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ACS staff, Information Age

17/06/2007 20:46:10

New donors swell Foundation's scholarship book

Soaring interest almost creates embarrassment of riches for ICT hopefuls

More than 200 ACS Foundation scholarships are available for deserving students and graduates following competition among high-profile employers for the best and brightest among young ICT candidates.

Worth more than $11.5m, the 207 Work Integrated Learning (WIL) scholarships on the Foundation's books awaiting student takeup have been produced by the addition of companies like IBM, Altiris, Accenture, Agilent, Satyam, Compuware and a lengthening list of other industry heavies.

This unique challenge in the Foundation's six-year history adds to the 600 scholarships worth $10m awarded to people studying ICT-related degree courses

"This truly is an enormous opportunity for quality students looking for a head-start into the ICT sector," said Foundation executive director John Ridge.

"Not only will they spend a year getting relevant work experience on real-world projects within a leading organisation as part of their university degree program, but those who perform well are often considered for a continuing scholarship for the duration of their studies, or possibly a permanent position once they graduate.

"Regardless of whether they form an ongoing relationship with their scholarship donor or not, the practical experience gained during their WIL placement gives any ACS Foundation student a real advantage in their future employment stakes," he said.

The ACS Foundation is asking any members who know bright young students who are currently studying or considering studying an ICT-related degree course to encourage them to visit the ACS Foundation Web site and apply for a scholarship.

"New academically-qualified talent is the lifeblood of our industry and there has never been a better time to get real support for a new career, or to broaden one already in development," according to Ridge.

"Members too should take advantage of the program; anyone with an interest should contact the Foundation.

"It's a very exciting time to be studying ICT because employers are very keen to snap up our graduates for their organisations. An ACS Foundation scholarship can make a significant difference to any student's employment prospects," he says.

As the national umbrella body for ICT scholarships, the Foundation can tailor scholarship offerings for any ACS-accredited university course in the country.

Its scholarships not only target the brightest and best students, but also seek to open doors for more women and ethnic minorities to study ICT, as well as those with physical, financial or geographical disadvantages.

For more information, visit http://www.acsfoundation.org.au, write to john.ridge@acsfoundation.com.au or call (02) 8296 4445.

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Satyam offers 100 postgrad placements Under a new deal negotiated with B Ramalinga Raju, founder and CEO of Indian computer services giant Satyam, 50 postgraduate scholarships for WIL in India and Australia will be available each year through the ACS Foundation.

Each worth $50,000, the scholarships offer college training and work-place experience. Satyam employs 40,000 ICT professionals serving nearly 500 client companies in 55 countries across six continents.

"This relationship is particularly important because it will not only significantly increase the number of opportunities available to new graduates, but it also promises to grow the local talent pool over time," said ACS Foundation executive director John Ridge who inked the arrangement in April.

The first 50 postgraduate placements are being awarded now, with an additional 50 to be offered at the end of this year to begin in early 2008. These are national postgraduate positions that not only provide practical experience and hands-on training in world-class systems and methodologies, but which afford significant opportunities for travel, both immediately and in the longer term.

The Satyam WIL placements comprise six months in India, which includes three months intensive college-based training and exposure to various IT methodologies, and three months of relevant practical experience, followed by a further 12 months work experience after returning to Australia.

Satyam will pay for all travel and accommodation expenses in India with an allowance for additional expenses, plus a tax free scholarship of $28,000 for the Australian work component, making up a total financial investment of over $50,000.

"The true potential of the Satyam opportunity is unlimited for those students who are successful in applying for them. Not only will it provide a high quality work integrated learning experience with postgraduate studies and training such as have rarely been offered before, but those who complete the placement will have the opportunity to work for Satyam anywhere in the world," Mr Ridge explained.

While the initial scholarships require Australian citizenship or Permanent Resident status, Satyam plans to open them up to outstanding international students in the medium to long term.

"This is all about creating opportunities for more Australians to work within Satyam, but they also recognise that the vast majority of overseas students who come here to study ICT have aspirations to stay.

"By eventually opening these scholarships up to international students who are willing to commit to a future in Australia, Satyam will help them to qualify for permanent residency and ultimately grow the total pool of qualified professionals in the market. It's a win-win situation," he said.

For information about the Satyam scholarships, see www.acsfoundation.com.au or call (02) 8296 4445.

+++ Meet a director: Rathika Suresh, Community Affairs

One of the busiest intersections on the ACS's continuous journey towards professionalism among ICT practitioners is the point where this meets its relationship with the wider community.

While ICT touches everyone's life, few in the community understand the need for vigilance to ensure that its economic, legal and social implications are dedicated to the public benefit.

It falls to the Community Affairs Board (CAB) to present the public face of a professional society, working to analyse how technological innovation and its application must be managed across education at all levels, and that ethical and a host of other issues must be identified and resolved proactively.

Its director, Rathika Suresh, is uniquely equipped for the task: as CIO of Pymble Ladies' College in Sydney's north, she has an MBA in technology management and 20 years' experience in ICT.

This includes the development and management of business strategies for innovations in online learning, Web-based and multimedia solutions and ICT infrastructure.

She commits to her board's vision "to develop programs that will create ACS as the focal point in the industry and to ultimately encourage all age groups in the community to embrace technology, and use it to their individual and collective needs".

Enabling and developing ICT literacy is a leading agenda item, particularly through access to the necessary infrastructure, training and assistance for government to take advantage of the global reach of the Internet.

So is the enabling of ICT courses and further education through ICT for indigenous communities. She is keen to provide a holistic approach to address the shortage of school leavers taking up ICT, believing improved career advice and career management skills to young people to be the key objective of the National Computers in Education committee of her board.

Rathika Suresh's professional contribution to this work has been recognised by ICT Minister Helen Coonan's appointing her to an ICT advisory group to which she brings ACS initiatives and policies.

Another important task for CAB is the review of ACS Code of Ethics, undertaken through its Committee on Computer Ethics.

"Including ACS members in focus groups around the nation in the review process has enhanced our members' awareness and importance of the code," she says.

Health informatics, which deals with technologies and methods required for the effective gathering and management of information in health and biomedicine, is the concern of the CAB's health informatics committee, which works closely with Health Informatics Society of Australia.

A current project is the developing policy on environmental issues: through its committee on Economic, Legal and Social implications of Computers, an audit is being initiated to analyse the implication of carbon emissions from the use of ICT by the Australian businesses.

A national SIG is to be set up to allow members to collaborate by sharing views and information on this topic.

+++ YIT conference spawns ambassador scheme

Delegates from across the nation attended this year's national Young IT Professionals' two-day conference to hear high-profile speakers from academia and the ICT industry discuss future trends and directions and to share their communication and networking skills.

The only event in Australia exclusively for young professionals, recent graduates and students, the conference is a firm foundation for the 2008 conference, to be held in Adelaide.

The Young IT Board has also announced the launch of its new Student Ambassador Program, aimed at strengthening the presence of the ACS among ICT students.

Student Ambassadors will act as official representatives of the ACS at university and TAFE campuses across Australia, while increasing their involvement in the ICT industry.

The initiative gives ambassadors an opportunity to develop better communication and leadership skills, while meeting other like minded peers and ICT professionals.

The program coincides with the expansion of YIT's successful Mock Interviews, which aim to place final-year students and recent graduates into simulated interviews with real companies.

Many students graduate without interview experience; while many may possess the skills and knowledge to perform brilliantly in a job, the interviews will offer students an opportunity to put their personal skills into practice in a real situation.

For more information, contact your local YIT branch representative or visit www.acs.org.au/youngit.

+++ Proposed changes to ACS governance structure

The Society has for some considerable time been concerned that its governing body under the Associations Incorporation Act, the ACS Council, is too large to be truly effective.

It also has been very conscious that the weighted voting structure of Council is inappropriate for any governing body, as the body has to take decisions for the good of the Society as a whole and cannot risk being compromised by looking to the interests of any particular group.

So, Council decided at its November 2006 meeting to change the Society's governance structure.

Council agreed that its Management Committee as presently constituted and tasked be abolished and that a Management Committee, smaller than the existing Council, be established to be the Committee of the ACS under the Act and a Congress be established to act as an advisory body.

Council also decided that the voting strengths within the ACS governing body must reflect 1person/1 vote to prevent the possibility of a minority of Councillors having control over the majority.

Council directed that the necessary Rule and National Regulation changes required to implement these recommendations be progressed such that the new structure can commence from 01 Jan 2008.

The November 2006 Council also decided that it was reasonable to ensure that the larger Branches were represented on the new Management Committee, which is analogous to a major shareholder being given a seat on a company board. So the new Management Committee structure guarantees one representative for a Branch with at least 25% of total ACS financial membership..

The new Management Committee (MC), which will be the statutory Committee under the Act, is a strategic body and its role includes but is not limited to:

• Managing the Society • Statutory issues (upholds Rules & National Regulations) • Policy approval and release • Developing and monitoring the Strategic Plan • Public Relations • Risk management • Accountability • Inheritance (culture and 'corporate knowledge') • Appointing the Disciplinary Committee • Appointing and managing the CEO.

The new MC has the following structure: Proposed new Management Committee Structure Position Number Appointment President (Chairman of MC Meetings) 1 Elected by Congress President elect 1 Elected by Congress CEO 1 Appointment by MC Immediate Past President 1 Ex-officio Branch Representatives (NB title may be changed) 4 (1 from any Branch with greater than 25% of the total active financial Branch membership as at the end of the month prior to election, with the remainder elected by Congress.) Treasurer 1 Elected by Congress Community Boards' VP (Nominees must be endorsed by Community Boards) 1 Elected by Congress Membership Boards' VP (Nominees must be endorsed by Membership Boards) 1 Elected by Congress Academic (Technical) Boards' VP (Nominees must be endorsed by Academic Boards) 1 Elected by Congress

The role of Congress is to: • Elect President, Treasurer and VPs of ACS • Strategic Planning Input • Policy determination • Elect Board Directors • Provide any other advice for the betterment of the Society.

Congress has the following structure:

ACS Congress Structure: Position Appointment Management Committee As constituted Board Directors Elected by Congress 16 Branch Representatives ((NB title may be changed) 2 per Branch, appointed by BECs

The November 2006 Council stipulated that certain conditions are to apply to the new structure and these include the following :

1. Each member of MC and Congress has one (1) vote on all issues 2. Any member of the MC may be dismissed by a 2/3 vote of Congress. 3. The conditions for a member of Congress becoming vacant are as for an existing member of Council. 4. MC and Congress quorum is half their number plus 1. 5. The President or, if the President is absent, a Vice-President elected by those present, must chair MC and Congress meetings. 6. The following conditions apply to be eligible for election/appointment to MC:

•a candidate for President, Vice President or Treasurer must either be a current member of Council [in the future Congress] or have been a member of Council/Congress for a minimum of one (1) year in the past five (5) years or is a person with a special and unique set of skills or attributes that are advantageous to the proper functioning of the ACS as determined by the Congress. However, to be elected President a person must be a member of the Professional Division and must have been a member of MC, prior or post 01 Jan 2008, for at least one term of office in another capacity. •candidates for VP must gain endorsement for their nomination for the VP position by the respective Boards they represent. •Branch Representatives must currently represent their Branch in Congress. One of the representatives of any Branch which has more than 25% of the total Active Financial Branch membership at the end of the month preceding the election is automatically elected to MC. •Affiliates are not eligible for election or appointment as a Board Director unless s/he is a person with a special and unique set of skills or attributes that are advantageous to the proper functioning of the ACS as determined by the Congress.

7. Companions and Students in accordance with NR 2.13 may be eligible for election or appointment to Congress under certain circumstances. 8. To be eligible for election to the Congress as a Branch Representative a candidate must possess qualifications and experience which in the opinion of the BEC can make a positive contribution to the affairs of the Society. 9. Terms for MC and Congress members will be two (2) years. All positions are limited to three (3) consecutive terms so as to not exceed six (6) years total in that position, with the exception of the position of President, for which the incumbent and the Immediate Past President remain ineligible to be elected.

The transition arrangements for the new structure are being developed now.

The changes to the ACS Rules and National Regulations to effect the proposed changes will be confirmed at the May 2007 Council meeting. Rule changes will be voted on by members, either in person or by proxy, at the 2007 AGM to be held in late November. National Regulation changes will be circulated to members during 2007.

Further information on this issue is available on the My ACS Web site.

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Computer professional edu program scholarships

CPEP is offering two half-fee scholarships to each branch for Study Period 2

The Computer Professional Education Program gives students a great opportunity to complete quality postgraduate study at a bargain price. CPEP consists of three core subjects, plus one elective and there are three elective subjects available for Study period 2.

Study Period 2 commences on July 23 and runs for 13 weeks to October 19.

Elective subjects are being offered online for the first time in this study period along with a new elective: Adaptive Business Intelligence, plus IT Service Management (formerly Managing Technology and Operations) and Project Management.

For details of subjects, how to apply for scholarships and to enrol for courses, go to acs.org.au/cpprogram.

To be considered for a scholarship, e-mail or post an application to your branch chair. Closing date is June 30, and winners will be notified by July 9, 2007.

At the exclusive price of only $337.50 per subject (half fees) this is a great opportunity to complete an industry approved, quality postgraduate study. Recent CPEP scholarship winner Arjuna Kulatunga, a YIT board member, began Study Period 1 in March and says: "As a young ICT professional, I see the CPEP as a way to move forward in my career. The program is online learning, it's convenient and I can study when it suits me.

Currently I am studying business, legal and ethical Issues which cover three main areas of ICT. The mentored collaborative learning environment, while supportive, allows great discussions with other students and exchange of information in all areas relating to business IT.

"The program has taught me a lot that I can put into practice in everyday work situations. I recommend the program to members."

Study Period 2 enrolments now open You can enroll in Business, Legal and Ethical Issues, New Technology Alignment and Business, Strategy and IT plus any one of the three electives: Adaptive Business Intelligence, IT Service Management (formerly Managing Technology and Operations) and Project Management.

Your time commitment is 8-10 hours per week and charges for Study period 2 will not be made until early July. Enrol online before July 16.

Elective subjects cover a range of ICT areas: Adaptive Business Intelligence: This is the discipline of using prediction and optimisation techniques to build self-learning "decisioning" systems. Systems based upon Adaptive Business Intelligence include elements of: Data mining  Predictive modelling  Forecasting optimisation  Adaptability

They are used by business managers to make better decisions.

IT Service Management: IT organisations and their underlying IT infrastructure need to be responsive to the changing demands of the business they support. This subject examines how to deliver IT services effectively using process standards and frameworks such as ITIL and CoBIT and includes:  From technology to services  IT Service Management  Managing risk, sourcing and security  Managing Infrastructure

Project Management: Effective project management requires a structured management approach with good inter-personal skills. This subject examines both of these aspects and uses practical examples from contemporary projects to illustrate proven project practices, covering:  Project challenges  Taking the next steps  Dealing with many projects  Making projects work

For the first time, electives will be offered as "stand alone" subjects, although an induction period may be required for new students.

These subjects are currently being revised and our Web site will be updated soon. Participants may apply for Recognition of Prior Learning for the elective subject as part of the CPE Program.

Contact Pam Barnes on 1800 671 003 or e-mail cpprogram@acs.org.au

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Garry Trinder honoured in WA ICT awards

Nearly 400 people attended Western Australia's IT and Telecommunications industry's awards night recently where winners among 29 nominees in nine categories were recognised in the presence of WA Governor Dr Ken Michael and the Hon Frank Logan, Minister for Energy; Resources; Industry and Enterprise.

ACS Fellow, former national president (1994-5)and Honorary Life Member Garry Trinder received the Achiever of the Year award for his contribution to public service, industry and academia in the development of ICT in WA and beyond.

He has taught at the Graduate University of the Chinese Academy of Science and at the Executive Professional & Tertiary Institute in Ireland. He now coordinates the masters level projects at Edith Cowan University.

Minister Logan also announced $20,000 through the State's Innovate WA 2 program to assist WA-based ICT companies to participate in the AIIA's "Developing Business Skills for ICT Entrepreneurs Program for 2007".

Other awards were -

Exporter and online: Moodle for Moodle.

Moodle is an open source course management system to help educators create effective online learning communities.

WIth over 20,000 known sites and a million courses in 169 countries, Moodle has a large and diverse community of universities, schools, companies and other educational institutions. Over 150,000 educators interact on the main development Web sites, speaking over 75 languages, informing 200 regular developers and testers who contribute to the ongoing success of Moodle.

Infrastructure: Multipro ICT Services for Koolan Island IT and communications system

Multipro ICT Services is one of Western Australia's only fully integrated ICT companies offering a full suite of business-focused technical solutions for SMEs. Established in 1989, Multipro provides a mix of technical, management and operation skills.

Innovation: Balconi Pty Ltd for Balconi CDMA Tracker

Balconi focuses on the WA oil and gas market offering communications through voice and Internet connectivity on vessels, particularly on rig support vessels.

Product: Lectopia Project Team, the University of Western Australia

Lectopia is an enterprise lecture capture, publication and management system designed for use in universities. It automates the recording of audio and video from traditional face-to-face lectures for publication online. In a variety of streaming media and downloadable formats, including podcasting.

Regional: BroadbandNet for WA Wireless Broadband Network

BroadbandNet, an independent carrier and ISP has deployed its own infrastructure network through WA. One of the largest independent wireless backhaul ISPs in Australia, BBNet provides high-speed Internet, which with it two-way satellite service, can provide broadband anywhere in WA.

Service delivery and training: cell-media for OH&S, safety, and environment site-specific inductions for the diverse workforce.

Cell-media offers clients with multimedia workforce segments to deliver workforce-specific training to reduces significantly induction times and increases productivity.

Student project (Peter Fillery award): Nan Ning, Curtin University of Technology for remote tracking of terrorist/criminals using distributed mobile cameras.

This project proposed a novel approach for tracking the movement of a criminal or terrorist across a large-scale distributed system using both moving and static cameras. This unique approach would ensure greater data inter-operability and scalability, maximising the strategic significance of using them to counter terror/crime.

Telecommunications: I & E Systems for DAD v7.0 Design Asset manage Document

I & E Systems, a multi-skilled engineering and ICT software development firm, has developed a software system for the oil and gas Industry to model their instrumentation and control systems.

Sponsors Platinum sponsors: AIIA, Curtin University of Technology, Department of Industry and Resources, Edith Cowan University faculty of Computing Health and Science, Elk Consultants, iiNet Limited, Murdoch University School of Information Technology, Thales Australia and The West Australian.

Gold sponsors: ACS Foundation and Porter Consulting Group.

Silver sponsors: Department of Local Government & Regional Development, Envisage Blue, Habanero Creative Solutions, The University of WA School of Computer Science and Software Engineering, and Western Australian Internet Association.

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ACS Fellow awarded world's first (ISC)² Fellowship

Bill Caelli has been appointed a Fellow of (ISC)2, the certifying body for information security professionals

Prof Caelli, director of International Information Security Consultants, was awarded an ACS fellowship in 1982 and served as the ACS representative to the International Federation for Information Processing's (IFIP) Technical Committee 11 on Information Privacy and Security (IFIP TC-11) from 1984 to 1999.

In recognition of his many contributions to the international field of computer and telecommunications security, which included acting as Committee Chair for seven years, he received IFIP's prestigious Silver Core Award in 1992. In 2002, his contributions to ICT security were acknowledged when he became the fifth person in history to receive the international "Kristian Beckman Award" from IFIP.

The award is designed to recognise an individual who has made a significant contribution to the development of information security, especially achievements with an international perspective, and its stringent criteria means it is not awarded annually. He was also made an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) in 2003. ACS President Philip Argy said: "As a Fellow and a member of the ACS for 40 years, Professor Caelli has played a significant role in identifying and addressing the risks and solutions of the ICT security sector. We congratulate him on the outstanding achievement of becoming the world's first (ISC)² Fellow and we are pleased that his contributions and the security sector itself have been acknowledged on the world stage. "The security sector is critical to the success of the ICT industry and the nation's economic prosperity. As businesses realise that technologists are the ones shaping our future, the importance of professionalism in the way that ICT workers, particularly ICT security workers, conduct themselves is paramount. "Australia must develop universal standards of professionalism, as it is key to mitigating risk in ICT projects and assuring foreign investors of our industry's quality. The ACS calls for Government regulation to prevent charlatans operating in the ICT security sector, to ensure the success of ICT projects, particularly the development of our broadband capabilities and e-government initiatives, which underpin the prosperity of Australian businesses and impact greatly on the general community. We need to adequately address future or emerging threats," Argy said. Bill Caelli said: "I am honoured to have received this fellowship and I look forward to working with (ISC)², who have certified more than 50,000 information security professionals in over 120 countries. Certifying ICT security workers ensures that they adhere to and meet a certain standard of professionalism. Thus the work of (ISC)² is crucial to the success of ICT projects globally and I look forward to continuing to raising awareness of the need for certification of ICT security professionals, both nationally and internationally." +++

Business and outsourcing consultant Accenture has become a platinum member of the ACS's Professional Partner Program.

The first partner company to do so, Accenture would have attained this status by nominating 100 staff members for the program.

However, it listed 300 staffers to membership, an initiative recognised with a platinum plaque presentation to Accenture managing director Doug Snedden by ACS president Philip Argy and CEO Dennis Furini in Sydney recently.

So far, 55 organisations have joined the program, offering its benefits to more than 800 Australians who, by dint of membership, will have access to the personal development training PPP offers, be recognised as ICT professionals, be able to network with a national peer group and enjoy a host of personal rewards.

While partner companies include such corporate heavyweights as Accor, KPMG and Sydney Airport Corp., others include small to medium businesses.

"All have recognised the benefits of PPP membership, particularly their access to graduates from the ACS Foundation's scholarship program which assists the brightest and best of our young ICT professionals to gain real-world experience while advancing their tertiary qualifications," says Laurie Carmichael, ACS national manager, membership development.

"PPP member companies, big or small, are recognised as understanding the responsibilities of ICT professionalism by their staff and clients, which along with the benefits offered individuals under the program, significantly helps staff recruitment, development and retention."

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