawabhay, research and development is essential for innovation as it will play a key role in the future of Mauritius as well as in making the country an inclusive high-income economy.
“In the coming years, our researchers will need to find ways to engage in environmentally friendly and sustainable agriculture to ensure food security. Plants will need to adopt high-tech manufacturing processes. This means investment in new tools and innovative techniques to create innovative products,” he said.
According to Hawabhay, the ICT sector needs to explore new ways to address the major issues of skills mismatch and skills gap in a world of constant change and emerging technologies in many areas of society.
